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Today many homeowners want a drought tolerant landscape, but they don't
quite know how to get one. They think the only options are the same old
succulents, a lawn of fake grass or a sparse planting of shrubs. But no!
There are prettier possibilities for a drought tolerant yard.
Actual Art Landscape Design creates cohesive compositions of color and
form, in which every element harmonizes with the others. These drought
tolerant displays are almost art galleries, inviting surprise and delight.
Better yet, a yard rich in succulents requires minimal investment in
maintenance and irrigation. Like all plants, succulents need proper soil
preparation to look their best. The ground should be sandy and loose, not
a heavy clay. The area should be in full sun. Occasional fertilizer and a bit
of trimming will keep succulent plants looking their best.
But there are still other choices for a drought tolerant landscape. You may prefer softer scenery that sways in the wind and catches the light on its leaves. For your home, a surround of California native plants could be ideal. Don't assume that a yard full of natives, like Lupines, Coral Bells and orange Poppies has look wild. No, indigenous plants can be arranged, composed like a painting, while still looking casual. They display best when planted in mass, interwoven with pathways or spilling over stone walls. Moreover, natives attract birds, bees and butterflies, change through the seasons and need almost no water. Since their bloom period is brief, I like to mix various species together to lengthen the show and create complimentary color combinations. For intance, plants with silvery foliage, like sages (Salvia) and wormwood (Artemisia) show off nicely against the deep green of Toyon (Heteromeles) or Catalina Current (Ribes.)
Maybe you still favor the popular Mediterranean plants, classics like Lavender,
Rosemary, Santolina, Olive trees and Pomegranites. Again, this diverse group
of plants from countries with climates like ours can be used successfully as a
drought tolerant landscape so long as consideration is given to horticultural
requirements. That means combining plants with the same needs for sunlight,
water and soil fertility. If the soil is throughly amended before planting, with
compost, gypsum and fertilizer, and an appropriate drip irrigation system
is installed, these beloved beauties will still thrive, even during the driest times.
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I recommend using fewer plants than in years past, avoiding crowding and overgrowth. Instead chose just the right ones to complement each other and enhance the hardscape. That may include a patio, pathways, stone walls, fences and trellises covered in vines. Routine maintenance ensures the robust growth of these plants: apply a two inch layer of mulch, fertilize a few times a year and fine-tune the drip irrigation system as needed. As plants expand, they actually need less water than when young.
At Actual Art Landscape, I'm happy to use any of these palettes of plants to compose a landscape that shines in the sun and defies the drought. Success depends always on proper planning. Build the landscape on paper, before you dig any holes! My Landscape Design Plans show everything necessary for the installation of the landscape: hardscape, soil preparation, irrigation and plants. Sometimes a Design Plan also includes lighting and ornaments. All these components are discussed in your first consultation with me.
You may want to venture beyond a drought tolerant landscape and go all the way to sustainable. What does that term mean? Simply put, a sustainable landscape is easy on the environment. A sustainable system requires no inputs made from petroleum, no concrete, no plastic, no gasoline powered equipment. Since the plants are chosen to suit the site, they need minimal maintenance and no herbicides or pesticides. The landscape can even include ways of capturing rainwater. Sustainable landscape creates no waste through continual pruning, mowing and hauling, no run-off water and no pollution. The landscape is ecologically balanced, environmentally responsible and economical. Planning one requires increased ingenuity but produces a more satisfying result: it really is “green” and guilt free.
There's still one more way to create a drought tolerant landscape and this idea is utterly original. A stonescape! Yes, a landscape created entirely from rocks, boulders, cobbles, gravel and decomposed granite. Actual Art can create a three dimensional scene on the ground. That setting may include pathways, bridges, streambeds and fountains, benches and sculpture. When lighted at night, a stonescape shines like a theater production!
With so many ways to design a distinctive drought tolerant landscape, why settle for anything less than the best? If instead, you'd prefer something carefully composed and delightfully different, please see my MENU of deliciously drought tolerant suggestions called Feast for the Eyes.
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Today many homeowners want a drought tolerant landscape, but they don't
quite know how to get one. They think the only options are the same old
succulents, a lawn of fake grass or a sparse planting of shrubs. But no!
There are prettier possibilities for a drought tolerant yard.
Actual Art Landscape Design creates cohesive compositions of color and
form, in which every element harmonizes with the others. These drought
tolerant displays are almost art galleries, inviting surprise and delight.
Better yet, a yard rich in succulents requires minimal investment in
maintenance and irrigation. Like all plants, succulents need proper soil
preparation to look their best. The ground should be sandy and loose, not
a heavy clay. The area should be in full sun. Occasional fertilizer and a bit
of trimming will keep succulent plants looking their best.
But there are still other choices for a drought tolerant landscape. You may prefer softer scenery that sways in the wind and catches the light on its leaves. For your home, a surround of California native plants could be ideal. Don't assume that a yard full of natives, like Lupines, Coral Bells and orange Poppies has look wild. No, indigenous plants can be arranged, composed like a painting, while still looking casual. They display best when planted in mass, interwoven with pathways or spilling over stone walls. Moreover, natives attract birds, bees and butterflies, change through the seasons and need almost no water. Since their bloom period is brief, I like to mix various species together to lengthen the show and create complimentary color combinations. For intance, plants with silvery foliage, like sages (Salvia) and wormwood (Artemisia) show off nicely against the deep green of Toyon (Heteromeles) or Catalina Current (Ribes.)
Maybe you still favor the popular Mediterranean plants, classics like Lavender,
Rosemary, Santolina, Olive trees and Pomegranites. Again, this diverse group
of plants from countries with climates like ours can be used successfully as a
drought tolerant landscape so long as consideration is given to horticultural
requirements. That means combining plants with the same needs for sunlight,
water and soil fertility. If the soil is throughly amended before planting, with
compost, gypsum and fertilizer, and an appropriate drip irrigation system
is installed, these beloved beauties will still thrive, even during the driest times.
I recommend using fewer plants than in years past, avoiding crowding and overgrowth. Instead chose just the right ones to complement each other and enhance the hardscape. That may include a patio, pathways, stone walls, fences and trellises covered in vines. Routine maintenance ensures the robust growth of these plants: apply a two inch layer of mulch, fertilize a few times a year and fine-tune the drip irrigation system as needed. As plants expand, they actually need less water than when young.
At Actual Art Landscape, I'm happy to use any of these palettes of plants to compose a landscape that shines in the sun and defies the drought. Success depends always on proper planning. Build the landscape on paper, before you dig any holes! My Landscape Design Plans show everything necessary for the installation of the landscape: hardscape, soil preparation, irrigation and plants. Sometimes a Design Plan also includes lighting and ornaments. All these components are discussed in your first consultation with me.
You may want to venture beyond a drought tolerant landscape and go all the way to sustainable. What does that term mean? Simply put, a sustainable landscape is easy on the environment. A sustainable system requires no inputs made from petroleum, no concrete, no plastic, no gasoline powered equipment. Since the plants are chosen to suit the site, they need minimal maintenance and no herbicides or pesticides. The landscape can even include ways of capturing rainwater. Sustainable landscape creates no waste through continual pruning, mowing and hauling, no run-off water and no pollution. The landscape is ecologically balanced, environmentally responsible and economical. Planning one requires increased ingenuity but produces a more satisfying result: it really is “green” and guilt free.
There's still one more way to create a drought tolerant landscape and this idea is utterly original. A stonescape! Yes, a landscape created entirely from rocks, boulders, cobbles, gravel and decomposed granite. Actual Art can create a three dimensional scene on the ground. That setting may include pathways, bridges, streambeds and fountains, benches and sculpture. When lighted at night, a stonescape shines like a theater production!
With so many ways to design a distinctive drought tolerant landscape, why settle for anything less than the best? If instead, you'd prefer something carefully composed and delightfully different, please see my MENU of deliciously drought tolerant suggestions called Feast for the Eyes.
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