A sustainable lifestyle begins in the garden!

Professional garden designers deserve to have a nice yard of their own but usually don’t get around to treating themselves to their own design work~

I waited 13 years to create a dream yard for my family. The only time I had to invest in my backyard was on weekends.

My yard took 4 years to complete with this work schedule.

I had a typical suburban tract backyard, a rectangular yard with a weed infested lawn and a boring concrete patio that offered no shade!

I longed for a “destination backyard” that reminded me of my honeymoon in Italy. I wanted a dynamic multi-level yard with entertaining areas, outdoor kitchen, fragrant gardens..yada, yada.

Take a look at the results of my garden makeover on my photo album, “Shirley’s Garden Before and After.”>

This is what my yard used to look like.

Garden writer, Susan Harris of the Sustainable Gardening Blog shot this video of my yard last week when she came to visit. We enjoyed an inspiring day together. Thanks Susan!

Have you ever waited for water to boil? It seems to take forever when you are focusing on it, doesn’t it?

This is how I feel, waiting for my new UC Verde test lawn to fill-in here in Los Angeles. This drought-tolerant, “specially formulated” buffalo grass for dry climate areas comes with many promises including a 70-80 percent reduction in water needs to keep it looking green and healthy.

I can’t wait to see if it lives up to its claims! Here are the plugs before planting.

In all fairness to UC Verde grass, it does best with very warm temperatures and full sun exposure- at least 6 hours per day. The days are warming up, but Los Angeles has had a fair share of “June gloom” this month.

This grass spreads via stolons and I see a few plugs breaking out of their small diameter area and reaching out slightly. The plugs are in good shape. I’m keeping them moist for their initial establishing period and will taper off the watering after a few weeks.

There is another blogger, the Lazy Gardener who started testing UC Verde a few weeks ago and is ahead of me with the progress. Check out the Lazy Gardener blog for what I am hoping will be a preview of what is to come for me.

In the mean time, enjoy this original music video by my friend and sustainability expert, Billy Goodnick and his television co-host, Owen Dell on the joys of removing a water thirsty lawn. The video is called “Taking out the Grass.”

Of course, if this lawn was a UC Verde lawn, I would stop them in a heartbeat!

I’m putting ”UC Verde,” a variety of buffalo grass, ( (Buchloe Dactyloides)  to the test in my yard.

UC Verde grass was developed by the University of California for dry, desert climates such as ours in Los Angeles as well as Arizona, Nevada  andTexas.     

This  creeping red fescue “No Mow” lawn in my yard is lush and natural looking but requires regular water to look it’s best.

I brag about ripping out lawns and replacing them with gardens all the time, so why am I installing and testing UC Verde grass?

If the claims are true regarding UC Verde lawns, I will not hesitate to use it and recommend it to my clients and Eden Maker blog readers. There is nothing inherently “evil” about lawns, after all.

According to the Grass Roots Program,  the organization that I learned about UC Verde grass from, UC Verde is nothing short of  AMAZING for our dry areas.

The challenge many people have  with common lawns is that they require regular watering, fertilizing and maintenance to look their best. If you live in a drought area like I do, this is a huge issue!

Here is what sets UC Verde apart from the tall fescues and bermuda grasses: 

UC Verde grass uses up to 70-80% less water than common fescues and other popular varieties!

UC Verde grass grow is a slow grower and can be mowed every 5 to 6 weeks instead of weekly!

UC Verde is virtually pest and disease free so pesticide use should be nil to nothing!

UC Verde is low on the pollen scale - good for allergy sufferers.

Read my blog post titled “An ‘Alternate Lawn’ as a Lawn Alternative” for more information.    

On with my lawn test area!

This is what my “lush” red fescue lawn (shown above) looks like today. I water 3 times per week for 10 minutes and it still looks brown!

I removed most of the “dead” red fescue clumps, and prepared the soil by loosening up the top 8″ inches. I added organic compost to the soil before planting the UC Verde grass. 

The UC Verde grass is delivered in cell packs instead of  in “sod form.”  Each tray holds either 72 or 128 plugs and is light weight for shipping. 

Each plug is approximately  1  3/4″ inches deep and spreads above ground via stolons.

To calculate the number of plugs needed, use the following formula for the appropriate spacing:

I planted the UC Verde plugs approximately 8 – 10″ inches on center for faster coverage. I also left some of the red fescue  along the periphery to maintain some green color when the UC Verde goes through it’s brief  semi -dormancy period in the winter. (Oh well, can’t have it all!)

The plugs are planted and require frequent watering during the establishing period- which runs approximately 4-6 weeks.

I have my timer set for twice daily watering for 10 minutes- once in the morning and again in the early evening. When this period is over, my UC Verde lawn will be watered every 10 to 12 days (according to the Grass Roots Program recommendation). I can give it a light mowing then as well.

In the winter, forget about watering all together and go shopping for holiday presents with the money you save on water!

I have specific expectations from the UC Verde lawn.

Once established, I expect it to look green and lush with the required watering schedule (which is much less than my red fescue requires).

I understand that it needs at least 5-6 hours of full sun ( I have a smidgen of shade from my Olive tree, but not much).

I expect the UC Verde lawn to thrive with minimal fertilizing.

I will be satisfied with the “natural look” of this grass as I’m not into mowing- at all!  

Is that too much to ask for a lawn that will be basking in 110 degree summer heat?

Show me the money UC Verde!!!

Please visit the UC Verde website for Frequently Asked Questions regarding ordering, prices, maintenance and more.

Subscribe to Shirley Bovshow’s Eden Makers Blog for updates on the UC Verde lawn test and design ideas for dry gardens and landscapes!

I’ve killed many lawns in my day. On purpose.

I just love  gardens more than lawns and  I had a good excuse anyway.

There is a drought problem  in Los Angeles and lawns require more water and fertilizing to maintain than other plants do.

What would “festival seating” be without a lawn for the crowds to sit on?

Which is not to say that I don’t feel that a lawn has it’s place, even in times of drought.

I couldn’t imagine attending a neighborhood “Concert in the Park” event and sitting on a paved floor or on a chamomile lawn, (no mater how fragrant and bee-friendly) it is! Having a small lawn at home for kids to play on or for pets to rest on is also very desirable.

Water Restriction is now legally enforced in Los Angeles!

Governor Schwarzenegger has declared a”state of water emergency”  in California and has passed a law to restrict the use of sprinklers in residential yards to two days per week- Mondays and Thursday’s.

Furthermore, it is against the law to use your sprinklers between the hours of 9 AM and 4 PM.

You CAN get busted too, the ordinance provides for enforcement in the way of “water police” patrolling the streets of Los Angeles.

You know that neighbor who you can’t stand?  Better play nice, because citizens are encouraged to report violating neighbors.

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I should dust off my “Garden Police” uniform for the new water conservation law in Los Angeles!

So it looks like lawn lovers are out of luck in Los Angeles (”LLOOLLA”).

If you are a LLOOLLA, and  not willing to give up a “lawn experience” in your yard but want to be a law abiding citizen, let me introduce to you an exciting organization!

Grass Roots Program

I recently learned about the Grass Roots Program, (GRP) a coalition of  irrigation and horticultural professionals from the Green Industry as well as concerned citizens from the Green Movement who are educating the public about alternate lawns for dry, desert areas such as Los Angeles. The Grass Roots Program also helps you bundle rebates and incentives based on your site location.

Look for the clever “Grass Footprint Calculator” on their website to calculate how much water you can save by using a more water efficient lawn variety.

UC Verde Buffalo grass grows to about 4″ to 6″ inches tall and can be maintained natural without mowing.

Introducing UC Verde grass…

What caught my attention is a  specially developed variety of Buffalo grass, (Buchloe Dactyloides) called “UC Verde” that was developed by the University of California for climates such as ours. According to the Grass Roots Program, UC Verde grass uses up to 70-80% less water than common fescues and other popular varieties!

Too Good to Be True?

Seventy to eighty percent less water needed to maintain UC Verde grass? That is a huge claim, and if true, an incredible opportunity for lawn lovers and conscientious landscape designers like myself to include lawns in our projects.

One of the goals of the Grass Roots Program is to install UC Verde in public-owned parks, schools and other notorious “lawn intensive” landscapes.

UC Verde is a slow grower, reducing the amount of mowing required to maintain a neat appearance. 

Here are the claims regarding UC Verde grass from the GRP website:

Top Rated: “UC Verde tests best, above all grass varieties including Fescue, Bermuda, Zoysia and Bluegrass, as a sustainable lawn    Buffalograss (Buchloe Dactyloides) is the only turfgrass that is native to the United States. UC Verde is the only buffalograss cultivar developed in California for our state’s climates.”

Don’t ask me about Yoga,  I don’t know anything about it except that it looks “too relaxing” to activate weight loss.

I picture people posing in uncomfortable positions as they try to focus on their breathing.

What do I know from Yoga? I always say, “when I reach my weight goal, I’ll take a yoga class and relax.

I have a friend named Hilary Lindsay who is a Master Yogi/Guru to the stars, professional athletes  and regular folks in Nashville, Tennessee.

Hilary  is a walking promo for the benefits of this ancient discipline. Her brand of  yoga is called “Active Yoga” and she dares anyone to call it a mere “stretching class,”  unless that definition includes the mind, body and soul.

The lady looks amazing and when she came to visit me in Los Angeles last week, we spent a lot of time together in my garden.

Man, did we spend a lot of time in my garden. 

She noticed every detail..

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And she took a lot of deep breaths too, as if she was inhaling in every fragrance, every color, the very soul of my garden!

We talked about our lives, stopping occasionally to answer questions about “how to root succulents” and design considerations when transitioning from a dry garden to a lush, water garden.

Shaded by the canopy of a fragrant apricot tree, we stopped to enjoy the moment and each others company.

Hilary seemed to be “at one” with my garden and I could only imagine that this was a mindset that she had cultivated with yoga. 

There are many elements of my garden that were contrived to create a mood, take advantage of sun patterns and play up contrasting textures and colors.

Hilary seemed to notice them all and was generous in her praise and appreciation. 

A free spirit, Hilary was playful in my garden, turning, bending and reaching her hands to the sky as I took her picture. 

I realized that if my garden were a person, it would be a lot like Hilary.

Natural but not ordinary, vibrant and soothing, kinetic, yet still. Unconventional and inspiring. Joyful.

My garden has the same effect on  me!

I am posting photos of some of my container gardens and favorite plants  in honor of our war veterans on Memorial Day.

These pots are bright, bold and strong- just like our heros! 

One of my favorite “dry combinations” for this low water container garden includes dwarf, red Phormium,  coral Kalanchoe, cascading needlepoint ivy and billowy, Erigeron ”Santa Barbara daisy.” This low maintenance combo pack a whallop year round!

I like how the butterscotch-colored glazed ceramic pots set off the burgundy and brown colors in this  small garden. I don’t have a large variety of plants, but the foliage-centric design will provide color year round. A fragrant Brugmansia will grow and fill in the “naked wall area.” The  ”pasta bowl- sized” echeveria doubles as a “living sculpture.”  

This close up photos reveals my attempt to screen the air conditioner. Once the Eugenia and other plants grow in, I will succeed!

Regal, blue urns with dwarf citrus tree (left) and red Phormium (right). I used a trailing periwinkle blue Bacopa to punctuate the blue sizzle and sprinkled yellow “gold coin” for contrast.

   Soft and bold at the same time, the valiant-red color of the Lotus plant reminds me of the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans. No pastel colors in this garden.  

I’m wearing my Army t-shirt today and attending our community Memorial Day parade. When I see our war veterans riding in the parade, waving to the crowds, its hard to imagine how young they were when they served our country. They may be considered “old people” now, but to me they are still handsome, courageous and strong! Thank you for your service, I dedicate these gardens to you.

Tova Martin is a well known garden writer, lecturer, horticulturalist and a prominent personality in the gardening world.

Great credentials but what impresses me most about Tova is that she gets her hands dirty- she is a gardener who writes. My type of people.

Author of “Tasha Tudor’s Garden,” “View From a Sketchbook,” and “Garden Whimsy,“  Tova also appears on the PBS show, “Cultivating Life,” and serves as the show’s editorial producer.

So what’s the multi-tasking Tova up to these days?  Tova  wants to revive the art of  indoor terrariums- popular in the 1970’s and “freshly plated” for a new generation to digest.  

Terrariums are plant arrangements enclosed under glass clonches for artistic display. The mini glass ecosysytems thus created are  perfect for slow growing, moisture loving plants like orchids, mosses and other tropical plant forms.

I just viewed a video clip of a recent CBS “Early Show” segment where Tova presented terrarium creations to promote her latest book, “The New Terrarium.“ Using recycled materials found in most kitchens, Tova creates”delicious plant arrangements” using glass cake stands, fruit compotes, mason jars and vases.

Although I have not read Tova’s “New Terrarium Book,“ by Clarkson Potter,  I am tempted to do so now that I know what is in store. A feast for the eyes!

 Want to see some inspiring examples? Check out Tova Martin’s appearance on the CBS Early Show.

  I nominate “side yards” as some of the most under-exploited areas in the landscape! What a shame, especially when every square foot of real estate is valuable, even in a down economy.  Small, narrow yards can be perplexing to some homeowners who don’t know which plants and trees work in a constricted space.

The good news is that not only can you find appropriate plants for small garden areas, you can also design a narrow yard to include walkways, sitting areas, sculpture (or garden art ), water features and  fruit trees!

Here’s the proof. Check out this “narrow side yard” design I designed for my client in Los Angeles. With sustainable concepts in mind, we used lots of recycled materials.                                               

The widest area in this “abandoned side yard” is 10 feet from the wall to the sliding doors, the average is 8 feet wide.  I inherited an evergreen Pear tree, a noisy air conditioner and a used dishwasher. Where was “Freecycle” when I needed them 5 years ago?  

The view from the opposite direction. I had BIG plans for this underused space. All I needed was a good design plan.  

 I try to design “on site” whenever possible. I used my up-side-down marking paint and drew a new 4-foot wide walkway and flanking garden beds that average about 2 feet deep.  I earmarked a sitting area and lots of fruit trees!    

We fashioned “steppingstones” from broken pieces of used and recycled concrete and mortared each individual stone to the ground. We spaced each stone about a strides-length away (the homeowners’ stride), installed tube drip irrigation between each stone, filled with some crushed pea gravel for drainage, and lots of decomposed granite to top it off.  

After photo: The long narrow walkway is complete! The gardens include lavender, ornamental grasses, tree roses, vines and a romantic metal arch that opens to the backyard. I even included a hanging pendent light.  

After photo: The opposite view. Scent-filled gardens, perfect for a leisurely stroll. Who knew this “underachieving” piece of real estate could become such a valuable feature in this yard?

Creeping “Elfin Thyme” forms a carpet between steppingstones. Festuca o. “Elijah Blue” punctuates the cobble edging and the rest of the garden is filled with herbs and perennials.  

The key to incorporating fruiting trees in the narrow landscape is to plant dwarf varieties (like this dwarf lemon) in containers and find a sunny corner for them. I have three more fruit trees in this narrow garden!  

This lemon tree doesn’t take up much space horizontally and is a prolific fruiter . It also functions as a focal point in this small garden bed.

We even found room for “garden art” in this cubby area beneath the evergreen Pear tree. Small can be beautiful!    

 Did I mention the homeowner is a surfer? This metal surfer sculpture and metal chair is fun and reflects the homeowner’s personality. Even if this chair isn’t comfortable to sit on for long periods, you can see that there is plenty of room to substitute it for a more comfy one. Don’t tell me you don’t have enough room to be creative!  

We constructed a simple, recycled wood frame awning  to place above the sliding doors and add dimension to the tall, flat wall.  The awning is home to a happy potato vine. 

Antique, ornamental and rustic bolts lend a detail that can be appreciated from close up. Since this yard is so narrow, everything is closeup!  

The sound of water is a healing balm.  As a final touch, we placed a petite fountain on the short  6 foot wall, a larger one would have been out of scale.

“EdenMaker” Shirley Bovshow’s rule of thumb for narrow yards: ” When selecting trees for narrow areas, make sure the trunk has a narrow profile and that the lowest limbs are higher than 7 feet” so that the average size person can walk underneath it. Sorry Kobe! You can still create a dynamic garden in small spaces. If you are a rose lover, opt for rose trees as they don’t take up bulky horizontal space like the bush form does. Layer your garden with perennials, bulbs, flowering ground covers and vines, or play up contrasting foliage. You don’t need a huge variety of plants to make an interesting garden!”

To learn more about narrow side yard design, fellow blogger David Beaulieu, the Landscaping Guide at at About.com has some great articles:

Photo Guide to Walkways

How to Build a Stone Walkway

How to Make and Use Garden Steppingstones

Supplies for Stone Fountain Project

Varieties of Apple Trees

Paul James, the funny, kind of goofy, (by design) garden personality behind the  hugely popular “Gardener Guy” show on HGTV, finally has a website of his own!

Fans who have followed Paul will be happy to hear that although HGTV doesn’t have plans to produce any new  ”Gardener Guy” shows, they will continue to air his series indefinitely. Paul’s new website offers lots of informative articles including a “Q and A” section, a monthly “rant” “tip of the week,” gardening forum, video and a blog that I hope he keeps updated!

Did you hear that Paul! We have missed your presence online long enough, now talk to us!

Many gardening bloggers participated in the “HGTV Protest,” (a grass roots effort to encourage HGTV to continue to air garden programs, including the “Gardener Guy), last April but now we can be pro-active and support Paul on his website.

Here is the loveable garden expert in a video welcoming us to his site, “The Gardener Guy”

Like what you see? Go give Paul a “virtual hello” and let him know Shirley sent you!

Need some more inspiration for a low-water garden?  The Mar Vista Green Garden tour  I attended last week yielded lots of design and plant combination ideas.

Instead of installing a traditional lawn, this homeowner created a “living tapestry” with (left to right) lime-colored Helichrysum, purple, Trandescantia, silver/green Senecio, with a bisecting pea gravel path. To the left of the path is  clumping Festuca glauca, “Elijah Gray.” The contrasting foliage color and texture will impart interest to this garden year-round.

The parkway of this house offers a pervious surface of small and large gravel discouraging water from running off into the street. I like this median area more in theory than practice because the gravel was flying when I walked on it. Messy but a nice idea.

A manufactured spa usually offers a more customized “jet configuration” than an in-ground spa but you have to admit, they are “oogly!”  Designer Johanna Woollcott has the right idea, nestling it behind an olive tree and tall, strapping Phormium, a silver cloud of Westringia, and a couple of varieties of Euphorbia. “Ethereal” describes this garden.

Woollcott positioned a small, old-world fountain opposite the spa niche that screens a charming sitting area in front of the wood fence. The fact that you can’t see it is a wonderful design application of “mystery” and enclosure.

Woollcott’s front yard was adrift with ornamental grasses, chartruese colored Euphorbia, Salvia, Bulbine and an anchoring Melaluca nesophylla tree. Front yard gardens benefit from mounding, as it helps to break up wide, flat spans usually covered with grass. This designer gets extra points for using broken and recycled concrete as “steppingstones” in this walkway.

A closer look at the mounded garden bed and Melaluca tree.  There are many shades of green in this garden and that is a good thing!

A glazed, blue ceramic pot is transformed into a spilling fountain with water that “disappears” into the gravel. The fountain is color-keyed to compliment the house trim.

This homeowner took the liberty of painting her neighbor’s garage wall a vivid terra cotta color (for her eyes only) and made an eyesore wall into an artistic backdrop. Ask permission first or beg for mercy later? Depends on what your neighbor is like!

This was the third annual Green Garden tour for the Mar Vista community in Southern California.