Learn how to feed your soil and read a plant fertilizer label. Ari and Emma ("bodybuilder dudes" in this video) demonstrate how soil nutrition is similar to human nutrition.

 

Garden expert, Shirley Bovshow explains how soil breaks down plant nutrients, what the numbers on a fertilizer box mean and demonstrates how to properly fertilize a plant.

 

"Way to Garden" is a unique "gardening 101" series that blends solid gardening information and humor.

Garden designer and garden coach Shirley Bovshow shares her gardening tips and creative design ideas with two young newbie gardeners (and comedians) Ari and Emma.

 

Watch the complete, entertaining series and build a basic foundation for gardening and crafting from the garden!

Professional garden designers deserve to have a nice yard at home 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.

So, don't feel too badly if you haven't tackled your landscape project yet.

 

Where's the Garden Police When You Need One?

 

Shirley Bovshow, designer co-host of garden makeover show, Garden Police.

 

As garden designer and co-host of Discovery Home channel's "Garden Police" show, I was especially embarrassed of how my yard looked during the period I was taping the show.

How ironic!

On Garden Police, my design partner, Michael Glassman and I "patrolled" the streets of Los Angeles looking for the ugliest front yard on the block and then "busted" the homeowners for design infringements.

After  the homeowners agreed to invest some "sweat equity" in their yards, Michael and I would design a new yard for them.

 

FYI- Do you recognize the copycat show, "Desperate Landscapes" on DIY?

Our show was first and I just made up a rhyme!

 

 

My yard looked worse to me than the properties we made over for the show!

 

I kept my disaster yard a secret from my co-host and producers.

Whenever a script or prop for the show had to be delivered, I always volunteered to pick it up from the studio.

There was NO way I was going to let anyone related to my show know that this Garden Police had neglected her own yard!

I feared I would be "exposed" and ridiculed!

The reality was, I was investing all my time making other peoples yards look beautiful and I had no time for my own.

 

Need I mention, "The cobbler's children have no shoes?

 

 

Shirley handpicking the tumbled stone for her new dry stack retaining wall.

 

The garden makeover projects we completed for Garden Police were "real landscape" jobs- complete with proper drainage, irrigation and construction.

Garden television makeovers are exhausting to do and as real-life landscape designers, Michael and I insisted that the yards we made over be done to professional standards, not just for "TV."

 

After the cameras stopped rolling, Michael and I would stay late into the evening at the projects to make sure everything was installed correctly.

When we weren't taping consecutive garden makeovers each week, I was working on landscape projects for my Los Angeles area clients.

 

With this over-taxed schedule, can you blame me for ignoring my own yard!!

The only time I had to work in my backyard was on weekends.

 

Typical Tract Lot Yard

 

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

 

The Fantasy Yard

I longed for a "destination backyard" that reminded me of the places I visited during my honeymoon in Italy.

My list of "design must-haves" included a dynamic multi-level entertainer's yard with outdoor kitchen, dining room, living room, a new "master bedroom" outdoor spa retreat, waterfall and pond, ornamental and edible  gardens,  a firepit, fireplace and some shade structures!

The plan was to implement double duty landscape features to get the most use of our limited space.

• Patio walls function as built in seating at a comfortable 18" high
• Built in fireplace seating functions as a screen for the master bedroom above ground spa.
• Built in fire pit curved bench is also a retaining wall for the new raised gardens.
• A carefully positioned fireplace to screen an ugly view of neighbors yard.
• A landscape full of edible plants that functioned as shade plants, privacy screens and more.

Considering my yard functions as design studio and lab the challenge was integrating all these structures with style.

 

Prior to the landscape redesign, our yard was practically abandoned by the family and rarely used for five years.

With no shade structure for the patio and an unattractive garden, only our dog, Whiggy found the yard useful.

Our trash was his treasure.

 

This is what my yard used to look like.

 

Teaser Photos!

 

This is the outdoor area that I transformed into a "master bedroom spa retreat" instead of expanding my bedroom.

 

My husband enjoys the spa every morning and sometimes at night too.

Finally, the yard is being used daily!

 

Design Tip:

When a spa is located near the master bedroom it is more likely to be used than if you have to wander the length of your yard to get to it!

 

Ready to see the rest of my garden makeover transformation?

Here it is!

 

Watch the  complete slideshow, especially the before and after photos that are in the begining.

You can control the slides manually by advancing or rewinding arrows.

 

 

Susan Harris of Garden Rant blog visited me and took the following video of my yard.

 

Guess what?

I'm not embarrassed of my yard anymore!

Shirley

 

 

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:

12 inches on center	Â	Multiply lawn footage by 1.00
9 inches on center	Â	multiply lawn footage by 1.78
6 inches on center	Â	multiply lawn footage by 4.00
9 inches on center	Â	multiply by 1.78
6 inches on center	Â	multiply by 4.00

 

 

 

 

 

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!