Lawn-Free Garden Tour

Episode 2: "What-To-Grow-Instead-Of-A-Lawn

Last month I went on a garden tour that highlighted gardens that were river-friendly and water-wise. The tour (and park exhibit) were sponsored by a community-based group that called themselves the, Elk Grove Greener Gardens Project!

Here are some of the gardens I liked the best.

I like 3 things about this first garden. One: the dry stream bed is nicely done, curvy with some partially blocked areas. Two, the courtyard walls (although you can't see it so much here) were rounded to accomodate a tree ... so much better than a rectangle! Three: the contrasting foliage. I believe the gray-blue is a lavender, with Golden Breath of Heaven, Coleonema 'Sunset Gold', behind it. This is an important point to remember when choosing landscape materials. You can take a garden from bland to beautiful with contrast, and one of the best ways to achieve it is with foliage. Designer, Roberta Walker, did a lovely job!

Same home ... with better view of the courtyard and showing more of the "come-alive" effect of having contrasting foliage  (here, Snow-in-Summer, Cerastium tomentosum, is the star of the show with it's white mounding flowers and gray leaves). Imagine this space with a plain green lawn. Imagine it with all green shrubs. Isn't this better?

A young neighbor boy was happy to assist on tour day. Courtyards are a great trend in landscapes today ... they make use of your front "acreage" and bring life to the neighborhood.

This home also has a nice stream bed and while not a courtyard, this home also has a porch area that the homeowners enjoy. When you have an interesting front yard that invites wildlife, it's more fun to sit outside.

This homeowner loves color, and filled her yard with it. Not all of her plants are drought tolerant, but with the absence of a lawn, there's ample water to maintain these and still be under her "water budget" (a term the water providers use when calculating the combined water needs of a desirable water-wise landscape).

I got to peak at her back yard, too! Yep, more color!

One of my favorite elements of the day, this divider made of wood and copper pipe. A stylish space divider that tied in with the plantings ...

 ... a nearby Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca pendula',

and, the Blue Fescue, Festuca ovina glauca. 

Thanks to my admiration of his front yard, I was invited to take a look at his back yard. More turquoise - too charming, wouldn't you agree?

My final favorite was this garden. I like the retaining walls, but was especially fascinated with their incorporation of a rain garden behind same walls! 

A close-up of the dry-stacked wall, with a variety of water-wise plants: Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina), Shore Juniper (Juniperus conferta), Creeping Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis prostratus) and Bearberry, (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi).

And, hiding behind that wall, a water-retaining area that will absorb the run-off which will percolate into the soil and recharge our ground water system.

It was a fun day, and as these tours tend to go, you gradually get to know other garden enthusiasts!!!

Whether you need garden design, coaching, seasonal maintenance or planting, Geno's Garden can help! Call me at (916) 764-5243, or email hansonja@aol.com.

Curb Appeal, part 3

This post ends my 3 part series on curb appeal, where I've had the opportunity to explore what I like! My DIY Curb Appeal article is currently featured on Houzz ...check it out! You'll love their website!


My friend, Carole and her husband, Chris, did this landscaping project themselves...they removed lawn, brought in drought tolerant plants and stepping stones leading up to that great front door. This picture was featured in the Roseville News in an article on their cash for lawns program...a program replicated in Los Angeles and Arizona, where residents are paid to remove their lawn and replace the water-hogging grass with less thirsty plant materials. Carole did this project on her own...she's a no-lawn pioneer!


This front porch belongs to Anna, a Twitter friend, who responded to my request for inviting entryway pictures with a link to her blog, Flower Garden Girl. If there were a game show called "Curb Appeal," where homes were rated in terms of how quickly players hit the red button, homes with big, comfy porches would win, hands down!


Also from Anna's blog, this lovely front porch. When you visit her site, click on "impressive entryways" for a whole catalog of entryway ideas.



In the city of Los Angeles, there are many charming, funky, unique homes and buildings that just delight me...with rich colors and gates, succulents, and wonderful views. Growing up in the flatlands of the L.A. suburbs, I didn't know this side of L.A. existed. But, now I do....

Whether you need garden design, coaching, seasonal maintenance or planting, Geno's Garden can help! Call me at (916) 764-5243, or email hansonja@aol.com.

More Curb Appeal

In one of my landscape design classes, our teacher taught us three key elements of good design...repetition, contrast, and focal point. Since then I have found these to be elements that apply outside the garden as well...be it interior spaces, a piece of music, or fashion. Christina Salwitz, The Personal Garden Coach, from Renton, Washington, was kind enough to share these photos of a project she did (with notes on plants...I love that!). They are a great application of the "Big Three".


Front border taken in October to show lovely fall textures in front as we go into winter.


The fiery Nandina in fall color glory, added some Dwarf Phormium ‘Jack Spratt’ for texture.


Same front border in spring where the Euonymous and Barberry are glowing with new color!!


The Focal Point Fountain is surrounded by annuals and perennials (Orange Begonia, Violet and Orange Impatiens, Spider Plant, a small Lady’s Mantle volunteer, Euphorbia ‘Black Dragon’ and Gaura), a Leucothoe ‘Rainbow’ and a Willow Standard ‘Hukuro Nishiki’ (white variegated foliage). The half-wall baskets sitting on either side of the entrance contain Fuchsia ‘Aurea’.




“High Summer” color: added simple Lobelia ‘Crystal Palace’ in the front border of alternating ‘Crimson Pygmy’ Barberry, Euonymous ‘Emerald & Gold’ and Nandina ‘Gulf Stream’ under planted with Wooley Thyme.

From her website, Christina says, "I am fortunate enough to be able to witness the before and after effects of gardening with my clients. Those who are intimidated by the seemingly daunting task of renovating or creating a space they can enjoy are soon overtaken by the oneness they feel with what they have created afterward. No pills or potion can duplicate that high. That’s a fact that doctors worldwide have known for hundreds of years."

Fall is a great time to tackle those garden projects you've been dreaming about. The plants love it as the ideal time to get settled into the ground, and you'll love gardening in the cooler weather.

Whether you need garden design, coaching, seasonal maintenance or planting, Geno's Garden can help! Call me at (916) 764-5243, or email hansonja@aol.com.

Curb Appeal

I'm doing research on curb appeal...of course this is partially subjective...as in, appeals to me. It's been fun. I drive around and when I see something I like, I snap a picture with my cell phone camera. This exercise makes me appreciate how in need most homes and neighborhoods are in terms of some welcoming appeal. It's not just a question of making your house saleable. It's really, a question of making your house lovable!



This picture came to me by way of my friend, Lynn, a garden designer who brings her eye and skill as an artist to her gardens and her blog, Inside Red Studio. I love this blue door, and think I'd be happy to come home to this little house by the sea.



While visiting my daughters in Los Angeles, I was fascinated and jealous of all the beautiful succulents. Also, the Spanish architecture. Here's a garden entry gate in Los Feliz (a charming area just south of Griffith Park). I love enclosed gardens like this. If I lived here, my dog, Pippy, would be happy to keep me company while I gardened.



This red door leapt out at me, back home in Sacramento...drove by, turned around, parked on the shoulder and snapped my picture. Does your house have any element that would make a passing motorist do that? Now there's a question.



This came the way of a travel photo site. Click on it and you'll go to the original. It's an entryway in San Juan Capistrano. Another example of Spanish architecture, walled gardens, and whoa! stop the car.

Whether you need garden design, coaching, seasonal maintenance or planting, Geno's Garden can help! Call me at (916) 764-5243, or email genosgarden@aol.com.