This home had very large front and back lawn areas that were dead. With the tight water restrictions. the best option was to turn the dead lawn into low water garden areas. All plant and remaining lawn grass was removed. Mounds were created to give some form and shape to the large flat areas. In the front, a meandering Decomposed Granite Path leading through the garden was installed. The garden was planted out with low-water and California native plants. The parkway area was covered with the Decomposed Granite and alog with a few planting pockets. The entire area was covered in a thick layer of woodchip mulch to increase water retention and keep the weeds down. In the back garden, similar work was done, but a new large Decomposed Granite patio area with a Fire pit was installed to increase the usable area of the existing patios. The rest of the garden was planted out with the same low-water plants and mulch. A Decomposed Granite path leads to the back patio and pergola area.
Site clean up and grass removal
Planting out the garden
Decomposed Granite Path
Back Garden Clean Up
Setting the extended Patio Edge
Decomposed Granite Patio and Fire Pit
Dry Stream and Meandering Path
Tarzana Low Water Garden Rain Filled Stream:
The front garden area of this home was dry and bare. The plan was to create a low water garden with a dry stream meandering through it. Paths also lead from the driveway and street to the front door and from the front door out and around the house. We decided to connect the stream to the rain gutter system of the house. When it rains the downspout drain into the stream. The stream runs to a large vault where the water is held and slowly dissipates into the garden. The stream runs under a large Arizona flagstone cut and laid into the existing brick path. An Arizona flagstone path was laid from the driveway to the front door. The existing landing at the front door was also covered with the Arizona Stone. The garden was planted out with a number of large feature trees and plants all flowering in the homeowners favorite colors of Red and Yellow. A large Red feature Pot Fountain was installed in the garden area. It's circled by the decomposed granite path and has a large rock placed nearby for sitting on.
Existing front garden area after we removed the grass
Laying out the stream and pathways
Stream liner and rocks going in
Stream and Pathways
Planting Day
Looking back down the stream
Dry Stream running down the garden slope
Granada Hills Low Water Garden DryStream: This garden had a natural slope across it, perfect for a natural looking stream. The stream here was to be purely decorative and provide a feature to the garden. There was a requirement for a path leading to the front door and around to the side of the house. We created the rock stream to follow the form of the slope and accentuate to hill. A wide Decomposed Granite pathway leads from the driveway around to the front door, and a narrower one around the side of the house. The garden was planted out with native grasses and low water plants and a thick layer of mulch covers the whole area. Low voltage lighting highlights the large pine trees and the feature rocks and plants.
