Our project in Davis is coming along nicely as plants and irrigation fill in the design. Without the plants (and some other elements) it was much more stark – click here to see our last set of images. Next come the rest of the irrigation, then bark and lighting. Then it’s time to relax and watch things grow!
The front yard wall and steps are done, and so is a new trellis that will support native California honeysuckles. A thornless palo verde (Desert Museum) will occupy the space to the right of the path, filtering light and making a bold statement with green trunks and bright yellow flowers. A variety of low plants will fill in under the tree: bulbines, lomandra lime tuff, penstemon, kurapia… to create a tapestry effect and bring seasonal color to the landscape.
In the back, we’re waiting for the flagstones to arrive, where they will be set in sand to create a pervious band. The curved seat wall is in, waiting to surround a self-contained fire feature. The design complements the shape of the pool to make it look like pool and landscape were conceived together from the start, even though the pool was there long before we began the remodel.
Plantings in the back mix existing cordylines with new varieties for a whimsical cordyline collection. They’re complemented with an eclectic mix of ornamental grasses, rushes, hummingbird sage, sedges, Jerusalem sage, Baja feather duster, and passion vines on a trellis. Much of this will be the owner’s experimental garden, so it’s by no means a static garden. It will evolve and grow with regular guidance, very much a hands-on approach here!
Overall the garden will be a mix of edible and nature-friendly plants, many chosen as good sources of pollen and nectar. Most of the landscape won’t use much water, although some plantings under existing birches will get regular water to keep the birches happy.
This is the first time we’re trying Dura-Flo Jr. inline drip tubing. It uses inline emitters, only in quarter inch tubing. It’s better looking than using half inch tubing, perhaps better suited to smaller spaces. Better yet, it comes with 6″ emitter spacing for potentially more uniform water distribution. This product came from a friend of our client, who has used it in the past. We’ll see how well it performs, and what the ceanothus bush thinks of it (ceanothus and drip generally don’t get along well – our ceanothus here has no irrigation and it’s happy).