Penstemon Party
Installation February 2023
Project Scope
This sloped lawn was 3-4 inches thick with grass for decades before being transformed into a native habitat. This gorgeous space is now a thriving garden, home buzzing bees, butterflies, birds and more. Two fruit trees (citrus and avocado) are fed by recycled greywater and native Cherry trees were added to the parkway for some much needed urban shade. This garden has absolutely exploded with color and joy in the one year since its planting and we are simply delighted.
Project Details
🌎 Highland Park
🏡 Front yard + parkway | LADWP rebate recipient
☀️ Full Sun
💧 Everything hand-watered + Greywater Corps for the fruit trees
Front Yard Plants
African Basil (non-native)
Black Sage - Salvia mellifera
Bush Sunflower - Encelia californica
California Goldenrod - Solidago velutina ssp. californica
Canyon Prince Wild Rye - Leymus condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’
Ceanothus ‘Yankee Pt’ - Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. griseus 'Yankee Point'
Desert Penstemon - Penstemon pseudospectabilis
Golden Currant - Ribes Aureum (didn’t perform well— replaced after a few months with Toyon - Heteromeles arbutifolia)
Hairy Ceanothus - Ceanothus oliganthus (didn’t perform well— replaced after a few months with Toyon - Heteromeles arbutifolia)
Lilac Verbena - Verbena lilacina
Margarita BOP - Penstemon Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita BOP’
Mexican Marigold - Tagetes lemmonii (non-native)
Mrs. Beard Sage - Salvia ‘Mrs. Beard’
Purple Sage - Salvia leucophylla
Scarlet Bugler Penstemon - Penstemon centranthifolius
Showy Penstemon - Penstemon spectabilis
White Sage - Salvia apiana
Fruit Trees
Hass Avocado (fruit tree, non-native)
Meyer Lemon (fruit tree, non-native)
Parkway Plants
Catalina Cherry - Prunus ilicifolia ssp. Lyonii
Canyon Prince Wild Rye - Leymus condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’
Joyce Coulter Ceanothus - Ceanothus ‘Joyce Coulter’
client’s actual DWP water bill showing the drastic difference in water usage before and after replacing their lawn with native plants
planting design for installation day
The following images showcase the "before" and "after" shots.
only 10 months between this photo and the photos below, without automatic irrigation!
which yard would you prefer!?
march 2024