Garden Designers Roundtable: Turning a lawn into a native garden (on a budget)

 

 Here in the East Bay of California, the Bringing Back the Natives tour held each May is one of the most popular garden tours around. Not only is it free, but unlike the expensive, professionally designed and installed gardens that are the hallmark of other fund-raising tours, most of the gardens were designed and installed at least in part by the homeowners themselves. Tour-goers are as interested in asking “how to” questions as they are in admiring the beauty of a California native garden in spring.

 This year, I was particularly impressed by a homeowner who turned her water-guzzling front yard into a mostly native, wild life habitat garden—and all in the space of only three years and on a budget of a few thousand dollars. So what exactly were the secrets to her success?

Before - the epitome of blah

 

Three years later

 

Study up, but remember that a little professional help goes a long way

Diane took classes from the Bay Friendly Coalition, and as a Bay Friendly Qualified Landscape Professional, I can vouch for the caliber of instruction offered. In addition to learning some of the skills she would need to create a habitat garden, she met designer Terrel Brand, who was willing to visit her site and advise her on a plant palette appropriate for her cultural conditions and lifestyle goals. Diane believes the modest design fee she paid not only saved her money in the long run, but also the frustration and lost time that can come from poor plant choices.

 

Linanthus grandiflorus, a stunning, long-blooming annual that self-sows readily, is an example of a less common California native an experienced designer can introduce a new gardener to.

 

Justly popular Penstemon heterophyllus 'Margarita Bop' should not be planted too close to walkways where its delicate stems can be broken.

 

Be patient – think small when it comes to plants

For most of the plants in her garden, Diane opted to purchase the smallest-sized containers available. She also relied heavily on seed. Not only is this an economical strategy, but smaller plants are quicker to establish, more likely to thrive and usually catch up to their beefier cousins in the span of a few years.

 

 Lasthenia glabrata grown from seed

 

Native Sisyrinchium establishes easily from one gallon containers

 

Look for opportunities to save

Sheet mulching was the primary method used to get the garden ready for planting, and Diane relied on cardboard scavenged from dumpsters to keep material costs down. (Hats off to Diane on that one – I know from experienced how hard mismatched sheets of cardboard can be to deal with. My contractors and I go the less fuss but more expensive route and purchase cardboard in rolls.) She chose to remove the sod rather than sheet mulch on top of it, and instead of having the excess sod hauled away, it was used to create the berms. No hauling fee plus less soil to purchase means a double savings. Finally, Diane took advantage of the rebates being offered by her utility company, and received a check for almost $400 to help defray costs. I’ve benefited from similar rebate programs when making my own small garden more water efficient, and always encourage clients to find out what is available before removing any of the old landscape.

 

A mature buckeye creates a shady spot for viewing the new garden

 

The bottom line? If you’re willing to put in some elbow grease and ask for a little help, turning an under-used lawn into a wild life haven doesn’t have to break the bank.

To read what other Garden Designers Roundtable members have to say on the topic of designing with natives, check out these posts:

Thomas Rainer : Grounded Design : Washington, D.C.

David Cristiani : The Desert Edge : Albuquerque, NM

Rebecca Sweet : Gossip In The Garden : Los Altos, CA

Pam Penick : Digging : Austin, TX

Mary Gallagher Gray : Black Walnut Dispatch : Washington, D.C.

Lesley Hegarty & Robert Webber : Hegarty Webber Partnership : Bristol, UK

Genevieve Schmidt : North Coast Gardening : Arcata, CA

Douglas Owens-Pike : Energyscapes : Minneapolis, MN

Debbie Roberts : A Garden of Possibilities : Stamford, CT

Scott Hokunson : Blue Heron Landscapes : Granby, CT

Comments

[Thomas Rainer]

Gorgeous photos! The before and after of the one property is mighty convincing. It's great you pointed out how to install them cost effectively. Budget matters, right?

Always! Doesn't seem to matter what the installation budget is - $10,000 or $100,000 - it almost always needs to be stretched.

[rebecca sweet]

Wow - that Linanthus grandiflorus is a new one to me! Love that flower! And thanks for the reminder about checking into city rebates - I never remember to do that and since I'm hoping to remove my front lawn someday soon this is a great tip!!

The rebates can make a difference - some are as high as $2000 depending on the project. I got such a big rebate when I installed an ET controller (you've written about them before, right?) in the end it only cost $25.

[Mary Gray]

Awesome. This is an inspiration to homeowners with a limited budgets who want to take on these projects. I think it's important to spread the word that folks don't need to hire expensive designers and builders to make incredible transformations...with a little education and research, it is within their reach.

I agree. Even though I make my living as a designer, I do volunteer work with my community, much of it spent educating homeowners on best practices. I love spreading the word that beautiful, sustainable gardens are within everyone's reach, and that professional help comes in all budget ranges.

[Town Mouse]

I'm so impressed by what some of the home owners do! I myself had to get some guys to do the digging for me ;->

Great photos. Love the Phacelia seedheads in the last photo.

No question you are the natives expert, not me. Had to go back and look at my own photos again to figure out where the Phacelia seedheads were. :-)

[Jason]

Cardboard is definitely better than newspaper. I've used newspaper and it tends to make a mess, scraps of paper scatter, and holes open up for the weeds to grow through.

Thanks for commenting, Jason! I agree, although I have used newspaper successfully when I'm sheet mulching around a small part of an existing garden. In those instances, cardboard isn't flexible enough.

[Robert Webber]

Hi Susan,
The how is of course really vital.
Lots of tips here and money saving is so important now. Even our well healed clients are watching it more closely!
Great stuff!
Thanks and Best
R

Yes, we have our recessionistas on this side of the pond as well.

[Debbie/GardenofPossibilities]

Susan, Wow, what an amazing transformation. I might have missed it in your post but I'm wondering what Diane's neighbors think of her new front garden since I imagine her 'before' is probably the norm not the exception.

Good question, and one I didn't think to ask. It probably helps with neighbor relations that she is part of such a well-attended, enthusiastic garden tour. Seeing that others appreciate the untraditional design might make it more palatable.

[Landscape Contractor]

She did an amazing transformation! From something boring to a thriving and colorful garden.

Nothing like the drama of a good before and after to make the point.

[Pam/Digging]

It's always inspiring to see what someone can accomplish on a limited budget, and this is a great example. I bet she enjoys her native garden every time she walks outside or drives up to the house -- so much better than a lawn desert!

[Scott Weber]

Great post...and you've reminded me that I need to give Penstemon a try. I see them in parking strips all around town looking amazing with so little effort.

[Scott Hokunson]

Budget, Budget, Budget! Over the last several years this has become the most popular theme in design, no? What a great transformation, and the process she went through to achieve is very inspiring. I wish more folks here looked into classes and help from designers. It seems you have so many more resources for homeowners in your area. I will have to do a little research around here to see if that is actually the case. Fun post, Thanks!

[Desert Dweller / David C.]

Communicating with / convincing a client to be patient, using lower water-use natives well, and helping them look for opportunities, tied into the budgetary constraints (clients happily deliver), can really be a great marriage.

Odd, but all I know who do not do that are not very busy in the down economy.