Hi as the title implies I have started a lawn in the front parkway and need advice on the garden design from sidewalk to the house. The area is aproximately 15 feet by 30 to 40 feet with Sod at places and bare soil everywhere. Looking at the street there is a driveway on the left then a sidewalk to the house front door. On the right is a large patch of Sod 10 by 30 feet wide. Also a smaller patch of Sod on the left 5 by 5 aprox near sidewalk. Low growing shrubs are near the sidewalk in strips or 7 feet long and 1 foot wide (two).
I was going to have another walk from front door to the street with pavers (no cement). I realized that it will need a border of either wood or cement to be strong now that project is on hold. I have lots of tan and red brick pavers some white ones too. The house has some quaint red clay pipes for attic vents (painted blue ugh!!). I want to match it with the red clay at places in the landscape (accents?) The house is a square box with a arch at the porch and stucco panted light blue. (used to be tan or brown I think.) 1925 or 1935 is date house was built. I know a picture is best let me take one tomorrow morning. Anything I have left out let me know ? ? ? Oh I had planned a center spot of grass with gardens all around but the city planning said they wanted grass on the parkway. Plans foiled, Argh !!! also would like help picking out low water plants maybe ground cover (red apple grows good but is a bit agressive.) Code enforcement also is on my back too. Thanks for all your help
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bullthistle
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You best option might be to visit a garden center to see what you like and what plants take little water. Juniper is one that comes to mind but CA has an assortment of beautiful plants that the rest of the county doesn't have so you should have a problem. Don't fight code enforcement because if they are anything like here, they are dumber then sticks and cannot see beyond their noses.
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cklandscapingorlando
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- Location: orlando fl.
If you really want to get the best ideas then head down to the clossest resort or big hotel.Golf courses are also great.Due to water restrictions they tend to lean more towards drought tollerant plants to have more water for the turf.Botanical gardens are another great place.Or you could find a native nursery that grows true natives or at the very least plants that are aclimated to your region.
cklandscapingorlando,
believe it or don't--many southern California water districts have EXEMPTED golf courses and hotels from water restrictions!
While up here in the Bay Area, they're under a 30% mandatory reduction, and single-family homes are under mandatory 19% reduction, unless we were previously using 100 gpd or less.
Matt2911 may not be able to get useful information from golf course greens maintenance or hotel grounds maintenance since those people will still have access to all the water they want.
I can't believe his HOA is requiring grass under our drought conditions; this may be one that a lawyer needs to write a letter about....
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
believe it or don't--many southern California water districts have EXEMPTED golf courses and hotels from water restrictions!
While up here in the Bay Area, they're under a 30% mandatory reduction, and single-family homes are under mandatory 19% reduction, unless we were previously using 100 gpd or less.
Matt2911 may not be able to get useful information from golf course greens maintenance or hotel grounds maintenance since those people will still have access to all the water they want.
I can't believe his HOA is requiring grass under our drought conditions; this may be one that a lawyer needs to write a letter about....
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
city planning, codes 
they tell you where you can plant and what you can plant and how much water you can use 
wow I guess I need to get out of Ks a little more I had no Idea they do such a thing guess I have another thing to be thankfull for 
.Granted I don't water my grass but that's only because I have a very large yard and water price is as high as the electric and gas.But the only thing we are told we cant grow is Drugs.
And I can plant what ever I want where I want.
Does this happen in a lot of area's or just Ca
they tell you where you can plant and what you can plant and how much water you can use wow I guess I need to get out of Ks a little more I had no Idea they do such a thing guess I have another thing to be thankfull for .Granted I don't water my grass but that's only because I have a very large yard and water price is as high as the electric and gas.But the only thing we are told we cant grow is Drugs.And I can plant what ever I want where I want.
Does this happen in a lot of area's or just Ca
I don't know, dinker.
Usually it's Home Owner Associations (HOAs) who have this stupid sort of rule. I'm really surprised that matt2911 is dealing with a municipal code enforcement division. That's why I think a lawyer might be needed here, given the water shortages we're all dealing with--and not only in California.
No idea how widespread municipal rules are on growing stuff in the street strip. Here in El Cerrito we cannot plant a tree in the street strip if it's not our "approved street tree" UNLESS we get a permit AND pay (I think it's) $250 for the privilege of digging the hole, buying the tree, and ensuring its health.
Otherwise, no restrictions that I know of.
This year we're growing--in our three small street strips:
1) one jade plant, some volunteer ground cover, sunflowers, and hollyhocks;
2) two jade plants, wheat, onions, and alyssum;
3) four or five lavender plants.
No trees, you'll notice.
Cynthia
Usually it's Home Owner Associations (HOAs) who have this stupid sort of rule. I'm really surprised that matt2911 is dealing with a municipal code enforcement division. That's why I think a lawyer might be needed here, given the water shortages we're all dealing with--and not only in California.
No idea how widespread municipal rules are on growing stuff in the street strip. Here in El Cerrito we cannot plant a tree in the street strip if it's not our "approved street tree" UNLESS we get a permit AND pay (I think it's) $250 for the privilege of digging the hole, buying the tree, and ensuring its health.
Otherwise, no restrictions that I know of. This year we're growing--in our three small street strips:
1) one jade plant, some volunteer ground cover, sunflowers, and hollyhocks;
2) two jade plants, wheat, onions, and alyssum;
3) four or five lavender plants.
No trees, you'll notice.
Cynthia
Again Thanks to everyone who is contributing to this thread. Bullthistle I think you are right about code enforcement they are "dumb as sticks" ?cynthia_h wrote:cklandscapingorlando,
believe it or don't--many southern California water districts have EXEMPTED golf courses and hotels from water restrictions!
While up here in the Bay Area, they're under a 30% mandatory reduction, and single-family homes are under mandatory 19% reduction, unless we were previously using 100 gpd or less.
Matt2911 may not be able to get useful information from golf course greens maintenance or hotel grounds maintenance since those people will still have access to all the water they want.
I can't believe his HOA is requiring grass under our drought conditions; this may be one that a lawyer needs to write a letter about....
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
To Cynthia H Code enforcement basically said we need to have irrigation system working and remove weeds then plant something (non weeds). They referred me to city planning dept. Where they compared the surrounding properties (and the landscaping on the parkways). Then planning said they wanted grass on the parkway. I said I wanted a planter around the palm tree (200 feet tall???) Planning recommended a blue fesque plant(low water) in planter. I may be able to put anything there as planning may not inspect my house Code enforcement will. I did talk to a lawyer in past and all he said was we are required to keep the yard nice looking and green basically. If it was green to start with then maybe I would not be in this dilemma now. update on the grass seed growing in the front it has weeds galore growing. Every weed know to man is growing (exageration 4 to 5 types) There is crabgrass nutgrass (also sticker plants?) weedy iceplant OMG!!
UCR master gardener said to pull the weeds and reseed as we go along and home depot just wanted to sell me another product to kill weeds in the grass (and not harm the grass). Again thanks guys. 