New Is Me - Xeriscaping a front yard

[Cynthia Blue]

Hi, I just found these forums. I have just recently started puttering in the back yard and had some questions.

I live in Salt Lake City Utah. I have a little yard with a small garden, just planted 4 tomato plants and my husband planted some peas.

I also have a small Bonsai tree I just got, need to check out the Bonsai forum as well.

I really really want to Xeriscape my front yard. I have grass, but it's so dry here, I don't like watering all the time. But I don't know exactly what to do. And if I'll have to dig up the grass... which seems to be a huge amount of work.

Any Xeriscapers here? I'd love some advice!

Thanks!

[Grey]

I actually have a video someone gave me on xeriscaping - otherwise I know very little about it other than, it's a lot easier to take care of (no grass, no lawn to water!).

Welcome to the forum!

[my_secret_garden]

I don't know what Xeriscape is but HI from a fellow newbie to the forum.

[Cynthia Blue]

Hi.

Xeriscape is (I guess I don't know the official definition but...) planting a landscape/garden that is appropriate to your region. So I live in the desert, I'd plant desert plants that don't need to be watered 3 times a day. :p

[my_secret_garden]

No water or mowing? Sounds good to me! I just replaced about a 15x5 section of my front lawn, by the road, with grass and mulch and plants so that I don't have to mow it... and I am replacing a 20x5 section this coming week. Did it all by hand. Lots of work but it looks great and less mowing for me!

[Cynthia Blue]

Yeah little or know mowing or watering. We've been considering planting Thyme, but the only thing that holds me back is digging up the existing grass.

What a pain. Digging the grass up for our small garden was difficult enough. Digging put the whole entire front lawn is making me putt it off...

[my_secret_garden]

I can tell you from experience that it is a pain. Just doing that section in my front yard took myself, my mother, and my 17 year old brother about two and a half hours to dig up. We did it with a garden shovel, though, and I am sure there is an easier way... but I am SO pleased with how it looks now and am happy about never having to mow it again.

Any pictures of your yard or garden you would like to share? I love seeing pictures of everyone's gardens!

[Cynthia Blue]

Wow that's great you did it so quickly. The work is daunting. I'd love to see pictures of the results, though, since you are so happy with them. And to see how big the area you dug up is.

[garden_mom]

[url]https://www.xeriscape.org/resources.html[/url]

Hi,
Try this link for reference material on xeriscaping.
How much grass do you have? You can rent a sod lifter, or you can buy thick black plastic sheeting and roll it out over the grass, weigh it down, and wait until it's all good and dead, then till it under.
Also, this link (same site) explains it well.
[url]https://www.xeriscape.org/whatis.html[/url]

As you can see, you don't necessarily have to lose the whole lawn, anyway. Hope this helps a little!