156th Street Front Yard

The client wanted a relatively low yard, so small scale Penstemons, Verbenas and Buckwheats were chosen over the larger Sages and Mallows. Color was the owner's primary wish, along with a place for her to grow vegetables. A simple pathway of lumber and gravel connects the front of the house to the side yard, allowing access to the hose spigot and rain barrel in the side yard. Gutters were added to the house, and a dry river bed was installed to channel all the water from the roof into the yard, giving it a chance to soak into the ground water table. Where there was once an empty expanse of grass is now a colorful, cheerful yard that adds more water to the aquifer than it consumes.

After Planting: Red Buckwheats and sage make up the main color of the garden, accenting the darker foliage of the foundation shrubs the home owner opted to keep.

After Planting: Red Buckwheats and sage make up the main color of the garden, accenting the darker foliage of the foundation shrubs the home owner opted to keep.

Before Planting: A yard with many different purposes but no cohesive look. Providing the client with a vegetable bed to farm in allowed them to organize their yard around functionality and beauty, rather than a mishmash of different plants.

Before Planting: A yard with many different purposes but no cohesive look. Providing the client with a vegetable bed to farm in allowed them to organize their yard around functionality and beauty, rather than a mishmash of different plants.

After Planting: Palmer's Mallows contrast the buckwheats, which steal the show only six months after being planted.

After Planting: Palmer's Mallows contrast the buckwheats, which steal the show only six months after being planted.

Before Planting: The vast expanse of empty lawn on the left was under utilized. Gutters, a rain barrel, and a dry river bed to slow and absorb the water off the roof, now dot the landscape. During the rain, the river bed channels water away from the

Before Planting: The vast expanse of empty lawn on the left was under utilized. Gutters, a rain barrel, and a dry river bed to slow and absorb the water off the roof, now dot the landscape. During the rain, the river bed channels water away from the house, but slows it down enough to percolate into the ground.

Cleveland Sage sits on a berm above the dry stream bed and offers a heady aroma whenever you pass by.

Cleveland Sage sits on a berm above the dry stream bed and offers a heady aroma whenever you pass by.

Close up on the dry stream bed, which soaked up 8300 gallons of water over the course of the 2023 rain season. The water will be available to the plants later in the year, requiring less watering from the owner.

Close up on the dry stream bed, which soaked up 8300 gallons of water over the course of the 2023 rain season. The water will be available to the plants later in the year, requiring less watering from the owner.

Before Planting: The grass provided far less function than the rain bed, and far less beauty as well

Before Planting: The grass provided far less function than the rain bed, and far less beauty as well

Penstemons and Vebena draw in hummingbirds, while the buckwheats feed many other pollinators, like native bees and butterflies.

Penstemons and Vebena draw in hummingbirds, while the buckwheats feed many other pollinators, like native bees and butterflies.

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Park Avenue Front Yard