tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post2348370779205457474..comments2024-03-28T13:18:03.669-07:00Comments on Succulents and More™: The elephant in the room, a.k.a. our front lawnGerhard Bock (Succulents and More)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-24767499742052756842015-05-18T16:17:38.034-07:002015-05-18T16:17:38.034-07:00Because of the way our lot is situated, the veggie...Because of the way our lot is situated, the veggie bed would have to be in the front, i.e. closest to the fence, with agave land and paths behind it so as not to shade the veggies.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-50471152456916213912015-05-18T16:16:29.970-07:002015-05-18T16:16:29.970-07:00You mean a more minimal approach? I wonder if I...You mean a more minimal approach? I wonder if I'd be able to pull that off. Maybe I should practice by putting a moratorium on new plant purchases?Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-75737428294209046822015-05-18T16:15:14.687-07:002015-05-18T16:15:14.687-07:00I have a schizophrenic relationship with design. T...I have a schizophrenic relationship with design. The artist in me loves clean design, a limited plant palette repeated for maximum effect--what you see in books and design magazines. And yet the plant collector in me--that crazy, unruly anarchist--chomps at the bit to break free of design rules. All he wants is to fill every square inch with plants. It's hard to make the two get along!Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-29837784528159357892015-05-18T16:10:25.269-07:002015-05-18T16:10:25.269-07:00I'll pay somebody to take out the lawn. I know...I'll pay somebody to take out the lawn. I know what my limits are, LOL.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-22379885060115226672015-05-18T16:09:41.474-07:002015-05-18T16:09:41.474-07:00Great idea, pretending nothing's there. There ...Great idea, pretending nothing's there. There are some things in the planting strip along the fence I wouldn't want to be without, but other things I'd be willing to sacrifice.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-34643571491920395742015-05-18T16:08:39.200-07:002015-05-18T16:08:39.200-07:00Yes, probably tiered beds of some sort unless we g...Yes, probably tiered beds of some sort unless we go the stock tank route. Not sure about that yet.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-18250770611899284022015-05-18T16:07:32.864-07:002015-05-18T16:07:32.864-07:00I'll spend the summer collecting photos of pro...I'll spend the summer collecting photos of projects I find inspiring. For once I'm glad we've decided to go slow.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-48523041728127124982015-05-18T16:06:09.057-07:002015-05-18T16:06:09.057-07:00It's amazing how attached people are to their ...It's amazing how attached people are to their lawn. I didn't think I was one of them, but I'll admit that I'm wrestling with separation anxiety just a tiny bit, now that we've decided to get rid of the lawn.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-86486724012302134672015-05-18T16:04:18.484-07:002015-05-18T16:04:18.484-07:00I love Dymondia margaretae. We'll replace the ...I love Dymondia margaretae. We'll replace the tiny (tiny!) lawn in the backyard with it this fall, and I just planted a flat in the strip outside the front yard fence.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-69064680864664559262015-05-18T16:03:16.659-07:002015-05-18T16:03:16.659-07:00Thank you for the recommendation! Emily's seri...Thank you for the recommendation! Emily's series is unbelievably thorough. It'll take me a while to work my way through it. So much valuable information!Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-47294505813472234522015-05-18T16:00:37.848-07:002015-05-18T16:00:37.848-07:00Just requested it from the library. I gave a copy ...Just requested it from the library. I gave a copy to friends years ago and remember liking what I read.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-30466706872881557172015-05-18T15:59:34.223-07:002015-05-18T15:59:34.223-07:00After much back and forth, stock tanks are back on...After much back and forth, stock tanks are back on the list as an option. Good think we've given ourselves a few months to mull this over...Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-71175693739964944222015-05-18T15:58:22.059-07:002015-05-18T15:58:22.059-07:00We've decided to keep watering the lawn until ...We've decided to keep watering the lawn until we're reasonably sure of what we want. I'm still partial to low raised stone beds...Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-18299131654641295792015-05-18T15:55:49.539-07:002015-05-18T15:55:49.539-07:00Yep, the genus acacia has been "cleaned up&qu...Yep, the genus acacia has been "cleaned up" (as the experts claim). The Australian acacias keep the genus Acacia, and Central/South American and African acacias have completely new genera, including Mariosousa. Here's a good overview: http://waynesword.palomar.edu/plaug99.htm.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-64144373435877523672015-05-18T15:52:31.338-07:002015-05-18T15:52:31.338-07:00The lawn gets full sun for 6-8 hours in the summer...The lawn gets full sun for 6-8 hours in the summer.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-15710123878134611532015-05-18T15:51:48.936-07:002015-05-18T15:51:48.936-07:00Figuring out the irrigation will be tricky since t...Figuring out the irrigation will be tricky since the lawn is currently divided into two zones which also extend to other areas of the landscaping. Not the most logical way but that's what we're stuck with, at least for now.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-15892340627621877352015-05-18T11:32:06.393-07:002015-05-18T11:32:06.393-07:00I like Kathy and Pam's ideas, budget-busting t...I like Kathy and Pam's ideas, budget-busting tho they may be, reimaging the space as a whole. Maybe the veg raised beds close to the patio, with a walkable agave-land beckoning beyond...Denisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13048985060349929026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-12520257452909249812015-05-17T08:55:09.292-07:002015-05-17T08:55:09.292-07:00I like Pam's idea. Having actually seen your p...I like Pam's idea. Having actually seen your property, I was thinking how nice it was to the eyes, that when entering thru your gate, to look across that wide expanse of less busy area. You have a lot going on already with all the pots and crammed borders, to add more would be nice in terms of more area to fill up (knowing you're a plant person), but design wise, not so nice. You could use flagstone or urbanite, and let the dymondia you already have fill the cracks. Suesuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04876157448125007929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-42825835915204654982015-05-15T20:53:03.792-07:002015-05-15T20:53:03.792-07:00How exciting! There's nothing like a new space...How exciting! There's nothing like a new space to play with -- and all your options sound a lot more exciting, horticulturally, than lawn. If it were mine, I'd want to expand the porch space with a flagstone patio that extends to the driveway/front door area. True, that would take away some planting space, but it would also provide a sense of openness and usability that will be especially valuable once the lawn is gone. I'd also go ahead and dig out out the grass rather than keep watering it when you know its days are numbered. Summer is a great time to lay flagstone and prepare your new planting areas. Then you can start planting as soon as cooler weather arrives in fall. <br /><br />And thanks, by the way, for mentioning my book! I hope it gives you some good ideas. <br /><br />Pam/Digging: http://www.penick.net/diggingPam/Digging https://www.penick.net/digginghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02816325728373530024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-21339313217669271352015-05-15T19:08:48.584-07:002015-05-15T19:08:48.584-07:00I say do both. Strip the lawn out and dig it all ...I say do both. Strip the lawn out and dig it all out with machine. Wish I had.Candice Suter.....Sweetstuffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03439964856042558664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-64650497701495406422015-05-15T17:58:00.167-07:002015-05-15T17:58:00.167-07:00Gerhard, I would draw a plan of the space as thoug...Gerhard, I would draw a plan of the space as though it was all completely empty. What would you do if you had a blank state ? For example, with the nice enclosed area you have I would be tempted to enlarge the patio and create a path that would link the patio with the existing path. My plans are always more grandiose that my wallet ! Great suggestion from Loree about Ivette's book. kshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10847026541797857854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-46974969932339818952015-05-15T14:11:43.703-07:002015-05-15T14:11:43.703-07:00Maybe multiple raised beds, some with veggies, som...Maybe multiple raised beds, some with veggies, some with xerics? I don't miss lawn at all. Hoover Boohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03083294821646284424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-65045727102289792952015-05-15T11:16:43.261-07:002015-05-15T11:16:43.261-07:00We took out our front lawn last year and I don'...We took out our front lawn last year and I don't miss it at all. Except for an area around our Magnolia tree (under which nothing grew well and which we covered in bark mulch), I used a lot of Mediterranean plants, particularly Australian natives. (I'm in love with my Leptospermum 'Copper Glow.') I'm currently making plans to remove the last 2 unsightly patches of grass/weeds left on the property but most of those areas will be converted into stone pathways. In your case, I like the idea of mixing a beautiful specimen Agave with edibles in tiered stone planters. I'll enjoy seeing what you do!Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-27736520476646369072015-05-15T07:36:07.747-07:002015-05-15T07:36:07.747-07:00I'd get rid of that grass in a HEARTBEAT, Gerh...I'd get rid of that grass in a HEARTBEAT, Gerhard. Grass is a lot of work, a lot of expense and a lot of hassle to keep looking good. Let it die back like nature intended it to. I moved into my place 20 years ago and the first thing I did was rip out the grass. Maybe a little ornamental grass here and there, but no lawn. I love grass! When I want it I go to the park.<br />It will be exciting to see what you & your wife come up with!Paul Douglashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12760554213574050280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-75803730463200375012015-05-15T06:50:26.018-07:002015-05-15T06:50:26.018-07:00Dymondia Margaretae (Silver Carpet) was the best i...Dymondia Margaretae (Silver Carpet) was the best investment in time and money when we made our lawn conversion to drought tolerant. I used it for a nice wide path around new mounds of succulents. Best mulch ever - keeps the moisture in, weeds out and it's "tredible"! It grows fast and very easy to keep edges tidy. Nanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14280039838852405178noreply@blogger.com