A
Water-Wise Garden in Escondido, CA
Mother and daughter Carolyn and Melissa Bilger consulted
with the Yard Fairy wanting to create an eco-friendly landscape for their
Escondido home.
They had recently combined households in an effort to support
each other as they aged, and looked forward to a professionally landscaped
yard that would offer them relaxation in a tranquil nature setting. The
project was part of their "greening" effort - which already
included cork flooring and low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints
and finishes inside their home.
When they first met with Diane Downey, owner of the Yard
Fairy, the Bilgers' larger-than-average yard in the Eureka Springs development
was mostly dirt, with the exception of some builder-installed, low water,
slope planting.
They described their vision as a "highly water-efficient
yard that would need minimal care."
"Neither
of us are very good at keeping plants alive," laughed mother Carolyn
Bilger, "But we had done lots of research and felt confident that
the Yard Fairy would be able to create something pleasing and original
that wasn't your average 'mow and blow' yard." Being from the midwest,
they did have a penchant for certain plants, and the Yard Fairy's challenge
was to make the necessary changes to the soil that would allow such vegetation
to flourish without too much effort on their part.
"We also were thinking about paths to walk and things
that would draw us out there," explained daughter Melissa. "And
we really wanted our cats to be able to enjoy the landscape as well."
Because of the threat of coyotes in this area, their three cats were leash-trained
and taken for walks, rather than allowed to roam freely.
The Bilgers had been thinking of maybe adding a cat kennel
to the garden at some point, and wanted the cats' daily explorations of
the grounds to be pleasant and stimulating. All of this would be considered
when creating the plans for the Bilgers' newly landscaped yard. But first,
some basic water-saving measures had to be taken.
First Steps: The Creative Design Process
The
Yard Fairy replaced the traditional sprinkler heads with low water,
rotating heads (MP Rotators from Hunter Industries, San Marcos), and then
they covered the existing planter areas with wood chip mulch. This cost-effective
mini project resulted in considerable water savings and left the planter
areas looking attractively ‘finished’. (The plants have benefited
from this treatment and become established much more quickly, giving a
beautiful Spring show of blooms on the Cistus rock roses).
Meanwhile, The Yard Fairy began the design process with
the clients, collecting their wants and needs via interview and questionnaire.
They requested paths and walkways to allow for gentle exercise,
lots of places to pause and enjoy the view, interesting focal points viewable
from the home, flowers to attract wildlife, and fruit trees. They also
asked that the Yard Fairy incorporate as many ‘rain water harvesting’
techniques as possible. Armed with this information, and the general agreement
on a combination of native Californian plants and compatible Mediterranean
selections, The Yard Fairy set about creating the initial drawing for
the Bilgers' new backyard scene.
"Diane's process was great," said Melissa of being
involved in the creative planning. "We trusted her knowledge of horticulture,
the expertise of her team, and her professional design eye to make the
best use of our selections and choose the color palate - we just really
felt good about implementing the plans after that."
A
Park-Like Work of Art
The Yard Fairy's resulting design passed the Home Owner
Association approval process in short order and installation began in
mid-November 2007. Three months later, the yard is described by many visitors
as ‘a park like work of art’ with beautiful, open views of
both the yard itself and the surrounding hills. The walkways get much
use as the Bilgers stroll along with their pets, pausing to notice the
fresh blooms and fragrance of the California-friendly plant pallet. The
rose cutting garden is under planted with flowering perennials to provide
year round color, and by grouping these thirsty plants together, ensure
maximum water efficiency.
"It's like our own park!" said Melissa and Carolyn
of the final presentation.
"And the cats couldn't be happier with the selection
of catmint and other, feline-friendly plants, as well as the wildlife
they attract - beautiful birds, butterflies.... it really is quite an
intoxicating experience for them!"
As was requested, the yard contains many unique elements
that work together to create a highly water efficient and low maintenance
landscape. Hummingbird-attracting succulents surround a dry stream bed
with a pond less water feature at its head. Patio areas and walkways use
a combination of interlocking pavers and stabilized decomposed granite
(DG), creating room to entertain while allowing rainwater to seep back
into the soil. A hidden drip irrigation system delivers water directly
to the roots of the plants, which are protected from evaporation by the
mulch.
Water Conservation: How Much Will They Save?
The
MP rotators that replaced the existing spay heads on the bank help to
save approximately 7,000 gallons per year per 1,000 square feet or about
600 gallons per month. The drip irrigation that was used to irrigate the
rest of the landscape will likely produce an even greater savings.
The lot size is about 10,000 square feet, of which about
half is planting - which represents a water saving of approximately 35,000
gallons per year. To put this into perspective, that's about as much water
as one person in the home uses over a year.
The Bilgers have since submitted photos of their yard for
a local Water Conservation Contest and were delighted to have been invited
to the City Council's Earth Day celebration.
Putting on the Finishing Touches
For Melissa, who spends a good portion of her time in her
home office, "The Yard Fairy designed a spiral of river rock with
a thyme planting as the centerpiece, that I can view from my window while
working. It really is a peaceful and meditative scene." Carolyn had
a last-minute idea to bring in some Birds of Paradise, which was also
honored.
In
a break with convention, the Bilgers' front ‘lawn’ consists
of low growing elfin thyme which, while slow to establish, will eventually
fill in to create a much more eco-friendly alternative to sod. "We
appreciate the mixture of both mature plants, and young plants that we'll
get to watch grow and fill in over time," said Carolyn.
The Yard Fairy was also able to incorporate the techniques
of passive solar cooling with the use of shade trees and structures. The
crape myrtle and African sumac shade trees will mature gradually, while
the unusual circular patio cover provides a solid structure for vines
to be added later. Wall-mounted pergolas offer passive solar cooling by
shading the sunniest windows when the sun is at its highest – during
the summer – but allow the sun into the house when it's needed in
the winter.
The Bilger women have been enjoying their first spring in
the newly landscaped yard, watching everything bloom and grow before their
eyes.
"It's such an evolution... truly stunning!" said
Melissa of the experience. They have received compliments from
the home building company and neighborhood residents (some of whom are
making plans for their own, water-friendly landscapes). And they recently
received an award and special mention for their yard at the Escondido
City Hall meeting.
Overall, the two women could not be more pleased with the
outcome and plan to spend many happy days basking in the serene atmosphere
of their own, water-wise garden, together.
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Interested in creating your own eco-friendly
landscape?
For more information or to schedule an onsite
visit with our designer, please fill out our on-line
contact form.
Or, give us a call at 760.804.1661.
Email info@yardfairy.com for your landscape
design consultation today!

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