Lilly

Moonscape Xeriscape

Posted on May 21, 2012by apronheadlilly

ROCK MUSICIAN with ROCK FARMER

It has been an ordeal trying to grow anything green in our backyard. With a combination of desert blistering heat and the workmen’s leftover whatevers that make the soil like concrete, it has been a struggle for years. We have gardened, we have treed, we have sodded, we have tennis elbowed all over the place, making valiant attempts at greening our space. But we end up only offering life-support to forever dying flora. And since mowing is increasingly a tough chore for hubby (especially when half is thatch and dirt), and it is not on my bucket list, we have opted to save money and effort and go xeriscape. To make us sound even greener than we are, you can say it is totally an effort to be eco-friendly–smaller footprint and all that jazz.

I must admit, though, my vision does not appear to be quite the same as hubby’s. When the mountain of pea gravel was dumped and carted to the backyard, I was having a lot of misgivings and started dreaming of English gardens instead. Who cares about the CA water shortage! Our dog adapted fairly quickly and was seen hopping over these little mounds. Traitor!

I told him to wear sunscreen!

Since this was to be a long process, budgeted carefully, I was feeling a little blue–or maybe grey. But when it was leveled out, it seemed a bit better. And now that we have a lot of the paving stones in place and ready to be sunk in, I feel somewhat better.


Plants were a ways off in our budget, but my sis-in-law bequeathed to us some succulents from her yard. So now I can look out the window by my computer and see red steps to succulent land, and it gives me hope that an English–okay maybe Russian (like Siberian) garden is not far off. :-)

Roses on drip will come in groups, and colorful desert grasses will eventaully dot this desert wonderfland. So stay tuned. This will be a process. I am sure you all are just holding your breath in expectation. I know I am! . . . Oh, and did I mention it is May, and yesterday it was 102 degrees!