Front Yard Two Years Later

The front yard:
   On the left, the Primrose jasmine Jasminum mesnyi, which can get 8' high and 15' wide, is rapidly consuming its allocated space. Ultimately, it will provide a nice privacy hedge covered with yellow blooms in the spring. In the center is Bush Germander Teucrium fruticans which can grow to 6'x6', has pretty pale blue flowers and is a nice silvery contrast to the bright green of the jasmine. On the right is Lindheimer muhly Muhlenbergia lindheimeri, which is blue green in color and adds yet another texture and a lot of movement.

   On the right, along the path next to the street, is wall Germander Teucrium chamaedrys and above the path is creeping Germander Teucrium canadense, both of which have pretty mauve flowers. In the center is a Chinese Pistache Pistacia chinensis and next to it are three Green Cloud Texas sages Leucophyllum frutescens 'Green Cloud'. In the back ground is Bush Germander which is repeated from lower side of the yard and is a nice contrast to the green of the sage.

           
  













   Above is the view from the drive showing Texas sage and Bush Germander. These sages were about 18" high when I planted them. At one point, high winds almost flattened them so I am giving them temporary support. At the right, in photo above, is a Retama tree Parkinsonia aculeata or Palo Verde/Jerusalem Thorn.

  
   Below is the view from the seating area in front of the house.            

   Left is Skullcap Scutellaris suffrutesscens, Bush Germander, and Green Cloud Texas Sage. When they mature, the Bush germanders, as well as the Texas sages, will form large masses which will give privacy from that side of the yard. The front section of the side of the yard has little protection from the sun which meant the plants had to be very drought tolerant.
    My house sits on one lot, but I also have an extra half lot on the uphill side of the drive way. When I bought the house, no effort had been made to integrate the two sections. There was even a drop-off of several inches between the two parts. Over time, I added dirt to soften the "break" and planted the area with many, many changes. In order to visually tie the various parts together, I added a pathway on the uphill side to repeat the one one the downhill side.

   At right, in the foreground, is Nolina lindheimeriana (often labeled Devil's Shoestring, basket grass or beargrass which is actually Nolina texana). The Nolinas continue from the high end of the path and along the driveway almost to the street which will give visual continuity to the front section when they all reach maturity.
   In the center is White Cloud Texas sage Leucophyllum frutescens 'White Cloud'' (which had to be replaced when the original froze) flanked by Prostrate rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis 'Huntington Carpet''. This is a beautiful compact version of the more common prostrate rosemary which I planted and lost twice in this area before planting this cultivar.
   In the background are (from left) the very tall Ravenna grass Saccharum ravennae, in the center, dwarf Miscanthus s. 'Adagio' , and to the right, Pampas grass Saccharum ravennae.

  
   In the photo on the left, beginning on the left, is Maiden grass Miscanthus s. 'Gracillimus'; in the center front, Agarita Mahonia trifoliolata; at the right, oleanders Nerium oleander Hardy Red' and 'Pink Beauty'.

   FUTURE CHANGES: The Pink Beauty oleanders next to the path at the back died back to the ground this past winter which limits their use for privacy. In addition, the Ravenna grass is too tall for the front section. First, In the spring, when I cut back the grasses, I am going to take out all the 'Pink Beauty' in the back and replace them with the Ravenna grass from the front. Second, I am going to remove some of the 'Hardy Reds' from the center of the back area and replace them with a Pampas grass. Third, I am going to divide the remaining Pampas grass and plant it in a row behind the 'Adagio'.

These changes will create more privacy, give the back a focal point, and simplify the front with a smoother transition between grasses.

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