Front Yard Project: From a Lawn to a Mediterranean Garden

Thanks to City Glendora's turf removal project, we decided to install a California Native/drought resistant/Mediterranean Garden in the front yard. We hired Leo's Tree Service to come on Halloween (last Friday) and remove the grass in the front lawn. Here are the "before" and "after" pictures.

"Before"

"After"

Here is a self designed plan: 

Garden Plan

Seperated by the curvy walkway, on the left is a Mediterranean/drought resistant garden  with a dry creek running in the center, on the right is a DG courtyard centering a mid-sized tree. In the plan I put down a Blue Palo Verde, but in the end we chose a beautiful fruitless olive tree from Glendora Gardens Nursery. As I write, it has been planted today. It is the focal point of the garden. 

A fruitless olive tree

Three Mexican sage bushes are at the start of the walkway and at the courtyard corner, creating a welcoming formality of a garden. I chose short species of Manzanita and ceanothus (California lilac) as a ground cover. They will be placed close to the street, and little maintenance is needed. In the back close to the house is a Mediterranean garden: lavenders, rosemary, artichokes, native grass, etc. On the other side are drought tolerant agaves, red yucca, lantana, and golden barrels. 

I hope in the end we will have a front yard that is evergreen with bright colors and scents, low maintenance and water saving. Stay tuned~