This update is a long time coming! Back in December I queried you all for your thoughts on what shape my lawn removal project should take. You all shared many excellent ideas and in the end I went with a version of Option # 4, adding to both the border off the back of the house and the one between the lawn and patio. Here’s a photo of the area taken last summer.
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And here’s the now…
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Does it look like much of a difference? Depending on who I ask it’s either “nothing” or so much “I might as well of just taken it (the lawn) all out!” I played around with different sizes and shapes for awhile…
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…before deciding on this layout. Bonus! I found that if you decide but then leave your edging material in place for a couple of sunny days the grass will discolor and give you a perfect outline of where to dig.
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Once the sod was dug and I laid the brick edging it just felt right. Not too big, not too small…of course here’s Lila for scale.
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West side…
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Looking north-east…
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East side…
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And now planted.
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This one isn’t quite done, pending the removal of the Echium and the planting of the spikes.
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Several plants went in, although they look so small! The rocks are not a decorative touch but rather to keep the neighbors cats from using the nice new mulch as their litter box, damn beasts. Hopefully they’ll come back for a visit when the spikes are in place and learn a little lesson.
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Magnolia laevifolia 'Snowbird' owns this corner.
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Acanthus sennii…
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On the other side…
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In one corner that’s supposed to be a Trachycarpus fortunei but the growth habit and leaves have me thinking it might actually be a little Trachycarpus wagnerianus, but then again what do I know about palms? Not much at all.
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And yes, I bit the bullet and put my Albizia julibrissin ‘Summer Chocolate’ in the ground.
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It wasn’t happy in a container and I do so love the foliage. If it overwhelms I can always get rid of it…right?
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Here’s a peek back at Schefflera-land.
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This is my second Embothrium coccineum (the other one is in the front garden), it’s so small!
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Blooming at the back of this image is Grevillea ‘Poorinda Leane’ which was transplanted from elsewhere in the garden. In front if it is Eryngium alpinum, an over wintered but tender Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' and in the front a Grevillea victoriae also moved here from elsewhere (and yes there will be some plant shuffling in the future when these babies get bigger).
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How many Eryngium venustum does a gardener need? More than five for sure…
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This Pseudopanax crassifolius was a hard one to plant in the ground because it’s so cool and bizarre that I want to protect it.
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However it was a gift from Sean at Cistus and he said I should put it in the ground, so here goes!
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These agaves have been planted here (and dug for winter) a few years running. I couldn’t end the tradition.
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Part of me looks at these images and thinks “I should have gotten rid of more lawn” but I can honestly say that when I’m in the space it feels just right, and really that’s what matters.
![]()
No doubt the plantings will evolve but the big guys (eventually) are in place and the rest will play out over time.
All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
And here’s the now…
Does it look like much of a difference? Depending on who I ask it’s either “nothing” or so much “I might as well of just taken it (the lawn) all out!” I played around with different sizes and shapes for awhile…
…before deciding on this layout. Bonus! I found that if you decide but then leave your edging material in place for a couple of sunny days the grass will discolor and give you a perfect outline of where to dig.
Once the sod was dug and I laid the brick edging it just felt right. Not too big, not too small…of course here’s Lila for scale.
West side…
Looking north-east…
East side…
And now planted.
This one isn’t quite done, pending the removal of the Echium and the planting of the spikes.
Several plants went in, although they look so small! The rocks are not a decorative touch but rather to keep the neighbors cats from using the nice new mulch as their litter box, damn beasts. Hopefully they’ll come back for a visit when the spikes are in place and learn a little lesson.
Magnolia laevifolia 'Snowbird' owns this corner.
Acanthus sennii…
On the other side…
In one corner that’s supposed to be a Trachycarpus fortunei but the growth habit and leaves have me thinking it might actually be a little Trachycarpus wagnerianus, but then again what do I know about palms? Not much at all.
And yes, I bit the bullet and put my Albizia julibrissin ‘Summer Chocolate’ in the ground.
It wasn’t happy in a container and I do so love the foliage. If it overwhelms I can always get rid of it…right?
Here’s a peek back at Schefflera-land.
This is my second Embothrium coccineum (the other one is in the front garden), it’s so small!
Blooming at the back of this image is Grevillea ‘Poorinda Leane’ which was transplanted from elsewhere in the garden. In front if it is Eryngium alpinum, an over wintered but tender Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' and in the front a Grevillea victoriae also moved here from elsewhere (and yes there will be some plant shuffling in the future when these babies get bigger).
How many Eryngium venustum does a gardener need? More than five for sure…
This Pseudopanax crassifolius was a hard one to plant in the ground because it’s so cool and bizarre that I want to protect it.
However it was a gift from Sean at Cistus and he said I should put it in the ground, so here goes!
These agaves have been planted here (and dug for winter) a few years running. I couldn’t end the tradition.
Part of me looks at these images and thinks “I should have gotten rid of more lawn” but I can honestly say that when I’m in the space it feels just right, and really that’s what matters.
No doubt the plantings will evolve but the big guys (eventually) are in place and the rest will play out over time.
All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.