They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and with the current drought, how will your bay area landscaping picture look in 10 years? Depending on how much lawn you have can greatly impact your picture, and here’s why.
On average a lawn requires a minimum of 30 Gallon of water per year, for each 12” square foot of landscaping in order to keep it green and thriving, and with current water restrictions you might be fortunate enough if you are getting half of that amount.
We all know that potable water is becoming a scarce commodity these days in the bay area, without much choice but to accept the "brown as your new green", but there’s hope. Let’s look at your options, and fortunately there are a few that can bring back your landscaping to the "real green" that everyone wants.
Now that we know that lawns consume at least double the amount of irrigation than water wise landscaping, costing more to maintain, require weekly maintenance, consume lots of water, fertilizer and pesticides. With that said, let’s consider a better choice that consists of replacing your lawn.
But how much does it cost to replace my lawn? Read on
Bay Area Landscaping, Let’s See What Plant Types Make Great Lawn Replacements!
Carex Tumilicola
Carex tumulicola (Foothill sedge) – A low maintenance evergreen ground cover that thrives in a variety of conditions including semi dry conditions and light shade, it grows 8 to 12 inches tall with wiry dark green foliage in clumps that spread slowly. Plant in full coastal sun or bright shade to part sun. Responds to water but is able to tolerate periods of dryness. Hardy to around 10° F. This plant is a good component with other grasses and forbs for a natural looking ground cover under shrubs or trees and for a natural meadow plantings. It is also useful also for soil stabilization.
Festuca Glauca Elijah Blue
Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' (Elijah Blue Fescue) - A cool-season grass. An evergreen clumping, soft silver-blue grass to 8 to 10 inches tall. Plant in moist, well-draining soil and full sun (coastal); is noted as the most heat tolerant of the Blue Fescues, Blue' and is also drought resistant.
Salvia leucantha
Salvia leucantha (Mexican Sage) - A quick growing shrub that can reach 3-5 feet tall and as wide as it spreads outward at the base from its root stock. The velvety purple flowers are well above the foliage and appear almost year-round along the coast; peak bloom period is spring through fall until first frost. Plant in full sun to light shade and irrigate occasionally to infrequently – is drought tolerant and somewhat rampant growth can be controlled by judicious irrigation practices. Evergreen to 25° F but proven root hardy in our garden to 18° F and possibly lower with mulching
Hesperaloe parviflora
Hesperaloe parviflora (Red Yucca) - A stemless succulent with clumps of arching and spreading grass-like foliage to 3 to 4 feet tall. The leathery long, narrow blue-green leaves have deep grooves and white fraying fibers along the margins and winter temperatures sometimes turn the foliage slightly purple. Clumps spread slowly to up to 6 feet wide. In mid-summer the clusters of rose-pink flowers are borne on tall red flower stalks to 5 feet long, that arch up and outward. These flowers, opening from the bottom up, are quite attractive to hummingbirds.hardy evergreen has attractive, arching, grass-like foliage and abundant green foliage year around. Plant in full sun or light shade in a well-drained soil. It is drought tolerant and does best in a hot spot in the garden but appreciates occasional irrigation in summer to encourage flowering but do not over water.
The Timing and Process is Everything
Its quiet a process to replace lawn with drought resistant plants and ground cover. Depending on the type of grass that needs to be replaced, usually a commercial landscape maintenance company will have to cut and eradicate the grass by spraying it with a systemic herbicide, rototill and amend the soil medium by incorporating fertilizer and planting mix or may have to import supplemental soil, adjust or update the irrigation watering system and then do the planting. If the grass area being removed is a sub-tropical warm-season grass like Bermuda or Kikuyu grass, it’s best to do this work in warmer months of the season Spring - Fall.
The Cost of Converting Your San Jose Landscaping
The amount of grass that is being removed in your San Jose Landscaping and replaced will ultimately determine the amount of time it will take for the conversion and the cost. Other factors that drive the cost include plant types include, spacing and size of the plant, decorative rock used and the type of irrigation that you decide to install and rebates available. Taking all of these factors into consideration will ultimately determine your cost; the cost usually runs in the range between $3.60 per square foot up to $15.00 per square foot.
Thinking About Replacing Your Lawn?
As the drought persists in bay area landscaping, you may notice some areas of grass that are turning brown, “the new green” in California as they say, and this is especially impacted in high foot traffic areas or areas that have less than efficient watering systems.
FloraTerra landscape Management can meet with you on your property and provide you with a free landscaping assessment. Give us a call at 408.275.1200 or use our contact form and we can answer all of your questions.
Let FloraTerra help you with the many options available
Whether you’re interested in mitigating high traffic problems or want a simple landscape installed, a wide variety of materials are available with our bay area landscaping service—. FloraTerra can help you by providing available options for lawn conversions, budget and bay area landscaping.
Give FloraTerra Landscape a call at 408-275.1200 or use the contact form to schedule a free no obligation assessment of your landscaping. And if you want timely landscaping tips, please join to our commercial landscaping blog.
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