Gardener Peter Schaar in Dallas (Zone 8a/b) shares his stunning lawn replacement project with us.
Peter writes: “Unfortunately, this garden was developed by me over 20 years, working alone with no budget. The only thing I spent real money on was the paved surface and brick surround, which I designed but had installed professionally. Because of this history, I don’t have any “before” pics. It was a typical back yard with lawn surrounded by beds with the local cliche shrubs (wax leaf ligustrum, Burford holly) and a few perennials. There was also an island bed planted with two Chinese tallow trees. The 100 year freeze of December 1983 did a real number on everything, so I started from scratch at that point.
“A further bit of information on the present garden. Over the last 10 years it has gradually become a dry garden. Only the pots get regular, if infrequent, water. The beds make do with natural rainfall, except for new plantings, which get watered the first few months.”
Peter writes: “As you can see, there is a little lawn left in front which I have not gotten rid of yet. The live oak is doing it for me, so there may be a new ground cover of Carex buchananii or Ruellia brittoniana “Katie” or something else before long. The live oak always wins in the end!”
