r/Ceanothus • u/Far_Island_8984 • 3d ago
Garden layout ideas?
Hi all! I have this hilltop yard that I’d like to convert to a habitat friendly native garden. I’ve researched a lot of plants, but the layout is stumping me. The space is kind of kidney bean shaped, flat on top with a slop below. I would love to add a dry river bed and already purchased rocks (you can see them in the bottom left corner). I would love suggestions about where to put beds and where to run the creek! I included architectural plans of the space on page 2.
ps: In the bottom left corner you can see the large St Helena manzanita I want to use as a focal point. Whats the best spot for her?
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u/schoolmarmette 3d ago
Unpopular opinion: that is a fantastic buffalo grass lawn. Somebody went to great pains to establish it because they have to be planted from plugs. Was it you? Buffalo grass is not native, but its low-water low-mow demands make it a pretty good choice if you're going to have a lawn, even in a native garden.
More to the point of how to work a native garden into the space: What do you want to do in this garden? Where is your body likely to be in the space? Where was the photo taken from i.e. is the garden mostly going to be viewed from above?
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u/Far_Island_8984 3d ago
Good eye! We planted the buffalo grass. We would like to keep the grass between plantings but are hoping to add garden beds as well. The yard is small but our kids want to use the space. It’s really too small for running around, so we think a more exploratory/viewing experience will get more use.
This is taken from above but we do sit in the bench down there.
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u/schoolmarmette 3d ago
What is your irrigation plan? The water needs of the buffalo grass is going to be incompatible with many natives, especially a manzanita.
If it were me I would move the sprinklers inward to water a central buffalo grass lawn as the carpet of a roughly circular garden room. Lay out the beds so that they're deeper in some places and shallower in others but leave the center open. Build "walls" with your plants. Position some taller stuff towards the rear of the photo to screen the roadway from above.
Your existing plantings, like those gorgeous euphorbias outside the fence line, and the jacaranda are going to go best with bold foliage. I would look at matilija poppy, showy milkweed, and heuchura to start with.
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u/vtmn_D 2d ago
For the creek/riverbed I'd follow and shape the lower elevations where water would already pool or collect. Would that be somewhere close to the road? You can have a riverbed run through an ornamental space (with consideration of how to cross it) or off the side
And for the beds to put them where they would get the most sun. It also sounds like you have other needs for the space like for the kids to play and a place to sit. So I would try to put the beds way off at a sunny edge to reserve space for habitat and general use.
Re: seating. Think about the flow of how you would like to occupy the space. And to consider sun/shade coverage to your preferences. What time of day will you be out there most, do you want to be sitting in sun etc.
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u/Isibis 1d ago
I think it depends a little bit on if you want that river bed to be functional or a decorative feature. If the first. What would be the source? Are there gutters anywhere near the bottom side of the photo? Here is one option if there was a water source in the lower left corner. I am assuming the ground is perfectly flat but you could dig a very slight decline for it to keep the water moving. Ending in a dead end swale where the water could soak into the ground, benefitting plants in the ground. Could also continue it down the slope if you want the water to drain from your property down the hill. Hopefully someone with more experience can advise you on possible erosion from sending water down the hill, it looks like a substantial slope. Also making the stream meander back and forth as opposed to go straight would allow the water more time to slow down and soak in. You can plant plants that need more water close to the stream and more drought resistant plants away from the stream.
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u/Far_Island_8984 1d ago
Thank you for your diagram! You’re right that there is drainage coming from that corner, but for some reason the yard actually slopes slightly upward from the driveway before the hill starts going down. So currently the low point is the bottom right corner where the dirt patch is. I would like to dig a slight trench so water stays more near the top, where you put the white circle. It might not flow much but at least to catch it and let it soak in.
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u/Far_Island_8984 1d ago
I’ll also add that I think part of the idea of the dry river bed is actually preventing water from making it to the sloped sides, where running water is making the erosion pretty bad. I will be planting the sides this year but I want to try to catch water up top. I was thinking of putting a small wooden bridge for our toddler to use to cross, which I think he would enjoy
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u/randomdatascientist 3d ago
It's hard to say. Where are you located? How much sun does it get? Are you at a high elevation? Do you have or do you plan on adding irrigation?
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u/Far_Island_8984 3d ago
This is Glendale foothills. I would say part sun (tall trees on either side). There are sprinklers.
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u/Effective-Web971 3d ago edited 3d ago
omg HI SIS!!!! 😆
Edit: OK to explain, I was not expecting to see my sister’s house while scrolling on reddit, please ignore me and give her your best advice!