Choosing the perfect ground cover: How two of our clients found common ground

Lush, green lawns are a quintessential part of the American dream, but achieving and maintaining one in Los Angeles can be a daunting task. The City of Angels' unique climate, water restrictions, and environmental concerns present a set of challenges for homeowners looking to create and sustain large lawns. We recently had two experiences with homeowners who modified their groundcover choice to reduce water use without compromising practicality. 

In 2022, the prolonged drought left homeowners to make a difficult decision between letting their lawns die or pay astronomical water bills. There were two clients whose lawns had been claimed by the heat wave and they enlisted our help to find a way to maintain the natural beauty of their homes. We began by asking our clients about how they want the space to serve them. One client admires a clean low lying ground cover, but they have kids so the ground cover needs to withstand some foot traffic. The other client enjoys sitting out in their yard to enjoy the day and frequently entertains friends and family in their garden. 

Our next step was to evaluate the conditions at the site to see what we would be able to plant. Hedges, trees, and homes can cast long shadows. Soil in Los Angeles skews toward a clay-like composition and we need to determine what amendments we may need to add to improve soil drainage. Irrigation systems will need some adjustment and changes could require adding lines and spray heads.  

For one lawn, we chose to experiment with a sod that has appeared slowly as a lawn replacement in the last few years. Kurapia is clover-like in appearance with white flowers and long runners. This type of sod is farmed in arid conditions and once established, can go two or weeks between watering. With some minimal starter fertilizer, we laid down the Kurapia and it sprouted into a cushy layer of green carpet. 

The other home already had a plan to put in a bocce ball court. The large island of decomposed granite allows rainwater to drain through to the soil and reduces the area that needs to be irrigated. The yard was shaded throughout the day by the home, hedges, and jacaranda trees. We decided to cover more space by flanking the edges of the court with polished pebble gravel and dwarf olives. The final touch was to reseed the spaces in between with Marathon 1 shade seed. A line of sod was used to line the driveway since cars occasionally roll over this area.