Instructor:Cynthia Bee, Outreach Coordinator,

Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District

Localscapes.com

ConservationGardenPark.org

Conservation, new water supplies, and new infrastructure

Source: Governor’s Office of Management and Budget1900

19101920

19301940

19501960

19701980

19902000

20102020

20302040

20502060

-

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

Utah’s population growth

Conservation Progress and Approaches

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140%5%

10%15%20%25%

2%10% 15% 16% 19%

11%2%

9%16% 16% 20%

4%11% 15%

Situational Conservation• Example:

Water use decreases because of drought cycles without changes to landscapes.

Structural Conservation• Example:

Landscapes and sprinklers are changed to be more efficient- conserves water every year, regardless of current weather conditions.

The Epiphany:

Landscapes should be designed to fit irrigation rather than trying to force irrigation to fit landscapes.

Utah needs its own landscaping style

Homeowner Concerns:

• 82% want more Utah specific landscape information

• 43% experienced frustration when selecting the “right” plants

• ONLY 2% were fully satisfied with their landscapes

What does the public want?

PROS

• Lush and colorful all season

• High curb appeal

CONS

• Difficult to water efficiently

• High water use

• Many high-maintenance edges and shapes to maintain

English-Style Landscape

Low-Density Xeriscape

PROS: • Conserves Water

• Lower Maintenance

• Simple Irrigation

Cons:• Low curb appeal

• Landscape is not useful

Landscape Spectrum

Traditional Lawn-Dominant Landscape “Zeroscape”

Localscapes Range

Yard typical to many Utahns Yard type many Utahns are afraid they’ll be told to have

Moderate approach advocated by Localscapes

The Localscapes House

Drawings & Design by Shaun Moser, Conservation Garden Park

2. Gathering Areas

3. Activity Zones

1. Central Open Shape

4. Paths

5. Plantings

Localscape House- Plan View

• Sea of Green rests the eye between busier plantings.

• Conveys calm.

• Visually demonstrates the power of positive/ negative space.

• Organizes space. When lawn is a defined shape, everything else APPEARS “cleaner”.

Reason We Love Lawn(That you may not realize)

Landscape installation by Aposhian LandscapingDesign by Conservation Garden Park staff

The New Lawn

Epiphany• Lawn is a single,

central shape that is a PLANNED element in the landscape.

• Lawns are for active recreation or serve as an accent, they are not a full-surface groundcover.

What’s Wrong with This Design?

Portion of lawn available

for recreational use.

Obstacles in lawn make mowing and edging more time consuming.

Trees compete with lawn for water = shallow roots/ stress.

Unfriendly front walk = low curb appeal

Narrow bits of lawn are impossible to water efficiently + high maintenance while providing no useful benefit.

Lawn serves no purpose in this location except to create

work with no reward.

Trees block yard view from front door = safety concernThe whole yard is

boring = no reason to be out here!

Overhead sprinklers in planting beds = WAYYY more weeds than drip-irrigated + mulched beds.

Heat from foundation and walkway bakes non-Utah

happy plants.

Lots of edges to maintain next to concrete walk,

driveway etc. = more work

Lawn adjacent to concrete requires more water to stay green = overwatering rest of yard.

Illustration by Cynthia Bee

Why is This Design Better?

Portion of lawn available for

recreational use = ALL of it!

NO obstacles in lawn make mowing and edging LESS time consuming.

Trees do NOT compete with lawn for water = happy trees.

Walkway enters from sidewalk instead of the

driveway = increased safety + curb appeal

Narrow bits of lawn are eliminated. All lawn is functional. Strong central shape organizes the space.

Front yard seating sends a VERY warm and friendly vibe

= reduced maintenance + curb appeal

Open view of yard from front door = increased safety

Stepping stone path creates sense of interest + improves function.

Drip irrigation in planting beds + 3-4” of mulch reduces weeds 85% vs. overhead watering- only water the plants you want!

Utah-Happy plants can take the heat from foundations

and walkways.

Very few lawn edges to maintain next to concrete = time + water

savings.

Planted park strips with drip irrigation keep overspray from damaging roads + curb appeal.

Illustration by Cynthia Bee

Drip Irrigation

Inefficient use of lawn leads to many areas of overspray

Efficient use of lawn

reduces overspray

Irrigation cannot make an inefficiently designed landscape, efficient

Requires 17 sprinkler heads, 3 zones. Requires 7 sprinkler heads, 1 sprinkler zone and 1-2 drip irrigation zones.

Obstacles in lawn reduce efficiency and create dry spots.

• Lots of edges to maintain• Grass is NOT useful• Visually disorganized

• ONE edge to maintain• ALL grass is useful• Well organized, “clean” look

Island in Lawn VS. Lawn as Island

Localscapes for New Landscapes

Step 1: Central Open Space – Front Yard

Step 1: Central Open Space-- Backyard

Common Residential Lot Shapes

Cul-De-Sac Rectangular Corner

Flexible Shapes Fit Any Landscape

• Rectangular Lot • Corner Lot • Cul-De-Sac Lot

Central Open Space design technique can be applied to ANY lot shape.

Central Open Spaces Can Fit Any Size Lot

• Large Lot • Moderate Lot• Small Lot

• 20,000 sq. ft. or more 10,000- 20,000 sq. ft.5,000- 10,000 sq. ft.

Scale the shape to the size of the lot

A Lawnless Yard STILL Orients Around Central Open Space

Park Strip Lawn Removal

Lawn in parkstrips and side yards is removedFollow us on Facebook for free design ideas you can copy! http://Facebook.com/ConservationGardenPark

Side Yard Solutions

Remove lawn from narrow spaces and instead create an inviting pass-through experience.

Step 2: Gathering Spaces“Hardscape” elements including:

• Patios• Informal Seating Areas• Covered Seating• Decks• Storage/ Sheds• Overflow Parking

Step 2: Gathering Spaces

• Rectangular Lot • Corner Lot • Cul De Sac Lot

Gathering Area ExamplesFront yard gathering spaces Rear yard gathering spaces

Landscape Design by R. Michael Kelly ConsultantsInstallation by Rollins Landscaping

Creates a front porch for those without a front porch

Backyard seating areas extend the living space of the home

STEP 2: Gathering Area- Front Yard

Front Yard Seating Area

Step 2: Gathering Areas- Back Yard

Private Seating Area

Patio

Step 3:Activity Zones• Vegetable Gardens• Children’s Play Area• Storage• Sport Courts• Horseshoe Pit• Trampoline• Hot Tub• Other active outdoor

recreation

Step 3: Activity Zones

Passive Activity Zones Play Spaces Vegetable Gardens & More

Designed Activities

Activity zones are intentionally created for a specific use- without lawn as surfacing.

Activity Zone Examples

Ornamental, Un-Mowed Meadow Grass around Trampoline

Faux Lawn Putting Green

Step 3: Activity Zone- Back Yard

Children’s Play Area Playground Bark Surfacing

Vegetable GardenRaised Beds on Bark Mulch

Step 4- PathsConnect the previous elements with pathways.

• Use hard surfacing for public paths.

• Soft surfacing, such as gravel, can be used on secondary paths.

Installation by Aposhian Landscaping

Step 4: Paths

Rectangular Lot Corner Lot Cul De Sac

Lot

Primary Path

Secondary Path

Primary PathSecondary

Path

Primary Paths

Secondary Path

Secondary Path

Path Examples

Primary paths are those which serve as a main artery to the home.

Pathway Surface Materials

Secondary Paths are those which provide alternative routes or access to non-critical spaces.

Primary Paths

Secondary Paths

Step 4: Paths- Front Yard

Primary Path Continuous Hard SurfaceSecondary Path

Gravel, Stepping Stones etc.

Step 4: Paths- Back Yard

Step 5- Planting Beds• Remaining space becomes planting

beds.

• Planting beds are ALWAYS irrigated with drip or bubblers- saves water and dramatically decreases weeds.

• Unlike lawn, efficiency of planting beds is not dependent on shape.

Planting Beds

1. Trees 2. Shrubs & Grasses 3. Perennials & Groundcover

Add plantings, layer by layer

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Standard LotDesign complete with the 5 steps.

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Corner LotFunctional + Family Friendly

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Cul-De-Sac Lot

Very Low Water + Veggie & Herb Gardens

Completed front yard design

Completed backyard design

Converting an Existing Yard to a Localscape

Reverse the 5 steps to convert an existing yard to a Localscape.

BEFORE

AFTERDo-it-yourself homeowner conversion to a Localscape over a several year period.

Localscapes Hydrozoning

1)LawnWatered with spray heads. Uses the most water in the landscape.

2) Planter BedsWatered with drip irrigation. Watered once a week on average.

Typical Utah Front Yard

Phase 1: Flip Your Strip

Park strip sprinklers are usually on the same zone.

Overspray on road

= Spray Zone 1

= Spray Pattern

Park Strip Lawn Removal

Lawn in parkstrips and side yards is removedFollow us on Facebook for free design ideas you can copy! http://Facebook.com/ConservationGardenPark

Retrofit some heads to drip, cap unused heads

= RETROFITTED Sprinker Head= CAPPED Sprinker Head

= Drip Irrigation Tubing

TIP: No need to dig up all old pipe, cap off unnecessary spray heads.

Use a drip retrofit kit from your sprinkler brand.

BEFORE

AFTER

Remove Inefficient + high maintenance lawn park strip

Replace with water-efficient plants, mulch, and drip irrigation

Side Yard Solutions

Remove lawn from narrow spaces and instead create an inviting pass-through experience.

Side yard lawn before needed here

Typical Utah Side Yard

Lawn often struggles in side yards because conditions are more extreme. Too hot, too shady, too much foot traffic etc.

Phase 2: Switch the Side Yard

= RETROFITTED Sprinker Head= CAPPED Sprinker Head

= Drip Irrigation Tubing

Existing sprinkler layout for front yard

Phase 2: Side Yard Switch + Anchor Island= Spray Zone 1= Spray Zone 2= Spray Zone 3

Side Yard Plantings/ No Landscape Islands

Odd bits of lawn removed, drip irrigation installed.

Landscape island is anchored to side yard

= Capped Heads

= Spray Zone 1 converted to drip= Spray Zone 2, add 2 heads from Zone 1= Spray Zone 3, remove 3 heads

Front yard layout before Phase 2

Phase 2- Change out side yards and anchor landscape island

BEFORE

AFTER

Phase 3- Lawn Becomes a Central Shape

= Spray Zone 2 add new drip lines/ emitters as needed= Spray Zone 3, cap 4 heads, adjust spray pattern= Spray Zone 4, cap remaining heads, convert to drip

Phase 2 Front Yard Layout

Completed Phase 3 Front Yard Layout

Front Yard Central Open Shape Example

Creeping Thyme Groundcover

No obstacles in lawn = easy maintenance

Typical Backyard

Side Yard Lawn Removed

Lawn removed around existing evergreen.

Localscaped Backyard

Swing setRelocated outside of lawn

Lawn reconfigured

Lawn removed under existing tree

Patio enlarged

Localscaped Backyard

3. Activity Zone

2. Gathering Space

1. Central Open Shape

4. Path

5. Plantings

Localscaped Backyard Example

Where to Begin? The average GRASS parkstrip requires 10,000 + gallons of water per season.

Localscape Management

How to KEEP Your Localscape Low-Maintenance

What About Weeds?Plants (including weeds) need:1. Soil2. Nutrients3. Air4. Sunlight5. Water

If the 5 conditions are provided, weeds grow anywhere!

To Control Weeds, Control Water

• ONLY use drip irrigation to water planting beds. Apply water just to the plants you wish to keep.

• Prevent overspray in beds from lawn sprinklers.

• Localscapes are designed to make it easier to apply water just where you want it– the major reason why lawn is a central open shape.

Much Ado About Mulching• 3-4” coat of mulch keeps sunlight from

reaching weed seed.• Weed barrier fabric is only

recommended under inorganic mulch. It degrades over time, decreases soil quality and becomes a weed itself.

• If high winds are an issue, use rock mulch.

• Fine mulches, thickly applied, prevent more sunlight from reaching the soil than larger mulches.

Sugarhouse, Utah

EXAMPLE HOMES

Sugarhouse, Utah

Sandy, Utah

Midvale, Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah

West Valley, Utah

Holladay, Utah

Creeping Thyme Lawn

Herriman, Utah

Taylorsville, Utah