The New American Front Yard: Kiss Your Grass Goodbye

Introduction i

The New American Front Yard: Kiss Your Grass Goodbye Sarah Carolyn Sutton

www.KissYourGrassGoodbye.com

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Published by Tendril Press™© 2013 All Rights Reservedwww.TendrilPress.comPO Box 441110 Aurora, CO 80044303.696.9227

ISBN 978-0-9831587-1-4 Paper

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012953504

Cover Photo: © 2011 by Sarah C. Sutton, Photographer. All Rights ReservedAll Interior Photos and Illustrations are © 2009-2012 by Sarah C. Sutton unless otherwise noted

Author’s Photo: © 2012 The Planning Center I DC&E, Santa Ana, California Photographer: Melissa Erikson

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creo

To four individuals who have profoundly shaped my career as a Landscape Architect:

Douglas Wolfe and Gary Mason,Landscape Architects, friends, colleagues, coworkers, and

founders of Wolfe Mason Associates in the 1980’s —

Strawberry Creek Park in Berkeley, California, conducted eco-system based community planning workshops throughout the country

and always questioned the professional status-quo.

Teresa Eade and Cynthia Havstad,with StopWaste.Org’s Bay-Friendly Landscaping program and

the staff leads that developed the Bay-Friendly Landscape Guidelines: Sustainable Practices for the Landscape Professional, who have questioned,

queried, challenged and inspired me to take my work to new levels as a Landscape Architect and responsible steward of the land.

This being the only living world we are ever likely to know, let us join together to make the most of it.

—Edward O. Wilson Entomologist and Sociobiologist

v

Contents

List of Tables and Graphs ...........................................................................................................................vi

Foreword..................................................................................................................................................vii

Preface ......................................................................................................................................................ix

Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................xi

Introduction............................................................................................................................................... 1

Chapter One – Intervention! Kick Your Grass Addiction ............................................................................. 9

Chapter Two – Baby Steps: One Blade at a Time ...................................................................................... 21

Chapter Three - Playtime!! Explore the Possibilities .................................................................................. 49

Chapter Four – Design Principles: Bring out Your Inner Picasso! .............................................................. 77

Chapter Five – Make the Space: Create the Outdoor Room .................................................................... 113

Chapter Six – Your Oasis: Choose Your Plants ........................................................................................ 155

Chapter Seven – Accessories: Furnish the Room .................................................................................... 197

Chapter Eight – Time to Get Dirty! Installation and Maintenance ........................................................... 229

Chapter Nine – Pay it Forward: Beyond Your Property Line .................................................................... 271

Appendix – Native Plants for Your Front Yard ......................................................................................... 289

Endnotes................................................................................................................................................ 293

Glossary ................................................................................................................................................ 297

Bibliography.......................................................................................................................................... 303

vi Contents

Tables and Graphs

Water Needs for a 3000 Square Foot Yard in St. Louis, Missouri ................................................................. 7

The Soil Food Web .................................................................................................................................. 37

Angle/Azimuth Chart ............................................................................................................................... 35

Ribbon Test Procedure ............................................................................................................................. 39

Front Yard Program Checklist ................................................................................................................... 51

Plastic Lumber Rating Criteria ................................................................................................................ 207

Paving Materials Comparison ................................................................................................................. 216

........................................................................................................................... 231

....................................................................................................................... 233

Irrigation System Comparison ................................................................................................................ 241

A Little Garden Math............................................................................................................................. 256

Woody Plants Ranked by Ability to Support Lepidoptera Species ........................................................... 291

Ability of Non-Native Plants to Support Lepidoptera Species ................................................................. 292

List of Contributors .................................................................................................................................307

Index......................................................................................................................................................311

About Sarah Carolyn Sutton ....................................................................................................................315

vii

FOREWORD

What? Color wheels are connected to biological diversity, romance to resource

conservation? You bet. The threads that weave through our urban fabric tie the art world

to the natural world, the esoteric to tangible. But not all threads are healthful and it is

time to cut the threads tying us to lawns.

Manicured turf is a 20th Century conceit and a relic from a time when we didn’t

know how to be modern humans. We weren’t making the connections between air

pollution and aquatic dieback, between a persistent cough and two-stroke engines. We

didn’t fathom the perseverance of certain chemicals and the accumulation of particular

toxins. We know now.

We know that the installation and maintenance of turf consumes valuable resources.

That it pollutes and degrades our streams, lakes and oceans. That it helps to reduce

native biological diversity and increase alien. We also know that fossil fuel driven

maintenance practices increase air pollution and respiratory problems. Most gardeners

know that lawns are not good for the environment.

In 2000 I was doing research on carbon neutral/carbon costly landscapes. The work

involved examining both residential and municipal landscapes. Weighing the carbon

outlook that can be employed as indicators to other environmental phenomena. It turns

out that turf is incredibly carbon costly. The amount of carbon released through a lawn’s

installation and maintenance exceeds a lawn’s potential of carbon sequestration by as

much as 100%. In fact, we could reduce far more greenhouse gasses by paving over lawn

with concrete – with concrete!

Obviously, it is time to kiss our grass goodbye.

Douglas Kent MS, MLAAuthor, Activist, Gardener

viii Foreword

The New American Front Yard is a book for the 21st Century – designed and written

for new century mandates and aspirations. Sarah has written a manifesto that has all the

tools needed to change hearts, front yards and communities.

complex ideas. Having problems visualizing your space? Sarah will take you through

an easy process. Need to know all the steps for a complete makeover? She has provided

several lists, tables and charts. From the importance of rich soil to the spacing of trees,

Sarah provides such a thorough and comprehensive examination of lawn-less front

yards that this book is an essential tool for all, whether novice, seasoned gardener or

professional land manager.

More than anything, though, Sarah has created an upbeat work of art that inspires.

She shows us the threads that tie color wheels to air quality, composition and balance

to our wellbeing. After reading her book you will believe, as I do, that anyone can

transform their front yard into a landscape that only needs maintenance once a month,

not once a week—that all of us can create spaces that delight, soothe and heal our

frenzied urban souls.

For 25 years I have worked in hundreds of landscapes and scores of communities

and the bulk of the work has been aimed at improving ecological vitality. But getting

an individual or entity to change is tough. Progress is measured in blades of grass, not

yards. One of the most enduring aspects of Sarah’s work is her ability to steer clear

native plants, or food, or Xeriscape, but all of it. Americans are savvy and independent

The New American Front Yard has

something for everyone.

Grab this book, soak up its inspired and insightful energy, and then head into

your landscape. Together we can start pulling new threads through our communities,

including us.

ix

PREFACE

Berkeley in 1976, we were in the midst of a serious drought in the western states. People

in the San Francisco Bay Area were rallying to the conservation challenge, cutting back

on water use any way we could. We’d shower with a bucket (and yes, sometimes with a

friend, for those who remember that popular saying) and use the accumulated water to

dishes, sweeping their patios (vs. hosing them off) and enthusiastically compared gallons

saved while chatting in coffee shops. Lawns were left un-watered, and allowed to die.

The collective neighborhood landscapes were changing; but into what, and for what

end, was not clear.

Fresh from college, with an education that emphasized both ecological principles

and design, and inspired by Sunset magazine’s colorful publications featuring water

and I would be re-inventing private and public landscapes with little or no lawn

throughout the state.

contributions in that direction, the world at large was neither ready nor interested. Once

the “temporary” drought ended in the early 1980’s and water restrictions were lifted,

new home and commercial developments resumed the status quo and rolled out acres

and acres of instantly green, curb-appealing sod. Many of us throughout the country

persevered and celebrated any shift in consciousness or acceptance of a more eco-

Now, in 2012, following the worst nation-wide drought in history, the tide seems to

be turning. Homeowners are seeking resources to help them reinvent and re-envision

their front yards. I have shared ideas and approaches with many friends and neighbors

x Preface

over the past four years, leading to a suggestion that I consider writing this book—which

the often intuitive process I follow to arrive at a landscape design that is unique and

appropriate for each location. The exercise took me back to my college days and allowed

me the luxury of revisiting my old (and at times purchasing new) reference books in

my ever-expanding library. Many colleagues shared their insights and knowledge. But

the greatest education grew from my travels, both locally and out of state, where I

discovered beautiful turf-less front yards of all types and sizes and studied why they

worked; what made them appealing and pleasant.

The end result took many evenings and weekends over the course of four years,

working closely with Karin Hoffman and her team at Tendril Press, to create this

comprehensive guidebook. As you explore the chapters, photos and illustrations in The

New American Front Yard

will be inspired by the amazing work of many homeowners and designers. I invite you

to take this message out into the world with your new front yard.

Sarah Carolyn Sutton

xi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book would never have been completed without the assistance and contributions of

the following talented and knowledgeable individuals and organizations:

Colleagues who generously contributed photos, designs, ideas and inspiration including:

Alisa Rose Seidlitz, Ambiance-Eco; Ive Haugeland, Shades of Green Landscape

Architecture; Michael Thilgen, Four Dimensions Landscape; Dave Roberts, Dave

Roberts Landscape; Ivy Munion, ICS Group; Marc Richmond, Practica Consulting;

Sherri Osaka, Sustainable Landscape Design; Ryan Marlinghaus, EarthCare

Landscaping; Jae Koenig, Ethos Landcape Design and Soil Ecology; Mary Fisher,

Mary Fisher Garden Design; Robb Hirsch; Jess Stryker, Irrigation Tutorials; Kat Weiss,

Kat Weiss Landscape Design; Cheri Larson, Green Girls Market; Lauren Hall Knight;

Paul Dyer; Douglas Kent; Douglas Tallamy; David Gilmore; Amadeo Bachar; Diamera

Bach; Leonard Szymczak; Jeff Lowenfels; Fawn Rechkemmer; David Schmetterling;

and Alice Houseworth, Annie Youngerman, Bill Bogenschutz, Melissa Erikson,

Melissa McDonough and Todd Jones, co-workers at The Planning Center|DC&E.

Businesses and organizations who offered input, images and expertise including:

StopWaste.Org and the Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Program, Bay Nature

Corporation, Siegel & Strain Architects, Cagwin & Dorward, Family Handyman

Magazine, Gardener’s Supply Company, The Great American Rain Barrel Company,

The Wooden Duck, Wind and Weather, Filtrexx International, Hunter Industries,

Smart Solar Inc., Bike Furniture Design, Compost Tumbler, and SwanH2O.

Friends who gave freely of their time and wisdom including Cheri Jaques, for her support,

skillful editing and encouragement; Jah Mackey, creative marketing genius and idea

generator; Julie “Eagle Eye” Mattern; and Ardis Bow, artist extraordinaire.

xii Acknowledgements

Countless homeowners who generously welcomed me into their gardens, and landscape

architects, designers and contractors whose creative genius caught my eye on my many

travels gathering images.

Family members including my sisters, Mary and Susan, her husband, Rob and sons

James and Peter, and my son and daughter-in-law, Justin and Danielle, for their ongoing

support, help and encouragement.

And last, but not least, my sweetheart and partner Stephen Cocconi for his astute and

focused assistance with the research and writing, for tirelessly nursing me back to

health after I broke my ankle in the midst of this process, and for cheering me on while

reluctantly accepting far too many cancelled date nights.

Introduction 1

— Hubert H. Humphrey

INTRODUCTION

2 The New American Front Yard: Kiss Your Grass Goodbye

Iremember walking to elementary school after a heavy rain and knowing I could always

all the displaced earthworms on the sidewalk that were waterlogged as they evacuated

the way to school.

installation and care of traditional home landscapes contribute to that relationship.

renewal. I feel a deep need to use my knowledge to contribute to the health of the land

the reverse.

The New American Front Yard

describes multiple environmental concerns with the standard American front yard; but it

Introduction 3

What consumes over 20 billion gallons of water each year? What has generated

more than 5 percent of the total air pollution in the US?1 What leads to more oil spilled 2

the US.3

4

5

6

7

our waterways each year.8

maintain the typical front lawn result in the poisonings of pets

eighty million pounds of pesticide-active ingredients are used

annually on US lawns. These chemicals put our family and pets

Top: A single lawn sprinkler can

waste hundreds of gallons of

water per year.

Bottom: Millions of gallons of oil

and lubricants are carried into

our waterways per year.


substantial increase—80 percent between 1973 and 1997—in

9

snail or rodent baits or an animal that’s been poisoned by

mouth and surrounded by his own urine and feces. According

The traditional American landscape of chemically-treated

turf-scape tradition is a scourge upon our land that:

ecosystem into an almost lifeless medium unable to support healthy plant life without

heavy chemical intervention;

Homeowners apply as much as

ten times more chemicals

to their lawns than farmers

use on their crops! 10

© Suzanne Tucker, shutterstock.com

© Dmitrijs Dmitrijevs, shutterstock.com

Introduction 5

contributes to climate change by increasing the urban heat

wastes energy and generates environmentally damaging

light pollution from poorly designed outdoor lighting;

consumes ever-diminishing supplies of clean drinking

ecosystem services such as pollinating fruit trees and

of dollars each month;

outdoor sanctuaries.

Examples of landscapes that

generate waste and pollution

from constant manicuring

with gas-powered equipment.

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Are All Lawns Bad?

lawns can use less water

and be installed and

and some areas of the US

water the lawn naturally

with no need to turn on

is an outdoor carpet to

a decorative display in

your front yard.

The solution lies not with a huge government lawn bailout package or municipal

each year.11

and streams.

could yield a staggering savings of 16 million gallons per year—enough to meet the 12

an estimated four tons of CO213 Converting an

estimated 21 million acres of home lawnscapes in the US to eco-friendly yards could

result in a savings of 84 million tons of CO2 per year.14

Introduction 7

In this example15 a Water Budget

Calculator was used to estimate

the monthly water requirements

for two yards of the same size

in St. Louis, Missouri. The graph

illustrates the seasonal rise and

fall in plant water demands, but

also shows the importance of

plant types in your landscape.

The Traditional Landscape is

composed of 2/3 turf & 1/3

shrub areas. The Water Wise

Landscape is 1/3 turf & 2/3

locally adapted trees, shrubs and

groundcovers, and saves

28,000 gallons of water over

one irrigation season.

Reproduced by permission of the

California Water Conservation

Council, h2ouse.org

This aerial photo of a typical

subdivision shows acres and

acres of lawn throughout.

Photo Source: Google Maps

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Trust me. You can have an attractive front yard without the lawn and petunia beds.

area for those who wish to have the work performed by a local professional.

Kiss Your Grass Goodbye

in you emerge. It’s time to transform yourself from a mere yard keeper to a steward of

the planet.Above is just one example of

colorful, water conserving,

eco-friendly curb appeal.

Scan this code to connect with

us online for more ideas and

how-to guides, and tip sheets

at KissYourGrassGoodbye.com

Chapter 1 Intervention: Kick Your Grass Addiction 9

A lawn is nature under totalitarian rule.— Michael Pollan

INTERVENTION!KICK YOUR GRASS ADDICTION

Chapter 1


Iloved spending summers in my front yard, sitting on the lawn under the cool shade

of the large trees that lined the street. The house I grew up in sat on a corner, at least

thirty feet from the sidewalk, with a lawn that wrapped around the front and side of

the house. We often used the space to play games with the neighborhood children: Red

Rover, kickball, and tag. One of my fondest memories of summer is lying on my back in

the hum of a neighbor’s mower and smell the freshly cut grass wafting through the air.

Confessions of a Turf-aholic

because of those fond childhood memories. Nostalgic feelings can be deeply-rooted

in our psyche and hinder us from reinventing our front yards into more eco-friendly

designs. So let’s acknowledge the obvious: grass is pretty. It feels nice and smells good

when freshly cut. It can, in fact, be addicting. As is true with any addiction, no change

American lawn-scape and how we became a turf worshipping culture.

In the United States, the idyllic vision of “home” includes a lush, green front lawn with

color. This “ideal” is so ingrained in American culture that the vast green lawn continues

to dominate the landscape despite copious evidence of its destructive effects.

Historically, the aristocracy of Europe used serfs to produce food so they could afford to

leave their fallow land to turn into vast carpets of green opulence. This overt display of

turf, these open vistas allowed a clear view of oncoming attackers, whether large animals,

highwaymen, or rival armies. A ‘Great Green Lawn’ implied wealth, safety from attack,

and dominance over the thicket of the forest.

In the 1700s and 1800s, pleasure and sporting activities such as lawn bowling,

golf, polo, and croquet—once the exclusive domain of the gentry—were taken up by

the leisure class. The garden style that emerged in England during the 1700s, with large

A History of Field Envy and Lawn Addiction


grass lawns in front of mansions and the pastoral “greenswards”

of open meadows, further romanticized the broad expanse of

green turf and trees.

True to its European ancestry, the American elite took a

strong interest in golf and lawn bowling. However, the only

lawn mowers at that time were grass-eating livestock or a bevy

of servants armed with sickles. While not terribly attractive,

both were eco-friendly but labor intensive and expensive.

Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the “Father of

Landscape Architecture” in the mid 1800s, not only designed

many classic urban parks, including New York City’s Central

Park (with architect Calvert Vaux), but also brought a new

aesthetic to urban residential neighborhoods with gently

meandering streets and ample parkways lined with green

grass. The well-to-do enjoyed a neighborhood that showcased

a park-like setting and lush green lawns. In the early twentieth

century, the American Golf Association, after decades of

developing a multi-continental hybrid grass strain with the US

Department of Agriculture (your tax dollars at work!), turned

their sights on making lawn the new “must have” item. The

bucolic and functional front gardens of the previous 100 years

were supplanted (sorry, I couldn’t resist) by a decorative lawn.

English Country Estate:

The classic Pastoral setting,

cattle grazing on green fields,

inspired large expanses of mowed

turf in affluent estates.

For history and linguistic buffs, the word lawn

comes from the Middle English word “launde,“

meaning a glade or opening in the trees.

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The Evolution of a Turf Hybrid

The traditional American

lawn —the most popular

brand known is Kentucky

Bluegrass— a forced

breed cultivated mutant

that combines African

Bermuda grass, bluegrass

from Europe, and a mix

of Fescues and bentgrass.

It took 15 years of time

and know-how to create

this Frankenplant that

we prize so highly today.

To consider the sheer

magnitude of lawn’s

evolution, consider

the intensive focus

and energy devoted to

another single purposed

product: the atomic

bomb, which took only

four years to develop.

Kentucky Blue Grass

Then, ta-da! American technology came to the rescue. Two labor-saving inventions of

the late nineteenth century, the garden hose and the rotary push mower, made maintaining

a well “manicured” lawn a feasible landscape for the one-plot lord and his mower-pushing

offspring. These devices made it possible to give the common folk what the wealthy had

been hoarding for centuries: the long-coveted front lawn. With this green status symbol

now a viable option, the American Garden Club joined its social counterpart—golfers—

and further encouraged the adoption of lawn, breaking down the social barriers and

making lawn a hallmark of American status.1

But the coup de gras came in post WWII Long Island, New York. A developer named

Abraham Levitt and his sons installed lawns as foundation landscapes in their mid-

level, upscale housing subdivisions. These so-called Levittowns became the sociological

standard for housing developments, and turf achieved its place as the landscape icon of

Today, a multi-billion dollar industry has bloomed from our subservience to lawn,

and it is now deeply rooted in American business. Whether using gas-powered or

electrical gardening equipment or petrochemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides

to nurture this weak, water-greedy, non-native hybrid grass, Americans spend billions

to maintain the “perfect” green carpet. A tribute to science and engineering rather than

a prize of nature, these hybrid lawns would never have evolved naturally. However,

they now dominate the landscape, requiring manufacturing and energy resources on

a massive scale to create them and keep them alive. When one is compelled to drain

Levittowns throughout the US displayed a homogenous neighborhood character:

front lawn with a few shrubs around the house. The American ideal.

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resources to maintain a habit that is inherently unhealthy, it is,

an addiction.

Our lawn addiction has been fostered over a long period

of human enterprise. Only when we can recognize that there

greater leisure will green progress be assured.

Common FearsNow that you have a better understanding of the origins of

America’s lawn addiction, we come to another issue: fear. I’ve

already mentioned the environmental problems associated

with a manicured front lawn. Now, let’s take an honest look at

the concerns many people share when they consider replacing

their lawn.

Messiness—“But I like how neat and clean my front lawn

looks,” clients tell me. Granted, a green, park-like front

yard does evoke feelings of serenity and calmness,

and many non-turf yards look busy, overgrown, and

messy. I will show you how to create a new look

the architectural style of your house—a new fashion

statement, if you will, for your front yard.

Maintenance—Do you maintain your own yard? If

you do, then you’ll probably agree that constantly

mowing and trimming the lawn and shaping your

shrubs is a bothersome chore. Or you may take the

easier but more costly route of hiring one of the many

“mow, blow, and go” maintenance companies to care

for your lawn. But why not save that fee, as well as

water and money spent on fertilizers, pesticides, and

weed killers, by shifting your approach away from

those frequent efforts? “What about the weeds?” you

ask. They do not have to take over your yard, and you

New and older neighborhoods

throughout the country continue to

display this lawn-scape, park-like

character with acres of mowed turf.


do not need massive quantities of herbicides to

keep your garden looking neat and presentable.

I will give you easy tips and techniques to make

your life easier.

Usefulness—Some people say, “But, Sarah, I like to

play outside with my kids and dogs on the lawn.”

Others remark, “We enjoy sitting on our lawn

chairs.” My reply: “Do you need to do these

activities on your front lawn, or can you enjoy

the grass in your back yard?”

If your front yard is your only available place for

a truly usable lawn, giving it up feels like a bigger

the amount of lawn and retain a useful space?

Could you change the front lawn to a surface that

you can still enjoy with your lawn chairs, perhaps

a soft groundcover that will hold up to some

plants between the cracks that would feel soft on

your toes?

Feel—Turf always feels cool, as it should, given its

copious consumption of water. We use turf as

a comfortable outdoor carpet, and some folks

enjoy lying on the grass or relish its sensation

underfoot. I realize you wouldn’t want to lie

down on gravel or prickly groundcover, but the

soft texture of grass can be mimicked with many

easy-to-maintain, low-water-using, and fragrant

herbal substitutes. I will discuss numerous turf

alternatives that will preserve the carpet effect

while offering the same soft surface to soothe

your senses.

Labor—How much work is involved, and do I really

have the time and energy to tackle this project?

If this is your concern, you are not alone. Many

homeowners—whether due to age, schedule, or

both—are not inclined to risk back pain, sunburn,

and the loss of all their free time because they’re

laboring in the yard. Not to worry. An easy-

care yard is possible, practical, affordable, and

attractive. You can even plant over your existing

lawn.

Cost—What is this all going to cost? “If I can’t

do the work myself, how much will it cost to

hire someone else to do it?” I’ve heard some

homeowners say they’d rather remodel their

kitchen than put that amount of money into the

garden. If that is your concern, rest assured there

are reasonable options for you, too. It does not

have to cost a fortune to have a new, colorful

garden. I will guide you along the way so you do

not faint from sticker shock. Remember, you can

phase your garden installation and spread the

cost and effort over several months or seasons.

Bottom line—People hesitate to exchange the

familiar for the unfamiliar. Let me show you some

examples of lovely, water-thrifty landscapes that may

change your mind.


Top: While not my favorite choice,

some homeowners like decorative gravel

and lava rock as a water conserving,

low maintenance lawn substitute.

The middle and bottom photos show

cobbled front yards which artistically

reflect their Rocky Mountain settings,

however, many would find the absence

of planting sterile and foreboding.

Xeriscape does not mean “Zero-Scape!”

“Xeriscape” is made up of two root words: “xeros,” meaning

“dry,” and “scape,” referring to the land. The Denver, Colorado

water department, Denver Water, is credited with coining the

term in the mid-1980’s and continues to provide excellent

information and resources for their region.

Visit their website at coloradowaterwise.org/

XeriscapeColorado to learn more.

Many people cringe at the word “xeriscape,”

envisioning gravel, cactus, and other plants that prick you as

you stumble by on sore bare feet. The key is to learn how to

reinvent your yard space so it has a look and feel that meshes

with your personal taste and lifestyle. The process outlined in

this book will lead you step-by-step through these decisions,

and, at the same time, show you how to make your yard

environmentally friendly.


These examples show a variety of water conserving and eco-

friendly front yards. In subsequent chapters, I will outline how

to utilize color, texture, structures, and materials to create an

attractive and welcoming design with dazzling curb appeal.

Captivating Curb Appeal

Glossary 297

GLOSSARY

Aerobic.

Anaerobic.

Anti-Siphon Valve. -

Azimuth.

Ball Valve.

Best Management Practices. -

Bioassay.

Biocompatible.-

Biodegradable Plastics. -

298 Glossary

Carbon Sequestration.

Climate Change. -

Compost. -

Compost Tea.

Covenants. --

Cradle to Cradle. Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things

-

Eco-Footprint.

Embodied Energy. -

Emitter.

Environment.

Equinox -

Glossary 299

Erosion.

Estuary.

Exudate.

Fertigation.

Flow Rate. -

Fungicides.

Greenhouse Gases. -

Greywater.

Habitat.

Hardscape.

Herbicides

Hydrozoning.

Inert (ingredients). -

Integrated Pest Management.

-

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)

300 Glossary

Microclimate.

Mulch

Mycorrhizal Fungi (MF) --

Organic (Non-Synthetic) Fertilizers.

Permeable Paving.

Pesticide. -

Peak Oil

Photodegradable. -

Phytoremediation. -

Rain Sensor.

Rainwater Harvesting (RWH). -

-

Recycled water.

Riparian Zone.

Riser.

Root Zone.

Glossary 301

Root Flare.

Runoff.

Sheet Mulch.

Smart Growth.

Soil Amendments.

Soil Food Web. -

Soil Structure.

Soil Texture.

Solstice. -

Synthetic Fertilizers. -

Topsoil.

Toxic

Urban Heat Island (UHI).

Urbanite.

302 Glossary

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

Xeriscape

Watershed.

Wetlands.

Index 311

INDEXPhoto or illustration page numbers are shown in italics.

A

167

B

see

158, 164 282118 142-3, 146 269

25 259 90

159

C

Climates

67 268252

17

17

218

See also

88-94

838485,

96-9786-87

36 120-2127 139 141 219, 124

312 Index

E

15211 15

38

163-65 262

Evergreen 112 174 178. See also Trees, Evergreen

F

64 70-71 75 81 103105 106-107 117 122 128 133 150-51 164 204210

see

see Mycorrhizal Fungi

G

55-60 7259, 65, 72, 137, 142-43

5560, 66, 110-11

Tropical 56see

98-9949 79

Groundcovers 86-87 111 31 180 182-84 187

H

61

see

164 263 277

6663

Colonial 70Cottage 64

7059 65

7167 106

Tract homes 7269, 133, 138

68, 128158

91

I

7 175 240-243 246265

244242 245-46

252 269133 242-44

247

L

185

Index 313

186186

186187

187

M

211-12,147

09 21057 270

N

O

225-27

P

124, 126-27, 142-43, 152-53, 215, 219

216220, 270

Concrete 141 217123-25 134 139 43 145 149 218

217123-24

221

123 129 134

151 66 194-96105, 106, 108, 111, 123-24, 188, 199,

57

211 214-15

R

39

234-35176, 254-55

120-21269

S

201 204 209 212220

130-31 17745

42

3723

58, 60, 118, 137, 153, 226220

314 Index

See WallsSee Fences

127, 214

T

174-76129, 146, 169

Evergreen 11263

264see Root Zone

Turf Grass see

U

V

54 277127 130 181

141

W

12554, 63, 87, 101, 118

See also

120-21

204-05

Y-Z

258-6816 131

16115-19 126

Edges 115, 119 127, 131119

Appendix 315

About Sarah Carolyn Sutton

Sarah Carolyn Sutton, ASLA, is a licensed Landscape Architect with over 30 years’ experience in sustainable landscape

design and construction. As a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional, a Bay-

sustainable projects and programs—locally and nationally. Ms. Sutton earned her degree in Landscape Architecture,

with honors, and was awarded the Eisner Prize in the Creative Arts, from the College of Environmental Design at the

University of California, Berkeley.

knowledgeable speaker, she continues to receive invitations to present various topics concerning sustainable landscape

planning and design at local, state and national conferences.

A teacher at heart, Sarah is an instructor with UC Davis Extension where she teaches Site Planning for Creeks,

Riparian Corridors & Wetlands as a part of the Sustainable Water Resources Management program and Practical

Approaches to Erosion Control and Land Restoration. She taught planting design for UC Berkeley Extension’s Landscape

Architecture program.

Drawing from her experience with the design and implementation of stream and habitat restoration projects locally

and in Puerto Rico, Ms. Sutton co-authored the Stream Restoration section of the Stormwater Management Chapter

316 Appendix

in Landscape Architectural Graphic Standards, by Leonard J. Hopper (Editor). She has published numerous articles in

professional journals on a variety of topics, including green roofs, urban rain gardens and community design.

of her design projects.

In addition, Ms. Sutton has continued to pursue her avocation as an artist, in a variety of media. Her work has been

landscape designs by bringing a fresh approach to color, texture and composition.

Sutton currently lives in Berkeley, California.

On the following pages are templates of various plants and garden elements for use when planning your front yard.

You may photocopy and use them to jumpstart your design process. Also included are elements and vignette templates

from featured gardens in the book. You may use these to help visualize or replicate what you might want in your yard.

Just include any existing trees, shrubs or structures you may currently have and want to keep.

templates, examples, suggestions and to download a PDF of the grid and templates for printing on your own paper.

Small Tree 12 feet diameter Shrub/Tree 8 feet diameter

Small Tree 16 feet diameter

Medium Tree 22 feet diameter

Large Shrubs 4-6 feet wide

Medium Shrubs and Grasses 2.5-3.5 feet wide

Small Shrubs/Perennials 1.5-2 feet wide

creo

Patio (see Chapter 5)Low wall to enclose

Berm

Flagstone or urbanite paving

with groundcover

Pots

Arbor

Herb Garden (see Chapter 5)

Birdbath in center

creo

Courtyard (see Chapter 5)Brick border

Decorative gravel paving

Birdbath in center

Bench

Sidewalk Treatment (see Chapter 5)Low wall and steps

Pots on plinths

Flagstone or urbanite paving

creo

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creo

The New American Front Yard: Kiss Your Grass Goodbye

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Transcript of The New American Front Yard: Kiss Your Grass Goodbye