I’ve mentioned before that I intend to convert the front yard to a lower maintenance and a more waterwise landscape. The city where MrsVintage and I reside has a waterwise conversion program where they will offer up to a $4000 rebate ($3000 in plants and materials, $1000 for labor) for the homeowner who enrolls in the program. The population of Colorado has grown by 2.5 million people since MrsVintage and I bought our domicile. There is only so much water to go around, and pouring millions of gallons of water every year on lawns is a luxury that, we who live in the West, really can no longer afford (see: Living west of the 100th meridian (mrvintageman.com)
There’s always a catch…
There are a few provisos and quid pro quos involved, however. The homeowner must prove that their front yard is well maintained, and that by converting said yard to a low water landscape the city will reap a benefit via reduced water usage. If the lawn is nothing but dirt, thistles and bindweed that receives no supplemental water, the city gains nothing by helping the homeowner.
I had to provide several photos from different angles to prove my lawn is being well maintained.
I am happy to announce that we have been approved to participate in the rebate program. There is a lot of work to be done come the springtime, but I am really geeked to get started. Truth be told, I am sick and tired of watering and mowing that damn front lawn. It’s a lot of work for very little reward. The only time MrsVintage and I ever notice it is when we are coming home or when it gets shaggy and needs a trim.
The plan
Once we were approved, I submitted a rough sketch of what hardscape features we wanted in the new landscape. We could have paid a landscape designer to create a plan, but the city has a designer on staff who will create the plan for free. My favorite 4-letter f word!
I wanted a path that leads to the mailbox and a spot for a bench so MrsVintage and I can enjoy our new waterwise landscape. So, I put those on the rough sketch, and the designer created the plan seen below.
I am fully aware, since it has been pointed out to me by several people, of the irony that I am putting rocks back into the landscape after spending years taking them out. My reply: these rocks will be much more aesthetically pleasing than the rocks I took out.
The plants
I had the option of providing a list of plants that I wanted for the new landscape. Since I am a fairly experienced gardener, and I have created waterwise borders before, I knew exactly what I wanted. I think I actually impressed the designer. This is the list that we finalized. The symbols match the symbols on the design.
| Symbol | Qty | Scientific Name | Common Name | Water Usage | Sun Preference |
| PC | 7 | Arctostaphylos x coloradoensis ‘Panchito’™ | Panchito™ Manzanita | low | Full Sun, Partial |
| AC | 5 | Agastache cana ‘Sinning’ | Sonoran Sunset® Hyssop | low | Full Sun |
| SL | 6 | Aster laevis | Smooth Aster | low | Full Sun, Partial |
| CA | 6 | Calamagrostis acutiflora (all cultivars) | Feather Reed Grass Variety | moderate | Full Sun |
| CC | 3 | Caryopteris x clandonensis | Blue Mist Spirea | low | Full Sun, Partial |
| UL | 3 | Cytisus x ‘Lena’ | Lena Broom | low | Full Sun |
| GA | 4 | Gaillardia aristata/grandiflora variety | Blanketflower | low | Full Sun |
| HH | 3 | Hemerocallis Hybrids | Daylily | low | Full Sun |
| HR | 3 | Hesperaloe parviflora | Texas Red Yucca | very low | Full Sun, Partial |
| ME | 3 | Mahonia repens | Creeping Barberry | very low | Full Sun, Partial, Full Shade |
| PV | 4 | Panicum virgatum | Switch Grass | low | Full Sun, Partial |
| PX | 6 | Penstemon x mexicali ‘Pikes Peak Purple’® | Pikes Peak Purple® Penstemon | low | Full Sun |
| PF | 3 | Perovskia atriplicifolia | Russian Sage | low | Full Sun |
| UB | 3 | Prunus besseyi ‘Pawnee Buttes’® | Pawnee Buttes® Sand Cherry | low | Full Sun, Partial |
| UI | 9 | Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ | Black-Eyed Susan | low | Full Sun, Partial |
| SS | 6 | Schizachyrium scoparium | Little Bluestem | very low | Full Sun |
| HZ | 2 | Symphoricarpus chenaultii ‘Hancock’ | Hancock Coralberry | very low | Full Sun, Partial |
| VL | 27 | Veronica liwanensis | Turkish Speedwell | low | Full Sun, Partial |
In the meantime
Since it is winter, there obviously isn’t a lot that I can do for now. But until warm weather arrives, there are a few things I can do to prepare for this undertaking. The city provides waterwise classes throughout the year, so I will sign up for a couple in February. I will also contact the buyers for the local nurseries, in hopes they can supply me with most of the plants.
As part of the aesthetic design, we need to either install a berm, build a retaining wall or put down 3 boulders. We have opted for the boulders. This means MrsVintage and I will be scoping out landscape companies in search of the perfect rocks.
Look for further updates in spring.
