Garden of the Month: Craftsman with nod to drought resistance

Maintaining her Modesto home’s Craftsman architecture while significantly reducing the need for watering were two main criteria for Diane Cushway’s front yard.

Her landscape at the corner of West Morris and Lottie avenues was selected by the Modesto Garden Club for its February Garden of the Month honors.

Cushway moved to the home about 31/2 years ago and began working on her landscape plan to complement the 1921 Craftsman bungalow, according to a garden club release.

She designed a fence using Craftsman detailing as her inspiration, mimicking the posts often seen on Craftsman porches. The fence wood also is reminiscent of the interior woodwork frequently used in the architectural style.

The walnut stain used on the fence is natural but also eye-catching, and Cushway told the garden club that several people have stopped by her home to ask her about it.

Because the house is on a corner lot – often more difficult to design – the only yard space consists of a small section along the front and another along the side of the house. Cushway creatively used the fencing to provide a private yard, which allows for outdoor dinner parties even though it borders the street.

A pergola within the fenced yard will have curtains to finish it off to help keep the hot tub inside private, despite its streetside location.

The yard remains a work in progress, and not many plants show during the winter months. Ultimately, there will be a small section of grass for use by Cushway’s grandchildren and her dog, but the rest of the yard will be drought-tolerant.

Cushway, who is just beginning to learn about drought-tolerant plants, plans plenty of experimenting. So far, she has planted an olive tree and some grasses.

This story was originally published January 30, 2015 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Garden of the Month: Craftsman with nod to drought resistance."