Garden of the Month: Taking on the drought beautifully

If you happen along Chelwood Way in east Modesto, you might be taken aback by the bright green lawn basking in the warm summer sun outside one of the houses there.

We’re in a drought, after all, with landscape watering limited to just two days a week leaving grass in most city yards leaning more toward a dry yellow. But before you pick up the phone to report a water waster, take note: that lawn you see actually is artificial turf.

It’s just one of the drought-resistant additions to the home at 1905 Chelwood Way that helped garner it Garden of the Month honors for July from the Modesto Garden Club.

That small patch of turf also qualified the homeowners, Gary and Judi McKinney, for a city of Modesto reimbursement program available to customers who replace their water-thirsty lawns with artificial ones.

The change, along with others in the yard, also substantially reduced the couple’s monthly water bill, they told the garden club.

Prompted by the drought last year, the McKinneys took to redoing their landscape with the idea of combining low-maintenance and low-water requirements in a yard that was still beautiful. The couple did their own design and labor – including removal of a large grass area.

Left from the old yard is a Japanese maple tree and evergreen Podocarpus; a second Podocarpus was planted to replace a diseased tree. They also added a fountain near the front porch, filled with water collected in a bucket during showers.

A pair of square pots flanking the yard’s walkway are stained a cool rust color, as is the cement path itself. While the striking walk to the front door needs to be re-stained every few years, the McKinneys report that it’s neither expensive nor difficult, with results well worth the effort. Plant beds get some drama from black bark which also provides a contrast between the beds and the stained walkway.

A variety of grasses – Zebra grass is Judi’s favorite – shrubs, succulents and flowers have been planted. The succulents continue to be an experiment as they search for the most attractive plants that are also tough enough to survive the winter.

This story was originally published July 6, 2016 at 11:25 AM with the headline "Garden of the Month: Taking on the drought beautifully."