{"id":158139,"date":"2025-08-19T10:20:21","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T10:20:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/158139\/"},"modified":"2025-08-19T10:20:21","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T10:20:21","slug":"a-couple-tore-out-their-lawn-and-planted-a-magical-low-water-landscape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/158139\/","title":{"rendered":"A couple tore out their lawn and planted a magical low water landscape"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Water-hungry lawns are symbols of Los Angeles\u2019 past. In this series<\/a>, we spotlight yards with alternative, low-water landscaping built for the future.<\/p>\n

When it\u2019s hot in Los Angeles, hummingbirds, butterflies and bees flock to the gardens that Lexie Glass and her husband, Evan Hursley, have been building in Harvard Park<\/a> for the past three years.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir garden is a good example of how your landscape can be a universe for wildlife,\u201d says Katie Tilford, development director at Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants<\/a>, which has featured Glass and Hursley\u2019s garden on its annual Native Plant Garden Tour<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For Glass, the gardens are not just \u201ctheir space,\u201d but an environment to be shared with the natural world. \u201cThe [COVID-19] pandemic really stressed the importance we hold for the landscape around Southern California,\u201d says Glass, who is originally from Arkansas, \u201cso creating our own around our house was an exciting opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

The home of Lexie Glass and Evan Hursley in 2022 before they repainted the house green, tore out their lawn and planted a native landscape. <\/p>\n

(Lexie Glass)<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Their home and garden a year later. <\/p>\n

(Lexie Glass)<\/p>\n

When the couple purchased the 900-square-foot Craftsman in late 2021, their front and back lawn were primarily brown and dead, and concrete was prevalent.<\/p>\n

A creative couple \u2014 Glass is a designer and Hursley is an architect \u2014 the 31-year-olds were accustomed to creating plans and managing projects.<\/p>\n

So when they learned that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power\u2019s turf replacement program<\/a> would pay them to convert their grass into a low-water landscape with California-friendly plants, they were excited to spearhead a DIY project for themselves and use the rebate to cover their expenses.<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Their backyard before they removed the lawn and broke up the concrete path with sledgehammers.<\/p>\n

(Lexie Glass)<\/p>\n

\"A \"Two <\/p>\n

The backyard a year later. (Lexie Glass) <\/p>\n

Soon after the two bought the property, they started their yard project by removing the L-shaped strip of concrete in the backyard with a sledgehammer. Next, they dug a pathway through the back and side yards, installing the broken pieces of concrete to form \u201csinuous paths that would lead to moments of discovery,\u201d Glass says.<\/p>\n

After laying the groundwork for their paths, the couple removed a gnarled fig tree stump and covered the grass and weeds with leftover cardboard boxes from their move. This process, known as sheet mulching,<\/a> involves layering cardboard or newspaper over the grass and weeds to smother them, creating a natural compost that enriches the soil and suppresses weed growth.<\/p>\n

\"A \"A <\/p>\n

(Lexie Glass) <\/p>\n

Despite their initial lack of gardening knowledge, Glass and Hursley caught on quickly by watching YouTube videos on how to plant a native garden in Los Angeles<\/a> by filmmaker Loren Johnson, who had torn out his lawn. They also attended online lectures on the Waterwise Community Center<\/a> and California Native Plant Society<\/a> channels. Similarly, they taught themselves how to install drip irrigation, select native plants and design their garden using resources such as the Waterwise Garden Planner<\/a> and Calscape<\/a> websites.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvan and I spent many Saturday mornings, eating breakfast and watching the native garden design lectures during our planning phase,\u201d Glass says.<\/p>\n

Given the compact size of their bungalow, the couple saw their garden as more than just a wildlife habitat. It was an extension of their home. In the backyard, where they planned to spend most of their time, they included a lounge area next to a fire pit, complete with Adirondack-style chairs they built with redwood. They also added an outdoor dining area, a birdbath and an alcove with a bench, all situated in the shade of fragrant natives.<\/p>\n

The backyard is anchored around an open-air pavilion that serves as a dining room, which was created from existing four steel columns and steel beams installed on a concrete pad. To give it a more streamlined look, they removed the corrugated sheet metal roof and added 2-by-8 foot wood members across the beams, painting both the wood and steel black. Next, they attached string lights along the bottom of the wooden members and installed tension cables from the ground to the end members in a zigzag pattern, allowing the five morning glory plants they planted to climb up the wires and over the trellis.<\/p>\n

\"An <\/p>\n

The open air dining room today is shaded by Morning Glory plants. <\/p>\n

(Fran Tamse \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n

Working on weekends, the couple installed the pathways and mulched the soil after it had decomposed under the weight of the sheet mulching.<\/p>\n

To add rocks to their design, the couple transported them on a stretcher. \u201cThat was a lot of work,\u201d Hursley says. They then moved on to planting, sourcing primarily from Theodore Payne<\/a>, Plant Material<\/a> and Artemisia<\/a> native plant nurseries in Los Angeles<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When it came to choosing the plants, the couple aimed to create a dynamic garden by varying the heights and widths of the plants to achieve a visually appealing effect. They strategically placed some of the tall plants to screen unsightly views and create shady moments. \u201cYou have to walk around the plants, which helps to create intrigue,\u201d Glass says. \u201cThis was a tip we learned while watching the lecture series held by the California Native Plant Society on YouTube.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

The couple created a series of outdoors rooms in the backyard, including this alcove in the shade of a peppermint tree, Agonis flexuosa. <\/p>\n

(Fran Tamse \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n

According to Tilford, the couple chose a plant palette that is easy to maintain and recommended in Theodore Payne\u2019s \u201cEasy Native Plants for Southern California\u201d<\/a> list, which includes several varieties of sage, apricot mallow, De La Mina lilac verbena and bush sunflower, with California native wildflower seeds filling in the gaps. The couple chose these plants not only for their low-maintenance requirements but also for their leaf textures, flower colors and the timing of when the plants will flower or go dormant.<\/p>\n

In the front yard, where they installed a dry creek bed that collects stormwater, the couple was inspired by Cues to Care, landscape architect Joan Nassauer\u2019s theory<\/a> that visible human care for a landscape can effect change in the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe added lots of fragrant varieties to the front yard to greet us and our guests home, but also to hopefully spark intrigue with neighbors as they walk by,\u201d Glass says. \u201cWe hoped they would enjoy both the site and the smells of native plants and begin to appreciate native plants if they didn\u2019t already.\u201d<\/p>\n

Glass and Hursley planted 250 mostly one-gallon plants, 80% of which are native to California, while the others are drought-tolerant plants from countries with similar climates. Three years in, they admit they made mistakes along the way. \u201cEverything grew much larger than the literature we read predicted,\u201d Hursley says. \u201cCoyote mint is taking over our creek bed.\u201d Also, some plants didn\u2019t survive.<\/p>\n

1 <\/p>\n

\"California <\/p>\n

2 <\/p>\n

\"Cleveland <\/p>\n

3 <\/p>\n

\"Common <\/p>\n

4 <\/p>\n

\"Seaside <\/p>\n

5 <\/p>\n

\"Narrowleaf <\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> California Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum. 2.<\/strong> Cleveland sage, Salvia clevelandii. 3.<\/strong> Common Yarrow, Achillea millefolium. 4.<\/strong> Seaside Daisy, Erigeron glaucus. 5.<\/strong> Narrowleaf Millkweed, Asclepias fascicularis. <\/p>\n

Trial and error is to be expected in a garden, Tilford says. \u201cThat\u2019s part of the experience. Allowing yourself to fail is a way of permitting yourself to learn something new. That is a valuable lesson: Everything is going to get bigger than you think, especially if it\u2019s next to a path or sidewalk.\u201d<\/p>\n

After submitting Glass and Hursley plans to the LADWP\u2019s replacement program, which currently offers a $5-per-square-foot rebate, the $5,100 they received covered all their material expenses. \u201cAll we had to supply was the labor,\u201d Glass says.<\/p>\n

When nearly 300 tour-goers visited the garden in the spring, they were treated to bright orange California poppies, cobalt-blue ceanothus flowers \u2014 a fan favorite, the couple says \u2014 yellow bush sunflowers and the bold pink flowers of hummingbird sage.<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

A concrete pathway the couple repurposed and installed themselves is lined with tall plants that offer shade. <\/p>\n

Come summer, some plants are dormant, but the wildlife, and in some instances, flowers like De La Mina verbena continue to bloom. Although they added plants to nearly half the property, the couple likes that the garden feels much larger than it did before.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur theory is that our brains soak in all these new layers of visual interest and perceive multiple outdoor rooms,\u201d Glass says.<\/p>\n

At one point, when the front yard was covered in mulch and the plants were going in, some neighbors questioned the project, saying the grass looked better. But as the plants started coming in and colorful native plants<\/a> lined the sidewalks, their neighbors were charmed. \u201cIt gives you a reason to explore the garden,\u201d Hursley says, smiling. \u201cWe can walk around for hours.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWe hope that everyone can see that you can do it yourself,\u201d adds Glass. \u201cYou do not need ample space to create your oasis \u2014 just a bit of planning and an appetite for experimentation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Lexie <\/p>\n

Lexie Glass and Evan Hursley began the process of replacing their front and back lawns with native plants in January 2022. <\/p>\n

Plant list<\/p>\n

Peppermint Tree, Agonis flexuosa<\/p>\n

Desert Museum Palo Verde, Cercidium \u2018Desert Museum\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Eureka\u2019 Semi Dwarf Lemon, Citrus X Limon \u2018Eureka\u2019 <\/p>\n

Washington Navel Dwarf Orange, Citrus Sinensis, Washington <\/p>\n

Dwarf Bartlett Pear, Pyrus Communis <\/p>\n

Morning Glory, Calystegia purpurata <\/p>\n

Howard McMinn Manzanita, Arctostaphylos \u2018Howard McMinn\u2019<\/p>\n

Concha Ceanothus, Ceanothus \u2018Concha\u2019<\/p>\n

Firecracker Penstemon, Penstemon Eatonii <\/p>\n

Desert Spoon, Dasylirion Wheeleri \u2018Desert Spoon\u2019<\/p>\n

California Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum<\/p>\n

Scarlet Columbine, Aquilegia formosa<\/p>\n

Moonshine Yarrow, Achillea \u2018Moonshine\u2019 <\/p>\n

Desert globemallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua<\/p>\n

Coyote Mint, Monardella Villosa<\/p>\n

Parry\u2019s Agave, Agave Parryi <\/p>\n

California Fuchsia, Epilobium canum <\/p>\n

Star Jasmine, Jasminum multiflorum<\/p>\n

Narrow Leaf Milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis<\/p>\n

Margarita BOP Penstemon, Penstemon heterophyllus \u2018Margarita BOP\u2019<\/p>\n

White Sage, Salvia Apiana <\/p>\n

De La Mina Verbena, Verbena lilacina \u2018De La Mina\u2019<\/p>\n

Bush Sunflower, Encelia californica<\/p>\n

Common Yarrow, Achillea millefolium<\/p>\n

Everett\u2019s Choice California Fuchsia, Epilobium canum \u2018Everett\u2019s Choice\u2019<\/p>\n

Hummingbird Sage, Salvia Spathacea <\/p>\n

California Poppy, Eschscholzia Californica<\/p>\n

Brittlebush, Encelia farinosa<\/p>\n

Allen Chickering Sage, Salvia \u2018Allen Chickering\u2019<\/p>\n

Palmer\u2019s Indian Mallow, Abutilon palmeri<\/p>\n

Elegant Clarkia, Clarkia unguiculata<\/p>\n

Bird\u2019s Eyes, Gilia tricolor <\/p>\n

Iris Pacific Coast Hybrids<\/p>\n

Wendy Alumroot, Heuchera \u2018Wendy\u2019 <\/p>\n

Coral Bells, Heuchera <\/p>\n

Yerba Buena, Clinopodium douglasii<\/p>\n

Seaside Daisy, Erigeron glaucus<\/p>\n

Catalina Currant, Ribes viburnifolium<\/p>\n

Safari Sunset Conebush, Leucadendron \u2018Safari Sunset\u2019<\/p>\n

San Miguel Island Buckwheat and Red Buckwheat, Eriogonum grande var. rubescens<\/p>\n

Germander Sage, Salvia chamaedryoides<\/p>\n

Cow\u2019s Horn Cactus, Euphorbia grandicornis<\/p>\n

Variegated African Candelabra, Euphorbia ammak variegata<\/p>\n

Blue Flax, Linum lewisii<\/p>\n

\"Native Resources<\/p>\n

Turf Replacement Rebate Program<\/a> <\/p>\n

Planting a Native Garden in Los Angeles<\/a> <\/p>\n

Waterwise Garden Planner<\/a> <\/p>\n

Green Gardens Group Education<\/a> <\/p>\n

California Friendly and Native Landscape Training<\/a> <\/p>\n

California Native Plant Society<\/a> <\/p>\n

Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants<\/a> <\/p>\n

Plant Material <\/a> <\/p>\n

Artemisa Nursery<\/a> <\/p>\n