This landscape consists of Succulents, Lavender, Carex Grass, Rock Mulch and Wood Mulch, and Boulders, with a couple of existing Washingtonia Robusta Palms = All drought Tolerant.

We started off by killing the existing 27,000 square feet of grass, and conducting several weed kill cycles over a two month period to make certain that the old grass, and any new weeds would not appear.

The Buffalo Grass comes in boxes, such as the packages shown below. Once delievered, our team planted the plugs 18″ oc, and 12″ oc. The Colony wanted to determine on their own, which spacing was the best method for planting. We recommend 9″ oc for faster coverage and better weed control.

Below is a picture of the 27,000 square foot area of Buffalo Plugs. Look closely, they may be small and far apart now but in just a couple of months this area will be all filled in. We are visiting the site weekly to check up on the little Buffalo’s and make sure there aren’t any weeds interfering.

Newly planted Buffalo Grass plugs

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Before

This homeowner attended our Sustainable Claremont presentation at the Claremont Colleges. She called us up  asking about designing a new landscape for her front and back yards for her home in Covina. She also wanted to know about the current rebate programs for the city of Covina. We told her there was a rebate for demolishing her existing turf, and we could plant all drought tolerant plants in it’s place.

After

She had a lawn full of weeds. We conducted 2 grow-kill cycles with Round up, and layed down weed barrier to eradicate the weeds and make sure they wouldn’t come back. After that we re-planted some existing palms and some agave plants she had to new locations in her yard. We planted all drought tolerant plant varieties, succulants, and other similar plants, with bark mulch, and decomposed granite. Her yard turned out pretty nice! She is very happy with it. 

After

Side Yard

Parkway

 

Buffalograss gets fresh attention for California lawns

31 Aug, 2009

By: Ron Hall

LM Direct

Once, when asked how much water a buffalograss lawn would require to stay alive, turfgrass expert Dr. Bill Knoop, now retired from Texas A&M, quipped it would need just about as much as a buffalo can give it. Actually, his language was more colorful than that; use your imagination.

Landscape pro Forest Hill shows off California-bred ‘UC Verde’ buffalograss

For more than a generation, a handful of turfgrass breeders and other experts have touted the considerable environmental benefits of buffalograss for home lawns and commercial properties. Even so, property owners — even     in the Southern Plains and the arid Southwest where the grass is best suited — have been slow to adopt the species. Historically, property owners have viewed traditional lawn grasses to be greener and lusher than buffalograss.

But greener and lusher are terms that don’t hold the cache they once did. With increasing attention being given to turfgrass as a so-called “water hog,” is it time for landscape professionals to begin promoting the use of buffalograss, which requires significantly less water and chemical inputs to remain green and healthy than traditional lawn grasses?

Forest Hill, a longtime longtime landscape and irrigation professional in Ontario, CA, thinks so.

Hill is the founder and operator Landscape Design, Inc., and its new division, SWAN (Smart Water Application Now). Through SWAN Hill offers a range of progressive water-efficient landscape irrigation services, and he’s very high on buffalograss. Not just any buffalograss, but a variety jointly developed by turfgrass experts at the University of Calilfornia (UC) Davis and UC Riverside. The official name of the grass is ‘UC Verde’, and it’s the only commercially available buffalograss breed in California for California lawns.

In fact, Hill is so enthusiastic about this particular grass that he plugged it (It can’t be established from seed.) into the front yard of his attractive home/headquarters. As the plugs were only two months old when we visited on Monday, Aug. 24, they hadn’t had time to spread and fill in. But what we saw was green and attractive and was certainly more inviting than landscapes composed of rocks and desert plants. Hill expects his lawn, once the grass spreads, to require significantly less water than the tall fescue it replaced, and to be just as attractive, even figuring that it will go dormant and brown from December into late February.

This buffalograss lawn, started from plugs, will require another month to fill out completely

“Once the buffalograss gets established, it will use about 70 percent less water than the tall fescue, and I will only have to mow it about once a month,” said Hill.

To further reduce water use on the lawn in from of his home, Hill took out a 4-ft. wide strip of turf surrounding the buffalograss, eliminating another 1200 sq. ft. that no longer needs watering. He also replaced part of the landscape in his yard with a patch of artificial turf, again as a demonstration of what can be done from a landscaping standpoint to meet California’s stricter water conservation rules.

But it was his enthusiasm for buffalograss and the promise that it holds for providing property owners in our Southern Plains and arid U.S. Southwest for having green, living turfgrass lawns and still conserving water that heartened us most.

As home owners and commercial property owners become acquainted with the several improved varieties of buffalograss it’s our guess that they will adopt them and grow to appreciate them as alternatives to more stark desert-style landscapes.

Below is a picture of the Buffalo Grass taken later, after it has all filled in.

For more information about this article, or the magazine click on the link below:

http://www.landscapemanagement.net/business/other-business-features/buffalograss-gets-fresh-attention-california-lawns

After 6 Months

Here’s a Swan Designed showcase project that really brings together many of the water saving ideas that experts are suggesting to the public.
TREES:  We chose to use a California Live Oak. This tree was the main focus of the landscape, and really helped capture the beautiful California look that the owner was looking for. To irrigate the trees, and still be able to conserve water, we used a One Gallon per Minute Fixed Bubbler. With this Bubbler, we could closely calibrate the volume of water delivered to the size of the tree. By using this technique, the trees only need water once or twice a week. 

SHRUBS:  Though we suggested all drought tolerant plants, the owners wished to incorporate flowers into the design. Keeping this in mind, we planted some carefully selected California Native species, keeping the majority of our choices within the drought tolerant variety. To irrigate these shrubs we used a Rain Bird Subterranean Time Drip system. This time drip system allows water to be applied only around the base of the plants, thus reducing evaporation, water run off, and lack of sprinkler head efficiency. 

Remaining areas were covered with beautiful green artificial turf, and a 2 inch layer of recycled wood mulch. 

After almost a year, the project has matured into a peaceful, relaxing garden with a lovely sitting area and recycled water feature. This project is a good example of a landscape design that incorporates a variety of drought tolerant plants, making it beautiful and practical.

Swan Drought Tolerant Technology is a division of Landscape Design Inc. (Ca lic #486431)

After 18 Months

After 18 Months

Buffalo Grass Saves 50% of water consumption

Just out research at UC Davis and UC Riverside has produced a beautiful and amazing new grass variety that that reduces water consumption by 50% or more.

This drought tolerant standout called UC Verde Buffalo Grass is a patented cultivar bred from the native buffalo grass from the North American Great Plains, but with California’s unique climate in mind. While Buffalo Grass has many sustainable features, the primary benefit is significant water conservation.

The UC Verde Buffalo Grass requires 50 to 75% less water than traditional tall fescue grasses, such as Marathon, which make up much of the California turf landscape. Not only does it require less water, but it also requires less maintenance as well. The growth habit of ‘UC Verde’ Buffalo Grass is about 4 to 6 inches tall; its mowing requirement is once every two to three weeks, or it may be left un-mowed as a short meadow grass. Its dense habit makes it very difficult for weeds to establish, and it has a very strong disease and insect resistance. The dense texture of this grass makes it very durable and tolerant of heavy foot traffic, making it ideal for large industrial and commercial landscapes.

The UC Verde Buffalo Grass is self-repairing, and will fill-in where there may be physical damage due to rodents or urine burn from dogs. This selection has a relatively short dormant season as compared with other warm-season grasses recommended for the southern California region, remaining green for a longer period of time throughout the year.

Receive the free Buffalo Grass Green Paper:  Click here.

Amazing Buffalo Grass Saves 50% Water Consumption

The award winning landscape is all native and drought tolerant planting.

These California native plants require very little water. In fact these natives thrive in the summer. They prefer the hot, dry, summer weather. They are accustom to California’s dry dessert climate. They are perfect for anyone trying to cut back on their landscape water and lower your water bill. Not only do California Native plants require less water, but they also require less maintenance, they are pest free and are known for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.

No cactus in this landscape. This landscape is proof that you can have a colorful landscape with lots of different flowers and textures and still be considered drought tolerant.  

The irrigation system for this landscape is all drip, and is controlled by a Rainbird ESP-SMT Weather Based Smart Controller.

Swan would like to invite you to our office for an educational meeting about Water Conservation in your landscape. We will go over the new technology in Weather Based Smart Controllers, the new High Efficiency Nozzles, Drought Tolerant Plant selection and other methods of how to cut back water use in your landscape.  Refreshments will be served. This meeting is meant to be educational; we will not try to sell you any of our products or services. This will allow us to answer any questions that you might have concerning your water bill and your landscape.  Water rates are rising and you don’t want to get stuck with a high water bill. We will show you how to cut back your water use by at least 20-30%.

Sign up today. It’s free.

Every Wednesday from 10-11 am

RSVP is required (up to 5 people)

RSVP @ (909)391-6159

Location: SWAN office @

1503 S. Oaks Ave, Ontario CA 91762

We are members of the

Inland Empire Apartment Association