- Author: Karen Metz
In June I wrote a blog about the April removal of my dead lawn and replacement with drought tolerant plants. At the time some people asked that I later update the status as things progressed. So these pics represent just after planting in April and then what it looked like at the end of October. I am pretty pleased. The plants have really started filling out. Some have almost tripled in size. I've even had blooms from the Russian Sage, Perovskia atriplicifolia, Dwarf Plumbago, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, and Euryops.
The blue fescue makes a nice contrast with all the green. The Ceanothus griseus horizantalis didn't bloom much, but is very healthy. My favorite though is the Acacia cognate 'Cousin Itt'. This was my only new plant, I had fallen for it after seeing it in a catalog. I had a hard time locating three specimens at the time the landscaper was ready to plant. Two were fine but one looked very sickly. The healthy plants have grown like gangbusters and are lush very green and very reminiscent of Cousin It from the Addams family. The sickly plant has gotten even more sickly and actually looks like it is at death's door. I want to replace it with a healthy specimen, but I thought it might be wise to first see how the 'Cousin Itts' do this winter. If they survive the winter I will definitely get another one.
Either way my neighbors are deliriously happy that they are no longer looking at dead lawn. I know just how they feel I couldn't stand it anymore either.