2025 Contest Winner

Homeowner	Janet C.
Location	Vista
Yard	Front

Project

Ms. Chambers moved into her current residence about 11 years ago. Upon moving in, her yard consisted of a plain-looking lawn and one large Liquidambar tree. Feeling that the existing lawn consumed a tremendous amount of water and provided little benefit, she decided to make a change. Ms. Chambers began by removing her turf and installing a decomposed granite path and a cobblestone sitting area; she then set out to create a drought tolerant garden with an emphasis on providing flowering plants for pollinators, such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Once the new garden was installed, the change in her front yard’s character was dramatic. “Now the garden is alive with constant movement of pollinators, and it’s a joy to sit on my cobblestone patio and watch all of the activity”, Ms. Chambers said. Ms. Chambers says the garden does not require pesticides or herbicides and practically takes care of itself by reseeding empty areas on its own. She waters the landscape with a drip system a few times a week during the summer months that she turns off during the winter.

Plants Used

Trees: Olive (semi-dwarf, fruitless), Prunus illicifolia, Pomegranate
Medium Plants: Lantana (var. colors), Mexican Sage (Salvia Leucantha), Artichoke, Rosemary, Cuphea, Indian Mallow (Abutilon Palmerii), Lavender, Rockrose (Cistus var.), Aloe
Small Plants: Verbena bonariensis, Yarrow, Salvia, Daylilies,Red Buckwheat, Milkweed, Blue-eyed Grass, Monkeyflower, Osteospermum, Echeveria, Barrel Cactus
Vine: Bougainvillea
Grass: Mexican Feather Grass (Stipa tenuissima)