Our ground cover, in bloom. This is xeriscaping: landscaping which requires little to no water.
These pictures are from our front porch, shaded by landscaping planted by the previous owners. These plants, too, require little to no water: loquats and palm bushes and a few other plants I’m not familiar with. The overhanging branches create a sense of seclusion, which makes these shots pleasing; something I learned from my buddy Jim Davies’s forthcoming book.
It’s not a zero water system: we had to water the trees that we planted, and you can see a hose where we drip water occasionally on the sick olive tree out front. But the amount of water that we use for this succulent-covered yard is trivial compared to what, for example, my parents did in their large green grassy half acre – and when it’s in bloom, it’s far more beautiful.
The back isn’t quite finished, but we’ve got low-water ivy, and even the cats approve…
-the Centaur
Pictured: a lot of landscaping, done primarily by my wife, Sandi Billingsley.
