3538 22nd Street
Corey and Deanna’s Garden Refresh
TIMELINE | AREA CHECKLISTS | FULL DESIGN | PLANT PICS | PLANT LIST | MATERIALS | DIY GET INTO THE GARDEN | PHOTO ALBUM
Project Summary
XERISCAPE TRANSFORMATION
Transform an unused front lawn and small window-garden area into a full xeric yardscape with high altitude semi-native (and naturalized) plantings. Integrate with existing trees and some existing plantings.
Transform a backyard garden along fence line into a semi-xeric yardscape with dry creek. Install french drain filter to slow and spread excess runoff from underneath a fake lawn area as it drains into the garden edge.
Transform an unused lawn area to the side of front drive into a xeriscaped berm, with light edible plantings, atop curved retaining wall.
TIMELINE
WEEK 1 ❖ HARDSCAPE
April 24 - May 1
1) SITE PREP for upcoming hardscape projects
• Remove Existing Sod (FRONT)
— (KEEP existing plants for now)
• Dig + Install French Drain (BACK)
2) SOURCE + DELIVER HARDSCAPE MATERIALS
• (a) GRAVEL (2 sizes) re: French Drain (BACK)
• PAVERS — walkway extension (FRONT)
• COBBLE
— Dry Creek
— Atop French Drain (BACK)
— Curvy along sidewalk and driveway (FRONT)
• 2 BOULDERS (Med Size) in Buff Sandstone (BACK)
• SOIL — Berms (1 small in back), (1 large in front), (2-3 small in front)
• MULCH — (reuse some existing from back to add to new in front)
3) INSTALL HARDSCAPE MATERIALS
• SEE AREA CHECKLIST below for details
• SEE DESIGN below for layout
4) CHECK IRRIGATION + ADJUST AS NEEDED
• TEXT + Record Existing Zones (where lines run from valve box to each area)
• SET NEW CLOCK ZONES + RUN TIMES based on Planting Theme (eg. Xeric = dry /vs/ Moist) — check Design for theme
• ADJUST Add or extend main lines where necessary
WEEK 2 ❖ PLANTINGS
MAY 4 - 8
5) Source + Deliver Softscape Materials for Plantings
• Soil
• Plantings
6) Source + Deliver Plants
• Receive + Check off list (below)
• Stage plants per design (below)
7) Install plants per design
• Remove for Transplant (Flagged, Named, and Numbered) existing plants
• Plant all new staged plants
—- Use separate soil for Native Species (flagged)
8) Complete Irrigation
• Run 1/4” small drip lines to all new plantings
• Use emitters per plant size
• Check all existing plant drip lines
9) Mulch Refresh
• Use existing where able / Use fresh to complete
Final ❖ PLANTINGS
Avail at Nurseries
MAY 22 - 29
❖ AREA CHECKLISTS ❖
FRONT
WINDOW GARDEN | FRONT YARD SOUTH (UNDER TREES)
CHECKLIST ❖ FRONT
FLAGSTONE STEP PATH (SPACED WIDE) | BERMS + BOULDERS | COBBLE WAVY EDGE AT SIDEWALK | FULL SUN to SHADE GARDEN
❖ Sod removal
❖ Wait for stump removal scheduled for MAY 6th — by 3rd party (client’s tree company)
❖ 3 Berms — 1 Lg, 2-3 Small
• Soil — 60"% “Amended Topsoil” from Colorado Materials mixed with 20% Eco Plus compost and 20% Expanded Shale (deliver together and hand mix on site)
• 1 Large Berm = In center of main yard, create an oval shaped berm area oriented E/W ~ 6’L x 4’W, starting about ~8-10’ from driveway
❖ Grading
• Drainage = simple grade away from house as necessary near front windows
❖ Irrigation — add Drip line to all new plants, from existing main line
❖ Planting List + Layout
• See plant schedule
❖ Mulch
• Reuse Existing Mulch — Refresh = 1yd? Brown Gorilla Hair
Front (NORTH SIDE)
CHECKLIST ❖ Front (NORTH SIDE)
PAVER WALKWAY EXTENSION | FRENCH DRAIN WITH GRATE + COBBLE ATOP | COBBLE AT SIDEWALK | FULL TO PART SUN GARDEN
❖ Sod removal
❖ Low Drystack Stone Retaining Wall
• Height ~12-18” ? to match existing wall on neighbor’s property north
• Length ~ 15-20 linear ft — slightly curved (see sketch)
• Material — (a) Match existing wall /or/ (b) Buff Flagstone
❖ Berm behind retaining wall
• Soil — 60"% “Amended Topsoil” from Colorado Materials mixed with 20% Eco Plus compost and 20% Expanded Shale (deliver together and hand mix on site)
• Fill berm soil to 2-4” less than top of wall (on north side away from drive),
• Slope the berm downward to the ground as it meets the existing wall behind (neighbor’s wall)
• Pea gravel fill, down to cobble (per design)
• 6-8” Cobble in front of wall (between wall and drive)
❖ 2 Small Decorative Boulders
❖ Walkway Extension from gate to drive ( 36 linear ft L / 3.5 ft W )
+ 10 sqft to meet existing shed right by walkway
• Pavers (to match existing) — Belgard Dublin Cobble in “Victorian”
• Drainage = run gutter (at north edge of driveway) under walkway — use a corregated drain pipe extension. Aim it toward grade away from house.
❖ Irrigation — add Drip line to all new plants, from existing main line
❖ Planting List + Layout
• See plant schedule
BACK Yard
CHECKLIST ❖ BACKYARD
FULL SUN TO PART SHADE GARDEN | FRENCH DRAIN (BTWN FAKE LAWN + BACK GARDEN) | COBBLE ON TOP OF FRENCH DRAIN
COBBLE DRY CREEK (GRADE FOR NATURALISTIC LOOK)
❖ Existing Mulch Set Aside + Reuse
❖ French Drain / Filter btwn fake lawn edge + garden (30-40 linear ft L)
• Grade — highest at either end sloping down in a “V” to low point just off-center in front of existing evergreen tree to water the tree
• First trench — FILL = crushed granite ( 1 ft D / 8-10” W )
• Second trench — FILL = pea gravel ( 1 ft D / 8-10” W )
• Top of drain — 6-8” Cobble (same size as edge of dry creek)
— Make cobble same height as existing fake grass
❖ 3-4 Large Decorative Boulders — Moss Rock
• Bring in on Skidsteer/Bobcat through back fence (33-36”? W nec)
— Lay boards over existing paver walkway to disperse weight
• Place intermittently along fenceline per design (in btwn shrubs)
❖ Dry Creek ( 50+ linear ft )
• Small trench for realistic aesthetic ( 6-10” D / 18-24” W )
• FILL = Edge with 6-10” Cobble / Center with 3” cobble
❖ Berm at S curve of Dry Creek
• Soil — 60"% “Amended Topsoil” from Colorado Materials mixed with 20% Eco Plus compost and 20% Expanded Shale (deliver together and hand mix on site)
• Grading = Very low 8—10” berm extending from the side of the dry creek (just north of existing paver walkway) — where the fragrant sumac and plumbago will be planted
❖ Planting List + Layout
• See back plant schedule below
❖ Mulch
• Reuse Existing Mulch — Refresh = 1yd? Brown Gorilla Hair
CHECKLIST ❖ IRRIGATION
IRRIGATION (FRONT + BACK)
❖ Complete check and adjustment of existing system
❖ Add
–– for all new plantings
— (check or add) for existing plantings
–– for existing trees
Note, the above section is intended as an overview and does not represent a comprehensive or detailed list of all features or steps.
FULL DESIGN
SEMI FINAL VERSION — WAITING TO UPDATE FRONT NORTH SECTION BEFORE PRINTING OUT | SEMI-NATIVE LOW-WATER USE THEME
Inspiration Board
DECORATIVE BOULDERS CREATING TERRAIN INTEREST
SIMPLE YET VARIED GROUND COVER
LOW BERM WITH PATH + COBBLE EDGE
BALANCE OF LOW WATER NATIVE + ADAPTED PLANTS
A SPRAY OF SUMMER COLOR FOR POLLINATORS
DECORATIVE BOULDER WITH MOUNDED GRASS + BLOOMS
MAIN Plant List
✔ AGEM SOURCING + DELIVERY
DIY Plant List
CLIENT SIDE PROJECT ONLY ✔ Corey
FOR BACK AREA BY HOUSE + RAISED BEDS (ON EITHER SIDE OF WALKWAY WHERE IT MEETS THE FAKE GRASS)
YOU WILL FIND REFERENCE PICTURES OF YOUR SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE GALLERY JUST BELOW THIS LIST
Plant Gallery
Viewing Galleries
✔ HARDSCAPE MATERIALS
✔ SOFTSCAPE MATERIALS
✔ THEMES + LAYOUTS
HARDSCAPE CONCEPTS
MATERIALS SHOWCASE
SOFTSCAPE CONCEPTS
MATERIALS SHOWCASE
Planting CONCEPTS
themes + layouts SHOWCASE
IDENTIFY YOUR PLANTS VISUALLY
Materials Gallery + List
COLORADO BUFF BOULDERS | MOSS ROCK BOULDER | BUFF FLAGSTONE PATH NATURAL EDGE | BREEZE | 6-8” COBBLE | PEA GRAVEL | GORILLA HAIR MULCH | GALVANIZED STEEL ROLLTOP EDGING | BELGARD DUBLIN COBBLE PAVERS IN ‘VICTORIAN’ | WEED MAT
DIY + EDUCATIONAL SECTION
GROW, REST, REPEAT
Top 6 DIY Tips For
1) SOIL
2) GROWING
3) GARDEN CARE + CONSULT SESSIONS
4) FRUIT TREE GUILD
5) GARDEN NOTES
6) LOCAL VENDORS
SOUNDS LIKE FUN ~ LET’S GET GOING…
How’s Your Soil?
THE HEALTH OF YOUR PLANTS IS FIRST AND FOREMOST ABOUT THE HEALTH OF YOUR SOIL
COLORADO SOIL STRUCTURE + AMENDMENTS
WELCOME TO COLORADO: A HIGH ALPINE DESERT
The “high alpine desert” (high and dry) zone of our Colorado front range means that the soil here is typically a rocky compacted clay, deficient in nitrogen or other nutrients. The soil here has a high “alkaline” pH of 7.0 - 8.3, due to the high amount of calcium carbonate (free lime), a reflection of limited rainfall and rock weathering.
To adjust for this, here are the elements we can easily add to this soil to make it more hospitable and to support your garden’s beauty and bounty.
While many native plants prefer less amendment, in most garden situations your soil will greatly benefit by the right help to support the ecosystem you’re planning.
START HERE + BRING YOUR SOIL TO LIFE
In perennial beds, after spring clean up, and before adding seeds or starts, it is highly recommend to:
1) OPTIONALLY Aerate or till the existing soil. By adequately loosening up and amending the soil, you are helping to create a more suitable environment for the plants that live there. Water and Air can move more easily through the substrate for better drainage, encouraging microorganisms to cultivate healthy root systems, which are able to transport available nutrients where needed.
In wild or more native gardens, nature’s symbiotic balance is best left as undisturbed as possible, or when growing vegetables or crops it can be difficult to apply a no-till practice such as this, so amending is a suitable alternative.
BALANCE YOUR SOIL STRUCTURE WITH THESE ELEMENTS
2) Add a moisture-retaining element such as rice hulls, pearlite, or vermiculite (expanded shale). If you want to support a local reseller, these are available at McGuckins. The volume needed will depend on your square footage as well as any unique microclimate influences of note.
The gardener’s goal here is to create a loamy soil strucure (an equal balance of sand/silt/clay). We’re going for the “goldilock’s zone” of not too heavy, not too light, but just right, with good moisture retention. Here’s how to identify what general soil type you may be working with and how to balance it:
→ DENSE DIRT OR CLAY Most of the Front Range of CO has dense or clay dirt masquerading as soil. So, if you soil is overly dense, compacted, or has a high clay content, you’ll want to lighten it up. For this, you can use rice hulls, pearlite, and/or vermiculite. These elements act to retain moisture by wicking and dispersing, making it available to the roots in a more even distribution over a longer period. Coconut coir and spanghum moss also provide a lighter weight to the surrounding soil media thus aerating and lifting the density.
→ SANDY SOIL If your soil is too sandy or dry dusty silt, water may run through it too fast, or it may not cultivate the density necessary to support the kind of microbial activity that will truly nourish your plant roots. So you’ll want to create more moisture retention and build up the structure slightly. In this situation, coconut coir acts as a fine moisture retention element, or you could use vermiculite for even more retention. Consider removing a % of the existing media and/or adding a denser raised bed soil to bring the structure into balance.
For moisture balance, remember this general rule of thumb: Use rice hulls, coconut coir or perlite when you want better drainage and aeration. Use vermiculite when you want more moisture retention.
What’s Your Starting Soil Type?
Use Amendments To Balance Soil Structure
Here’s What A Healthy Balance Might Look Like
Additional Natural Products
CLICK HERE FOR A FULL LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS
for horticultural and vegetable gardens
You Plant. But Do You Grow?
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Optional DIY: Watch Others Do It + Then Try It Yourself
We Suggest The Following YouTube Channels As You Learn The Art/s Of…
Better Your Garden Game (Monthly Series)
√ Get A Hand Getting Started + Intro to DIY (Novice or Beginner)
√ Monthly Meet Up For DIY Tips (Intermediate or Advanced)
Choose Plants That Support Your Trees: Fruit or Deciduous
Why Use Native Plants + Wild Species?
Where To Go To Get Your Plants
Local Nurseries + Vendors
Find your seeds or plant starts here, as well as tools, materials, and more! We’re pleased to share the health and the wealth of opportunity among these associations from our many professional and social circles. Rebecca’s Gardens Design makes it our goal to stay as consistent as possible with the larger picture holistic ecological values for plants, people, and our planet. Thank you for your commitment to sourcing biodynamic or organically grown plant species or varieties, soil, or other products.
GOT GOOD INSTALLATION?
We Work Directly With: A Good Earth Maintenance LLC
Rebecca's Gardens partners with A Good Earth Maintenance for installations independently. Our philosophy is shared by TLC, True Land Collective, a client-to-contractor hub featuring a niche group of trustworthy reliable small businesses.
We proudly work with this longstanding local contractor and their dedicated artisans who are masters of their trade. We do our best to align our projects with our purpose for smoother communication and fit.
Our wisdom and work with native plants, cultivation, and maintenance is directly translated throughout the installation process, ensuring we do our best to instill the needs of your landscape with the vision of your community from the ground up.
We visualize and build to suit your dreams and budget in alignment with native ecological factors.
“Small or Grand, you're in good hands.”
Your Photo Album
PICS OVER THE ARC OF YOUR PROJECT INSTALL THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH OTHERS
BEFORE
AFTER
Thanks for designing with Rebecca’s Gardens & Design!
A Fun Harvest Mid-season
Tasty healthy food
