2024 California Home Landscaping
Drought-Tolerant Design Gallery
45 of the Best Yards Spotted This Year
Gallery of Great California Frontyards with No Lawn
Struggling to figure out what to do with your front yard? Now that lawns are decreasingly realistic for California's climates there's a lot of options to consider. Check out this comprehensive lawn-free landscaping inspiration gallery for some ideas on how to transform your yard.
I'll admit it - I'm one of those people constantly on the lookout for great front Yards. Whether I'm overseeing an install in Silicone Valley or digging for Design Inspiration in Highland Park - I've always got my camera out to snap picks of fantastic California plant combinations for drought-tolerant landscaping looks.
Now that I've got thousands of pictures in my archive, I think it's time to share some of the highlights. So without further ado here's the best and brightest low-water landscaping ideas from across California. From Santa Cruz to Saratoga and San Diego to Sierra Madre, these yards offer a bright vision for the lower lawn future of our landscapes.
Fresh & Contemporary Frontyards
Native and natural vibes have pleasantly taken over Contemporary California gardens this year. Low-water ornamental grasses form the base. With sculptural trees, Australian and succulent accents complimenting their broad bushy forms. The trick to this look? Great foliage contrast and consistently colored accents.
FEATURE PLANTS
From top to bottom
Image 1: Deer Grass, Hesperaloe, Agave Americana, Olive, Pink Bottlebrush - San Jose, CA Image 2:(same as previous) Image 3: Kangaroo Paw (Yellow), Carex Grass, Image 4: Carex Grass, Miscanthus Grass, Ginkgo Biloba - Los Altos, CA Image 5: Boule Rosemary, Calamagrostis Grass - Los Altos, CA Image 6: Boule Rosemary, Calamagrostis 'Feather Reed' Grass, Artemisia 'Silver Mound', 'Bloodgood' Japanese Maple, Pennisetum Grass, Image 7: Salvia Clevelandii, Pigeon Point Coyote Brush, Toyon, Cape Mendo Calamagrostis, Santa Barbara Daisy, Monkey Flower, Toyon - Pasadena, CA Image 8:Yarrow, Baby Sage, Santa Barbara Daisy, Deer Grass, Mesquite Tree - Pasadena, CA Image 9: Miscanthus 'Morning Light', Westringia 'Morning Light', Olive 'Little Ollie' Grevillea 'Moon Glow', Japanese Grass - San Jose, CA Image 10: Same as Image 9 Image 11:Desert Spoon, Blue Chalksticks, Muhlenbergia Grass 'White Cloud' - Burbank, CA Image 12:Muhlenbergia Grass 'White Cloud', Rosemary 'Boule', Gopher Plant Euphorbia, Hesperaloe, Heavy Metal Switchglass, Lemon Tree - Sierra Madre, CA Image 13Dwarf Carpet of Stars, Deer Grass, Artichoke Agave - Sierra Madre, CA
From top to bottom
Image 1: Deer Grass, Hesperaloe, Agave Americana, Olive, Pink Bottlebrush - San Jose, CA Image 2:(same as previous) Image 3: Kangaroo Paw (Yellow), Carex Grass, Image 4: Carex Grass, Miscanthus Grass, Ginkgo Biloba - Los Altos, CA Image 5: Boule Rosemary, Calamagrostis Grass - Los Altos, CA Image 6: Boule Rosemary, Calamagrostis 'Feather Reed' Grass, Artemisia 'Silver Mound', 'Bloodgood' Japanese Maple, Pennisetum Grass, Image 7: Salvia Clevelandii, Pigeon Point Coyote Brush, Toyon, Cape Mendo Calamagrostis, Santa Barbara Daisy, Monkey Flower, Toyon - Pasadena, CA Image 8:Yarrow, Baby Sage, Santa Barbara Daisy, Deer Grass, Mesquite Tree - Pasadena, CA Image 9: Miscanthus 'Morning Light', Westringia 'Morning Light', Olive 'Little Ollie' Grevillea 'Moon Glow', Japanese Grass - San Jose, CA Image 10: Same as Image 9 Image 11:Desert Spoon, Blue Chalksticks, Muhlenbergia Grass 'White Cloud' - Burbank, CA Image 12:Muhlenbergia Grass 'White Cloud', Rosemary 'Boule', Gopher Plant Euphorbia, Hesperaloe, Heavy Metal Switchglass, Lemon Tree - Sierra Madre, CA Image 13Dwarf Carpet of Stars, Deer Grass, Artichoke Agave - Sierra Madre, CA
New & Enduring Classic Landscaping Looks
This year clean and classy has taken a stand. From chic minimalist swaths of dwarf olives and agaves to classic French courtyard looks with exceptionally drought-tolerant plants. Formal lines, green edges and juicy more playfully colored accents set the scene in these yards.
FEATURE PLANTS
From top to bottom
Image 1: Strawberry Tree (Arbutus Marina), Black Rock Mulch - San Jose, CA Image 2: Agave Americana, Spanish Bayonet, Jacaranda - Pasadena, CA Image 3: Tagetes Lemonii, Salvia Leucantha, Burning Bush, Strawberry Tree (foreground = purple lantana) - Los Gatos, CA Image 4: Red Gem Leucadendron - Oakland, CA Image 5: Classic French Garden with drought-tolerant varietals: English Lavender, Rosemary 'Boule', Iceberg Rose, Star Jasmine, Olive 'Little ollie', Decomposed Granite - Pasadena, CA Image 6: Dianella Dwarf variegated flax lily, Lemon Tree, Donkeytail Sedum, Ginkgo Biloba, Coral Bells 'Wendy' - Pasadena, CA Image 7: Olive Tree, Hesperaloe, Boxwood, Kangaroo Paw, Lavender Goodwin Creek, Image 8: Blue Fescue, Star Jasmine, Dwarf Flax Lily, Western Redbud, Euphorbia Tirucalli, Bay Tree Image 9 & 10: Olive Tree, Silver Kohu hedge, Dwarf Olive, Artichoke Agave, Agave Blue Glow, Stipa grass (invasive try Deschampsia alternative) - Carpenteria, CA Image 11: Santa Barbara Daisy, Grey box Westringia, Blue Westringia, Lavender, Strawberry Tree - Pismo Beach, CA
From top to bottom
Image 1: Strawberry Tree (Arbutus Marina), Black Rock Mulch - San Jose, CA Image 2: Agave Americana, Spanish Bayonet, Jacaranda - Pasadena, CA Image 3: Tagetes Lemonii, Salvia Leucantha, Burning Bush, Strawberry Tree (foreground = purple lantana) - Los Gatos, CA Image 4: Red Gem Leucadendron - Oakland, CA Image 5: Classic French Garden with drought-tolerant varietals: English Lavender, Rosemary 'Boule', Iceberg Rose, Star Jasmine, Olive 'Little ollie', Decomposed Granite - Pasadena, CA Image 6: Dianella Dwarf variegated flax lily, Lemon Tree, Donkeytail Sedum, Ginkgo Biloba, Coral Bells 'Wendy' - Pasadena, CA Image 7: Olive Tree, Hesperaloe, Boxwood, Kangaroo Paw, Lavender Goodwin Creek, Image 8: Blue Fescue, Star Jasmine, Dwarf Flax Lily, Western Redbud, Euphorbia Tirucalli, Bay Tree Image 9 & 10: Olive Tree, Silver Kohu hedge, Dwarf Olive, Artichoke Agave, Agave Blue Glow, Stipa grass (invasive try Deschampsia alternative) - Carpenteria, CA Image 11: Santa Barbara Daisy, Grey box Westringia, Blue Westringia, Lavender, Strawberry Tree - Pismo Beach, CA
Native & Stylishly Naturalized Gardens
Pulling-off the natural look can take skill. Bigger blends of color and free-ranging plant shapes do best in gradual transitions of size and hue. Start with a base of a few different species that blend well. Then add a couple of plants with contrasting shapes (or accent trees) in strategic spots that either frame the landscape or enhance privacy.
FEATURE PLANTS
From top to bottom
Image 1 & 3: Piegon Point Coyote Brush, Golden Poppy, Penstemon Margarita BOP, native aster / strawflower - Pasadena, CA Image 2: Baby Sage (Salvia microphylla), Echium 'Star of Madeira', Penstemon, Rosemary - Pasadena, CA Image 3: Island Bush Poppy (Dendromecon h.), Artemisia, Penstemon - Los Angeles, CA, Image 4 & 5: Cranesbill Geranium, Mexican Salvia 'Amistad', Suncups, Creeping Thyme, Santa Barbara Daisy, Pink Beardtongue, Manzanita - Carpenteria, CA Image 6 & 7: Island Bush Poppy, Golden poppy, Silver mound wormwood, bearded iris, Autumn sage (salvia greggii), Pink Muhly Grass - Burbank, CA Image 8 & 9: Yellow bush lupine, clarkia, golden poppy, ceanothus - Pasadena, CA
From top to bottom
Image 1 & 3: Piegon Point Coyote Brush, Golden Poppy, Penstemon Margarita BOP, native aster / strawflower - Pasadena, CA Image 2: Baby Sage (Salvia microphylla), Echium 'Star of Madeira', Penstemon, Rosemary - Pasadena, CA Image 3: Island Bush Poppy (Dendromecon h.), Artemisia, Penstemon - Los Angeles, CA, Image 4 & 5: Cranesbill Geranium, Mexican Salvia 'Amistad', Suncups, Creeping Thyme, Santa Barbara Daisy, Pink Beardtongue, Manzanita - Carpenteria, CA Image 6 & 7: Island Bush Poppy, Golden poppy, Silver mound wormwood, bearded iris, Autumn sage (salvia greggii), Pink Muhly Grass - Burbank, CA Image 8 & 9: Yellow bush lupine, clarkia, golden poppy, ceanothus - Pasadena, CA
Colorful Low-Water Plant Blends
These yards add a healthy dash of California native wildflowers to awe-inspiring Australians and gorgeous Mediterranean plant species. Smart, gorgeously vibrant blends of plants bring together hot red, orange or pink plants with purples, oranges, blue foliage, golden accents - and well, just about every jewel tone you can dream of! To pull off these dramatic color contrasts repeat colors in random locations. Plus, make sure you have strong hints of each primary color (red: dk. orange, pink, red, Yellow: gold, yellow, lt. orange, Blue: lavenders, blue or silver foliage colors or purple).
FEATURE PLANTS
From top to bottom
Image 1: Pacific Myrtle, Lion's Tail Leonitis, Lollipop Verbena, Cuphea - Santa Cruz, CA, Image 2: Manzanita Tree, New Zealand Flax Phormium, Japanese Maple (appropriate for coastal and temperate California Only) Image 3: Lollipop verbena, Purple Smokebush, Red Baby Sage (Salvia Microphylla), Mexican lobellia, Image 4: Peaches and Cream Grevillea, Leucadendrn Red Gem, Copper Carex Grass, Olive Tree, Velvet Sage - Santa Cruz, CA Image 5: Leucadendron, Matilija Poppy, Velvet Sage Image 6: Lavender, Purple Smokebush, Scarlet Bugler Penstemon, Copper Carex Sedge Grass Image 7: Persimmon, Purple Fringe Flower, Phormium, Agave and Japanese Maple (appropriate for coastal and temperate California Only) Santa Cruz, CA
From top to bottom
Image 1: Pacific Myrtle, Lion's Tail Leonitis, Lollipop Verbena, Cuphea - Santa Cruz, CA, Image 2: Manzanita Tree, New Zealand Flax Phormium, Japanese Maple (appropriate for coastal and temperate California Only) Image 3: Lollipop verbena, Purple Smokebush, Red Baby Sage (Salvia Microphylla), Mexican lobellia, Image 4: Peaches and Cream Grevillea, Leucadendrn Red Gem, Copper Carex Grass, Olive Tree, Velvet Sage - Santa Cruz, CA Image 5: Leucadendron, Matilija Poppy, Velvet Sage Image 6: Lavender, Purple Smokebush, Scarlet Bugler Penstemon, Copper Carex Sedge Grass Image 7: Persimmon, Purple Fringe Flower, Phormium, Agave and Japanese Maple (appropriate for coastal and temperate California Only) Santa Cruz, CA
Bold & Modern Extra Low-Water or Xeric Gardens
Great cactus-featuring gardens really take the cake. Cactus and succulents are the soldiers of the plant world. Storing huge amounts of water in their fleshy foliage to help moderate surrounding soil moisture. The key to showing off their best angles? BIG contrasts (of leaf shape, color and form). Simple backdrops also really up the ante.
