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The Dry Garden: Replacing that lawn along the sidewalk

Posted by: Maven on June 21, 2009 at 6:35 am

From Emily Green at the Los Angeles Times:

There may be a drought and tough watering restrictions, but there has never been a better time to tackle the knottiest problem in Los Angeles landscaping: How to plant parkways?

Parkways are now and always have been a headache. No matter who owns that strip of land between curb and sidewalk, for safety reasons, two city of Los Angeles agencies call the shots over what may and may not be done with it. The Urban Forestry Division oversees the plants, and the Bureau of Engineering handles “hardscaping,” or the paved parts. But the homeowner is responsible for tending them.

Traditionally, most parkways have been planted with grass to match frontyard lawns. But under the new drought ordinances, when lawn sprinklers on parkways create run-off, homeowners face warnings, then fines.

It’s a measure that’s both unfair and long overdue. No tweaking of parkway sprinklers is likely to end run-off, and yet end it must. As the trickle from sprinklers accumulates in gutters and storm drains, it is steadily draining our water supply and poisoning the Pacific.

So dolphin-respecting, law-abiding, lawn lovers are left with the option to water the parkway by hand — or get rid of the grass.

Read more from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.

June 21, 2009 · Filed Under Drought Tolerant Landscaping

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