Further Adventures In Lawnlessness

 The above project made a good start with a wide path, but the edging is all ahoo.  It's difficult to get that plastic edging right, and it can pop out of the ground if we get a heavy rain.  Many small succulents, lavenders, blue fescue, and Dymondia were meticulously planted, but left unwatered, for unhappy results. 

 Nice tree--could not figure out what it was. 

 Across the street, a beautiful young Ocotillo, but the front garden was almost all concrete. 

 All the concrete will keep the Ocotillo warm.  I guess that's something. 

 Next door to the big driveway, a home-crafted garden to replace the lawn, the lawn being dead not so much due to the drought as to due to the very, very large and mature tree.  The tree roots make growing a lawn difficult.  The homeowners made it a stone and succulent landscape.  It's not without quirky charm. 

 The tree is really, really big.  The prevailing winds would likely push it away from the home, if it was ever to fall.  Thank goodness.

 Homey and personal.  Pathlights askew add to the charm.  I like it. 

A half block up the road, these homeowners made an effort.  The plantings look a little skimpy, but only a little.  I actually thought about dropping off a few spare Agaves.  The one in front looks so lonely.  The trio of Lagerstroemia 'Natchez' trees are placed such that they can attain full size without topping or pruning.  Since the home faces west, the trees will shade the home in the late afternoon.  The light tower is untypical, but interesting. 

 In this instance, I like the meandering path.  It allows for perusal of the plants--a few more interesting plants would help. 

 The homeowner of this next property was outside gardening, which encouraged me to stop in the hope of a chat, but she barely had time to talk, as her phone rang, and then visitors arrived.  She did mention being somewhat worried about the health of her succulent plants should we get strong rains this winter.  Somewhat haphazard, but the individual plants were good. 

 This whole area on the other side of her driveway was the best bit.  It's fun and colorful.  An Aloe clump center front, with orange Sedum nussbaumerianum 'Coppertone'.

 Her visitors arrived right after I did, so no chance to talk further.  She did advise me to go look at another example of lawnlessness down the street.  Look for the brown fence.  Okay, thanks!

 She thought this one was overplanted.  Is it? 

 I dunno...looks pretty good to me.  The brown Pennesetums and Salvia leucanthas should be cut to the ground come winter, and the white flowered Buddleija to the left of the pergola cut back hard.  That will open the space up.

 There were at least three of those bare-minimum pergolas in the neighborhood.  Some contractor must be putting them in.  Not enough structure to provide shade, nothing planted on them.  Not quite there. 

 A color scheme of purple, orange and yellows. 

 Lastly, some people have taken the no-drama approach to this drought and done nothing more than to stop watering and let their lawns go golden brown.  That is a perfectly viable option, if not as interesting to the blogger as all the xeric experimentation taking place nowadays.