Dre becomes one of the first on her block to transform her grassy yard into a low-water perennial garden with the help of Resource Central’s Lawn Replacement program.
Sure, it’s November, but why not keep the spooky vibes going just a bit longer? When we visited Dre at her home in Northglenn in September, she had already leaned into the holiday spirit, turning her new landscape transformation project into a frightful scene fit for Halloween.
She completed her project this year, doing some lawn removal herself and using Resource Central’s Lawn Removal Service to round out her work.
Dre is somewhat of a trendsetter in her local community when it comes to waterwise gardening. Many neighbors maintain traditional yards, but she’s hoping she can inspire some to make a similar change in their landscapes.
Despite leading the waterwise charge in her neighborhood, she admits she’s no expert, and actually not as interested in gardening as you may think! “I didn’t grow up with a yard, so I never had to help maintain one. I still don’t necessarily enjoy it, but I’m proud of the transformation.”
So, if not for a pure love of gardening, why the change? Her decision to plant a garden stems from a few things, but first and foremost, plain frustration with maintaining the grass.
“Our front lawn has never really done well,” she explained. “One side is almost always shaded due to large trees, and the other side is always sunny and gets beat up by the setting sun.” This meant their yard quality wasn’t up to par despite high watering expenses.
She’s also happy to support our pollinators and have a yard that smells as good as it looks! Finding plants that match her ideal color palette and have good fragrance has been a challenge for her so far, but she’s hopeful she’s on the right track.
For now, Dre is just relieved to have the grass gone. “It feels so nice. Our front yard was completely non-functional turf and the only time we walked on it was to mow it. Now I have something that will smell and look beautiful once it’s grown in.” Eventually, she hopes to get to a point where the yard barely requires maintenance.
Dre had one big piece of advice for those looking to start a similar project: “Take your time. I didn’t, but you should.” Dre considers herself a very spontaneous person when it comes to house projects, but this was one that she recommends putting some more planning into before jumping in. This way, you can better anticipate the time and effort you’ll need to put in to make it a success.
Speaking with Dre about her experience was certainly no trick, only a treat! We look forward to seeing her garden continue to grow in the years to come.
At Resource Central, we believe that we can build a resilient and waterwise Colorado together through local action on a massive scale.
The individuals featured in this blog series are only snapshots of the work that’s being done by so many Coloradans to work toward that goal. So, whether you’re just starting to improve your water efficiency, are a seasoned low-water gardener, or are reading this blog and learning about waterwise gardening for the first time, thank you for joining us in creating a more waterwise future.
Are you interested in sharing your story or know of someone who would be great to feature? Email us with details!
And don’t forget! You can always find more inspiring stories using the Waterwise Communities tag on our blog page!
