On second though, a late April shot for context. The annuals, bulbs and primrose are now done, cut near ground level and mulched. That foreground 'Winifred Gilman' is on the hell strip, just past the pink primrose. From now 'til Oct, the front is on drought rations and I depend on these xeric sages to give the front something more visually interesting than just evergreens and mounds of compost.

That is really lovely. If I lived in the neighborhood I'd be walking by every day.

Thank you, Wardda. The other side of that wall is 150+ low-income mobile homes in south LA, on the dividing line between the beach communities and the harbor ghetto. So I've always designed out front with multiple goals in mind -- shade the SW exposure that makes the house unbearably hot (don't have AC), disappear the house from casual criminal observation, grow 100% organically, use xeric plants, and do it all as cheaply as possible. Last pic, because I feel like I'm finally as close to my goal as a continually evolving landscape can be.

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I sometimes feel like writing a piece on my yard and it's effect on people in my neighborhood. Young kids and many neighbors love it, but all assume I'm gay because I like flowers. The stoner teens all want to park next to it to puff out and assume I'm growing cannabis (I'm not). The hard boys and the cops do not like the closed canopy and will not park near me or approach the front, unless they have their hands on their weapons. Many Latinos have never seen a white person do their own gardening, so they sometimes gather in stroller mom groups or slow down their pickup trucks to stare. And of course, it's a refuge and bathroom to every feral creature in a 2 mile radius, or so. I wanted to test some of my ecological theories about conversion of poor neighborhoods in LA to biodiverse properties, which has made me appreciate how this would not be a simple task and it's not w/o drawbacks, but it is quite viable for the most blighted LA areas to be cheaply improved with unlimited compost & compost teas, dried seaweed, molasses, free seeds and some gardening competence.

But at it's heart, my yard is a salvia-based landscape

It is a shame when neighborhoods get so neglected. It seems like in the world of the internet and TV it is easy to forget where we live let alone to take some time and effort to love it. To me that is what gardens are, acts love and commitment. I am not sure exactly what folks take from the public part of my gardening. Sometimes they stop and ask questions and say nice things when I'm working in the park. I appreciate it although I'd appreciate help with the weeding more. I like to think that the women with their strollers have their lives improved by your efforts. It is a nice gift even if you never hear a word of thanks.

ANY place can be made beautiful with the addition of plants and trees. It's truly a shame that not everyone is a gardener because the world could be made such a better place. I personally feel that the skills for and appreciation of growing things should be taught starting in childhood. Growing food, at least, should be taught.

I'm afraid that, because we in general want everything hot and now, we have neglected artisan skills in general. In times of need, these skills are essential.