Beautiful yard!

I've got to move to CA! I love what you've done with your landscape.
Mike

Hadn't seen any posts from you for a while, but I gotta say, "you got the magic touch." Looks great. I like the front yard's evolution. I guess queen palms grow good where you are! The only thing I would say is that some larger boulders (like several hundred pounds apiece) would really make the front yard look cool.
Outstanding work! Who needs lawn anyway?

Thanks! It's really been a work in progress. I can't tell you how many times I've stood out front, looked at the yard, picked up a shovel and moved plants around.

Deep_roots, I've been keeping an eye out for some large boulders! I would love to have a couple of large ones out there. One of our close family friends owns acreage in the foothills near the Sierra Nevada and he's offered to help me carry boulders whenever I want. It's just finding time to go out there that's tough haha

CenCal...I'd give up a lawn for your yard anytime. Like another poster said, 'who needs a lawn?'
In the picture with the outdoor stove...you have an 'either Agave or Aloe' in front. Is the plant green w/white leaves?
I like the way you set up a little patio area where chairs go. A nice, sitting place. Toni

Toni,

I think you're refering to Beschorneria Yuccoides on the lower right side of the picture. Or possibly the speckled aloe Maculata right behind it with the tall flower spike.

OR possibly the large aloe near the red chairs in the middle, right hand side of the picture. That's an Aloe Marlothii. The pale white color is because it's bleached from direct sunlight hitting it all summer long.

& I love that patio! I can sit there for hours now that we're getting cooler weather, with a fire in the clay furnace and a cup of coffee

Very, very NICE...I love the transformation! Love that CA weather! I would love to get rid of my lawn and do something similar, we just don't have the climate for them. Thanks for the great photos!

Sooooo gorgeous! Congratulations on the amazing transformation.

I'm in Central California too (Fresno) and just got bitten with the succulent bug. ;-)

CC,

You're doing a fine job there - thanks for the evolutionary pictures. It's a wonderful thing you're doing, making a garden to fit the area rather than the other way around. Good on you!

I am a fan of before and after photos. I always seek out those in Sunset when they have them. Your garden could qualify as one of those! I like the transformation. Nice work.

Tom

WOW!

Puglvr, I was in Southern Florida last month and would love to be able to grow some of the stuff they grow out there! I saw some awesome looking succulent shrubs with large white flowers. They looked like some sort of pachypodium.

Rachelt, I'm in Fresno too! well, just outside of Fresno in Chowchilla. We've got some great nurseries here that carry everything I'm growing currently. Check the OSH on Blackstone between Barstow and Shaw. They currently have some 2 gallon Aloe Hercules, Draceana Draco for $15 and a great selection for a big box store.

Cactusmcharris, I'm really waiting for this weekend to take a few pics of other parts of the yard! keep an eye out!
Tom, I love the before/after series because they let me see the progress you can't really see from one day to another.

Jademan, Thanks!

CC -

I have serious garden-envy! Very nice work.

Tom

I love it......your garden is so inviting....
it says....Welcome, come on in and sit awhile, relax.....
you have done a great job....thanks for posting....linda

Wow.... That looks Amazing! Awesome job! Looks like Tons of work to get to that point!
But what's with all the potatoes in the last picture?

:-D

Based on the great pictures and every garden display of your area gardening efforts/work, my guess is that your very very aware of potatoes and there need to grow IN the soil VS. ON the soil might make them stones.

It LOOKS GREAT. I like that you planted a few Queen palms instead of the usual lonely one. The Jacaranda and Majesty palm sort of blow me away in the central valley.And a trunking tree fern in the valley? unheard of!
Now,just a few potted Plumeria in full sun in winter-then tuck them under that front porch or back pation for winter..OR one of those Silver Med or Brahea palms out in the yard..good low water palms to go with the great Aloes.

Wow..What a GREAT job you are doing!

I only wish I could live somewhere as beautiful as there.

Thank you so much for sharing this with us..Beautiful

Mike

You are certainly doing your part to make Chowchilla a more beautiful place.

I love OSH on Blackstone - I visit at least once a week. They do have a huge succulent selection. If you have time during your next trip to Fresno, you might want to visit Lotus Gardens on Grantland between McKinley and Shields. I've purchased some of my favorite succulents from them and they are really nice and very helpful.

Anyway, great work on your garden - you've definitely inspired me to use more succulents in my landscape (rather than only in containers). ;-)

CC, I LOVE the progression from 2003 to 2008 to now - just amazing. Must have been a lot of hard work (labor of love) and a lot of thinking (for the design and layout)

deburn

It makes me want to redo my garden. I just love it, it looks a real garden. Mine is just a place to grow plants and my fruit trees, I just place them where I have a empty spot. No plan, Norma

Paulzie, haha those are just river rocks. I have them there because there is a drainage pipe opening there and the stones keep the soil from eroding. Our winter rains could swamp my succulents and make them rot :(

Stan, thanks. You have a good eye. The majesty is one of very few here in the valley. I've seen several in protected spots throughout different neighborhoods. & Jacarandas are becoming more popular trees here. The big box stores are carrying them now. There are several large, old jacarandas in Fresno. They are a sight to see during the summer. The Cyathea Cooperi are very common here actually. There is a pair just down the street from me with trunks over 4 feet tall. Mine survived the 2007 freeze. I also have a trunking Blechnum Gibbum and a Howea Forsteriana underneath the Cyathea. That one also survived the freeze.

Rachel, I will have to check Lotus Garden out. I've never been to that nursery! Thanks for the tip!

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words! I've drawn so much inspiration from seeing all of your posts here!

Wow, what a dramatic escape from the original! It sure does look like an oasis and so much color too!

-Bo

Front especially looks a lot better without the lawn. I think you might regret the Queen palms eventually. When they start producing fruit they makes an ungodly mess when it drops--rots, stinks, flies everywhere...

Huh... everyone here in Florida has Queen palms and we don't have those problems. They drop, but I guess the ants clean them of any fruit pulp before they get a chance to rot because all I've ever really noticed is yellow fruit and dried husks. But our climate is much different than yours.

Paulzie,

They truly make a mess in SouCal environments. The syrup from the crushed nuts (ow!) is particularly messy, but the dropping nuts also are a danger to flora and fauna.

There are ants, too, but not the type that clean up after these palms.

I know what youguys mean about those queen palms. Some friends just cut off the inflorescence after they fade. That's a quick fix until the palms get too tall lol.