This was a great thread and detroitnate did a great job. If it were my house, before I did any planting I would have widened those steps and the walkway. Every picture in the series I focus on those tiny little steps and want to rip them out and redo. I've read that the main walkway leading up to a house should be wide enough for two people to comfortable walk side by side, that rule of thumb seems just about right to me. You want people to be invited into your house with the walkway, not forced into a single file line.

Hi all, I haven't been on here for a while because I have been sick and am in the process of tring to get my disability. Because of this I have not been able to work in 9 months. So I am going to have to try and sell my 50's O'keefe and Merritt stove, This Baby is in excellent condition and everything works great on it. It is perfect on the outside and a good cleaning on the inside will be really all it needs. If anyone knows of anyone that may be interested in this beauty, please wmail me at psa195460@yahoo.com I really need to sell this because of my medical problems and I would like to get at least 2000.00 for it. It sounds like a lot of money for this to me too, but as I said it is a beauty and works great. thanks so much

Hi PKpnder & Annieaustin! I will get this over on the Texas board as soon as spring break is over. Lots of stuff going on with the kids this next week. Yardvaark, thanks for your help. I'll try to get better pics posted as soon as I can. I was totally being lazy using google maps and see that they don't add much. I want to start with the walkway as it provides a clean edge to move from. The grass along the walk and walls has dried up, so it seemed logical to remove the dead stuff first. I have already begun removing the grass from that area (prior to seeking opinions here). Since I am wanting to do the work myself (including whatever child labor I can get the kids to add) I started where I knew help was needed with the intent to grow from there. I realize that having a final design is important to minimize the patchwork look that I want to avoid (which is why I've come here). I cannot really define what's wrong any better than what I've said. The stone on the house, walkways, and walls don't lend much color. I am not a fan of watering or caring for grass (especially in an area with a near constant need to conserve water). I want to add color, texture, and depth to a bland boring yard by using native/drought tolorant plants. -Joanna

It's really not hard for me to conceive of "no rain and long days". living in one of the driest areas in the nation (#1 in the Summer!) and going 9-10 months without a drop of rain, makes me very familiar with this issue. When I mentioned supplemental watering, perhaps you've misunderstood. No where did we make mention of OP having a 'huge swath of lawn'. I hardly think planting a few (maybe 8-15) types of shade loving plants (see Dougs drawing) as well as some native types, and having some drip irrigation, is going to cost an arm and leg or drain the state reservoirs. the area receives 38" average rainfall a year. I realize the numbers could be down, but nowhere near what our numbers are here in so cal. We've been averaging 5-9" over the last few years. So, I mentioned the supplemental watering for those few months where you don't get any rainfall. It's not that much! All you people are acting like we're proposing he plants acres of lawn! stop w/the dramatics and understand having a few plants that need a little extra watering in the summer is completely reasonable! Let me just share this tidbit regarding water conservation. I had the district water supervisor to my house to talk about water issues w/my home. because I have koi ponds that need frequent water changes, I was concerned about going over my limit and paying a fortune. He told me I was well within normal usage (and I have lawns and plenty of flowers and plants!) Anyway, he said during the summer they end up dumping thousands and thousands of gallons of water out to the ocean because of bacteria buildup. he said people do such a good job of not using water, the water sits in the sun and accumulates harmful bacteria that they can't treat safely and then use for potable water. So every few days they have to dump it. they don't even get to use it for irrigation. it's dumped down to the ocean. great huh? he said if the public knew about it they'd have a fit. so here we are letting our lawns die (which looks like crap and makes the neighborhood look like a ghetto. Badge of honor? I don't think so) while they dump off the water. On top of that great news, the water company isn't making the same revenue, so now they increase the rates to the people who have so diligently cut back on their usage. So here's my take on that,,,,,conserve water, have all your landscaping die off, and get charged more money,,,,, only to have the saved water get thrown down to the ocean. Yeah, no. not happening. I'll water my lawn and my plants as I see fit. I won't be wasteful and i'll conserve where I can (I water w/my pond water that's getting changed out) and let the lawn stay a tad on the dry side w/o completely dying.