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Owner

Lisa

City

Denver

Skill Set

Intermediate

Project Size

750 - 1,000 sq ft

Project Location

Front yard

Sun Exposure

Full sun

Year Completed

2024

Time Commitment

More than 40 hours of labor

Project Cost

less than $500

Other Project Elements

Native or drought-tolerant plants, Drip irrigation system, Boulders

Resource Central Programs

Lawn Removal Service

Advice from the Owner

We replaced 2 lawn areas with a low water area and a dry/sandy area using drip irrigation. Low water shade tolerant plants were planted under the crabapple tree, and cold hardy agave, yuccas and sedums in the dry/sandy area. Cold tolerate succulents were hard to find and expensive in Colorado. A road trip to Albuquerque saved us several hundred dollars. We provided a ring of irrigation around the tree to keep it watered by the drip irrigation system.

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Owner

Aaron Cary

City

Denver

Skill Set

Beginner

Project Size

1,000+ sq ft

Project Location

Front yard

Sun Exposure

Full sun

Year Completed

2023

Time Commitment

More than 40 hours of labor

Project Cost

less than $500

Other Project Elements

Native or drought-tolerant plants, Drip irrigation system, Raised/tiered beds, Pathways, Patio/sitting areas

Resource Central Programs

Garden In A Box

Advice from the Owner

I really enjoy the time NOT spent mowing the grass! We've noticed an increase in bees and hummingbirds around our house now. They really enjoy the different flowers that are growing on our xeriscape plants. The only thing I would do differently is make raised beds bigger and install multiple zones for the drip irrigation.

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Owner

Graham Cowling

City

Denver

Skill Set

Beginner

Project Size

750 - 1,000 sq ft

Project Location

Front yard

Sun Exposure

Full sun

Year Completed

2022

Time Commitment

More than 40 hours of labor

Project Cost

less than $500

Other Project Elements

Native or drought-tolerant plants, Drip irrigation system, Raised/tiered beds, Retaining walls, Pathways, Veggie gardens, Berm/swale

Resource Central Programs

Grass to Garden, Garden In A Box

Advice from the Owner

Our Garden In A Box is so much more inviting than a grass lawn.

We started too late so took one full season to complete but gave us the time to design plan and implement with little issues and huge rewards.

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Owner

Jane

City

Denver

Skill Set

Beginner

Project Size

Less than 250 sq ft

Project Location

Front yard

Sun Exposure

Full sun

Year Completed

2022

Time Commitment

21 - 30 hours of labor

Project Cost

less than $500

Other Project Elements

Native or drought-tolerant plants, Drip irrigation system, Raised/tiered beds

Resource Central Programs

Garden In A Box

Advice from the Owner

When putting together the components for a drip irrigation system, heat the end of the tubing in very hot water before attaching the water emitter. This makes it much easier to get the emitter into the tube.

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Owner

Kelly Boyle

City

Denver

Skill Set

Beginner

Project Size

Less than 250 sq ft

Project Location

Front yard

Sun Exposure

Full sun

Year Completed

2022

Time Commitment

11 - 20 hours of labor

Project Cost

less than $500

Other Project Elements

Native or drought-tolerant plants

Resource Central Programs

Garden In A Box

Advice from the Owner

I am so excited to give new life to a portion of the front yard. The lawn didn't do well this year due to improper installation of the sod before we bought the house. This beautiful new garden will require less water, attract pollinators and birds, and will add a beautiful splash of color to our black on white house all throughout the seasons.

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Owner

Heather

City

Denver

Skill Set

Intermediate

Project Size

500 - 750 sq ft

Project Location

Front yard

Sun Exposure

Full sun

Year Completed

2022

Time Commitment

11 - 20 hours of labor

Project Cost

less than $500

Other Project Elements

Berm/swale, Native or drought-tolerant plants

Resource Central Programs

Garden In A Box

Advice from the Owner

No grass!

We did break up old sod and amend the ground with enriched soil before planting Garden In A Box plants / sunflower seeds. We tended to water at night - which seemed to keep everything happy and healthy during their first hot summer months. Everything is thriving and we’re excited to see how things shape up next spring!

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Owner

Jonelle

City

Denver

Skill Set

Beginner

Project Size

250 - 500 sq ft

Project Location

Front yard

Sun Exposure

Full sun

Year Completed

2022

Time Commitment

less than 10 hours of labor

Project Cost

less than $500

Other Project Elements

Native or drought-tolerant plants

Resource Central Programs

Garden In A Box

Advice from the Owner

We planted our first garden in a box May of 2022 and loved every minute put into it. It was pretty awesome to see how very little water is needed compared to our neighbors that water their grass lawns 2x a day. And the best part is we get a ton of compliments on how nice it looks. It brings me joy every time we see bees and giant bumble bees hanging in our little garden. Can’t wait to get more garden in a box next year and have our full front yard as a pollinator oasis!

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Owner

Tim

City

Denver

Skill Set

Beginner

Project Size

250 - 500 sq ft

Project Location

Front yard

Sun Exposure

Full sun

Year Completed

2019

Time Commitment

11 - 20 hours of labor

Project Cost

less than $500

Other Project Elements

Native or drought-tolerant plants

Resource Central Programs

Garden In A Box

Advice from the Owner

We love all the butterflies, birds, and bees that now call our front yard home. We initially planted a little sparingly due to budget constraints but four years latter in has really started to fill in and we get compliments on it all the time. Rarely if ever needs watering, now that it's established and let it overwinter naturally before cutting back in earlier March. We had a tarp over the existing lawn for two weeks before rototilling the lawn under (should have done it a week or two earlier). Our first round of lavender plants didn't survive but since learned that you fill the bottom of the hole with pea gravel before planting lavender in our heavy clay soils and every replacement lavender plant has flourished. Can't recommend gorilla hair mulch enough, even though its more expensive it really holds up to the Colorado climate.

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Owner

Jenifer

City

Denver

Skill Set

Beginner

Project Size

1,000+ sq ft

Project Location

Sidewalk yard

Sun Exposure

Full sun

Year Completed

2019

Time Commitment

10 hours of labor or less

Project Cost

Less than $500

Other Project Elements

Rain Garden, Bird/Bee houses, Low water/xeric plants

Resource Central Programs

Garden In A Box

Advice from the Owner

I got rid of the former lawn using different approaches in different areas. Some of those approaches were much more effective than others. If I did it again and felt like I had a lot of patience, I would kill then expose then re-kill a patch. Then, I would repeat this process over the course of at least one whole year. I think this would eliminate the grass coming back. Additionally, I think it would significantly reduce weeds. Of the many different ways that I killed grass, I found the lasagna method with cardboard to be most effective over the long run and newspaper second most effective.

 

Watch the the interview with Jenifer 

 

 

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Design Ideas

Struggling with coming up with yard design concepts? Check out what other Waterwise participants  have done.

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