Brentwood Lawn-Less Garden

How does one conjure a lush, verdant garden in the arid climes of Southern California—especially when sustainability and drought tolerance are front of mind more than ever? When our eco-conscious client wanted to rip out a thirsty lawn, but was concerned about getting a dry, dusty parking lot in its place, our solution was to take the indoors out. The ‘garden’ is complete with a proper outdoor living room (including fireplace), a dining room, and even a breakfast nook accented with a grey water koi ponds, and pebble “rugs”. Endemic beds of Elfin Thyme were planted as floor runners to guide guests through the garden to the entry way of the home—punctuated along the way by field-grown olives, succulents, and site-specific lavender that needs little to no water. A reclaimed grey water system feeds a piquant patch of grass for the kids to play on. Lanterns are used as pendants, and a burbling fountain fosters a lush bed of ambient sound. The same risers on the steps inside the home are repeated outside—fusing the two worlds together. It’s a radical value proposition; exchanging the static pleasantries of a lawn with what is essentially an entirely new wing of the house—out of doors.