On a block full of lawns, she ditched grass for a DIY drought-tolerant oasis
LOS ANGELES — Long before the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California declared a water shortage emergency and ordered outdoor watering limited to one day a week, Sarah Lariviere, an avid gardener, was thinking about ways to conserve water.
During the pandemic, the young adult author found inspiration on the long walks that she and her husband took in their Burbank neighborhood. It wasn't the endless series of lush green lawns that moved her, however, but the occasional drought tolerant landscape that would materialize, sandwiched between the turf.
"I grew up in the Midwest so I was drawn to the non-lawn landscapes," says the 46-year-old. "I love the wild look of colorful wildflowers."
Precipitated by three years of record drought in California, Lariviere decided to educate herself about waterwise. She consulted the , which offers on how to transform your lawn using drought-tolerant alternatives to grass. She took an online class on turf removal taught by virtual instructors. When she learned that Burbank residents for their homes, she researched what trees would best suit her microclimate.
