The Vision
Two neighbouring households shared the same vision for their connecting front gardens, desiring a visually interesting and cohesive look, deer-resistant plants, and a way to deter cars from parking out front. We came up with the idea of a dry river bed studded with succulents (not requiring irrigation) and dotted with island plantings.
Our Process
We stripped both front properties with a mini excavator, excavating the centre of the river bed at a slightly lower grade to give it a natural appearance. We then placed boulders artistically throughout the space and along the street edge to deter parking. The river bed was created using landscape fabric and three sizes of rock, while the beds are edged in a hand-poured four-inch cement curb, which at times runs through boulders. Plantings add movement and softness.