landscaping ideas needed

[JackieOnLine]

I am late for work but will be back later. DESERT. landlady wants "no to little" water use. I have 3 small dogs. I am thinking gravel (and the odd cactus?) in the front - she will care how it looks. the back? it's huge, maybe gravel but with paths for running (only one dog still young enough this is a need!) and pooping and poop scooping. might be able to talk her into planting a groundcover that could be hand weeded and needed some water. ....thyme? succulents? sand? (then the stray cat litter box affect is a problem.

I posted same question on the dope - back later. thanks!

 

[hilary1617]

We have a clear area which is too shaded for grass to grow. We filled it with wood chips, like those at a playground - easy on paws and with strategically placed plants, looks manicured. Not sure if this would hold up in a desert setting.

 

[JackieOnLine]

thanks, we are considering mulch - I suggested pine needles since we already have a few garbage bags full. just had a good convo with a professional at a Reno garden store and he recommends decomposed granite, which I need to google now - see what that is all about.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Jackie...these are more desert ideas, but...try these two sources:

1--Star Nursery...they have good one page blurbs on gardening; and,
2--Souther Nevada Water Authority...or your local version of same...snwa has lots of yard plans and good lists of plants.

In case you were wondering, a ton of rocks is about a bathtub full.

 

[JackieOnLine]

thanks, I got all excited and then my landlady dropped off the face of the earth. well, went back to her house in California, not sure for how long.

I will check out Star Nursery but I am really liking a Reno one, Moana Nursery. also I will check out SNWA, thanks. what the hell did people do before the internet?

I don't care about tons of anything - landlady will hire minions. as it should be!

 

[Munchkin]

Make sure whatever has to be watered is worth the effort! I want to plant trees that will give me shade in the summer to cut back on AC! Other than that...gravel is fine. I like it when my spring yardwork is a couple gallons of weed killer and that's it!

 

[JackieOnLine]

the landlady wants to do gravel and a weed fabric under it - but we will need a path for the dogs to walk on and an area where they can poop...haven't figured out what those will be.

the landlady and I don't seem to communicate very well, frankly. there are two trees in back I think are way stressed (there has been so much drought and nobody has watered here for a long time) and I'm not sure what will happen if they die.

if there is no shade the whole yard becomes 10 million times less usable! frankly, I don't think I can afford to stay in this house and yet I can't afford to move again! but here I am paying for a big house I don't need with a big, fenced yard my dogs can't go loose in - and for how long?!