Stanford Residence

Where there was nothing but weeds — a no-mow native meadow, deer grass and blue fescue either side of a full-range bluestone walk.

Before — the same house from across the street in 2011, bare dirt and dry weeds between the sidewalk and the deck — Before — just weeds and bare dirt.

After — the same view from across the street: no-mow fescue meadow, deer grass and blue fescue either side of the bluestone walk — After — the same view, the meadow’s first October.

The project

A native meadow at the front door.

The owners of this mid-century wood house were done with the weeds out front. They wanted an entry experience that felt native to the site and true to the architecture.

A no-mow fescue meadow took their place, rolling right up to the front walk. It uses a fraction of the water, and holds its shape through the dry months.

The design relies on a loose, layered palette of drought-tolerant grasses and structural succulents. The hardscape, including a full-range bluestone entry walk, stays plain, so the siding and the meadow carry the front.

The design and the build were both mine: Seven Scapes, the design-build practice I ran at the time, carried the project from drawings through construction. The landscape was installed in 2012.

Deer grass in full seed head against the wood siding, silver-blue festuca and a bluestone edge below — Deer grass in full plume against the siding

Grasses and low planting on the side slope below the deck, a band of orange poppies running through them — The side garden below the deck

A single Agave ‘Blue Glow’ in bark mulch, blue-gray leaves edged in red — Agave ‘Blue Glow’ in the mulch

Project credits

Design & buildSharon DeBell

DrivewayPeninsula Concrete

Fences & latticeJ. Perretti Decks

PhotographySharon DeBell

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