DIY Network

Green Escape: Evaluating the Situation Green Escape: Evaluating the Situation From "Grounds for Improvement" episode DGFI-209

How do you turn your back yard into a green oasis when you live in the middle of the desert? For Grace and Mark Hallett, who live in Las Vegas, Nevada, it's been the impossible dream (figure A). Truckloads of topsoil have been absorbed by the arid desert soil. Grass has been hard to establish because of the heat and dry climate. And shade trees are impossible to plant because of calichi rock, a dense stone material that lies just below the soil surface and is common in drought regions of the country (figure B).

Figure A

Figure B

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Figure C

To the rescue comes the Grounds for Improvement team of Jackie Taylor and Dean Hill, with a plan to turn this barren moonscape of a yard into a Tuscan-inspired retreat. To solve the problem of establishing grass, the large calichi rocks will be raked up and a synthetic lawn, perfect for the desert, will be installed. A fountain becomes a focal point, surrounded by a redstone path and seating area. A variety of plants that can handle the heat and temperature in this part of the country add color and texture. And finally, a canopy will provide shade from the brutal desert heat.

Dean begins by measuring and outlining a path and a center point with landscape paint, including a 7'-wide radius for the circular section around the path (figure C). After marking off where the path will connect to the back fence, a spike is hammered into the ground and a string is attached to the spike to make sure the points for the path connect and make a straight line across the yard; this is done on both sides of the yard. When the measurements are complete, the calichi is raked to create a smooth surface for the synthetic lawn.

RESOURCES :

Black and Decker tools
Website: www.blackanddecker.com
Black & Decker, Inc. (Corporate)
Website: www.bdk.com/main_bd.htm

Porter-Cable Tools
Porter-Cable Corporation
Website: www.deltaportercable.com

Irwin Industrial Tool Company
Website: www.irwin.com

Ames True Temper Tools
Ames-True Temper
Website: www.ames-truetemper.com

American Society of Landscape Architects

Delta Tools
Deltak Power Tools
Website: www.deltamachinery.com

Fountain provided by Al's Garden Art
Al's Garden Art
Website: www.alsgardenart.com

Artificial grass
Synlawn
Website: www.synlawn.com

Sealants
OSI Sealants, Inc.
Website: www.osisealants.com

Plants provided by Star Nursery