Even though this winter has been unusually warm, it is still nice to feel the return of spring. The days are getting noticeably longer and the temperature is rising. Of course we wouldn’t mind a few more good soaking rainstorms, but the last two wet winters should be enough to let us put off worrying about droughts and water rationing this year.

I have been working on my own garden for the last several months. It was a major undertaking since I had to get rid of tons of concrete pavings that were improperly sloped. The front yard is mostly finished and here is a comparison of the before and the after:

Most of my clients know that I always recommend against front lawns, and I have to admit that the fresh patch of green did look nice and clean. Unfortunately, it takes too much water and maintenance in our Mediterranean climate. In the long run, I hope that my feature-rich new garden will appeal to more people with its low water usage, diverse plants, and functional living space.

Here are a couple more photos from my front yard. The fountain is hack job of a table-top fountain and a large pot from IKEA. My wife and I did it together since we could not find any ready-made ones that would satisfy both of us. It has been a big draw for neighborhood birds as soon as I set it up, and very few people can resist the joyful charm of seeing birds thrashing and playing in water.