According to The Los Angeles Times, the new lawn at the LAPD headquarters has been installed. As the paper mention’s, “Just after the new 10-story building and its landscaping were dedicated last fall, trucks and cranes rolled in to erect a massive tent for a Los Angeles Police Foundation fundraiser. Work on the gala ended up destroying the lawn, the LAPD says.” Here is the background story. “The rare open space, a hit with downtown loft-dwellers and their dogs, debuted as an alluring oasis in the city’s urban core, complete with a stand of palm trees at one end and edges of benches, native plants and tall grasses,” said The Times. “Just after the 10-story building and its sustainable, park-like landscaping were dedicated last fall, trucks and cranes rolled in to erect a massive tent for a Los Angeles Police Foundation fundraiser. Ironically, work on the gala, which raises money to help improve the department, ended up destroying the green, the LAPD says. Vehicle tracks gouged in the turf can still be seen, and sprinklers in a water-conserving irrigation system were damaged, officials say.”Here are some more before and after pictures.
My question is, in a city where the average rainfall amounts to approx. 15 inches a year could we have come up with a better alternative to this expanse of green? I am not anti-lawn, except where conditions don’t seem right. This would seem to be one of those situations. Los Angeles is a desert served with water shipped from many miles away. In addition the city offers a rebate to citizens for ripping out their lawns. The rebate was offered in June of 2009, during one of the areas frequent droughts.
What happens with the next drought? Will this lawn be ripped out and replaced with a water conserving landscape? What message does this send to citizens of the city? Could this area have been designed a bit differently?
This is a difficult question, I think. What would you recommend, to provide citizens of LA with a “rare open space,” an “alluring oasis in the city’s urban core?” I don’t know what palm trees, native plants or tall grasses they used. Probably there are selections that would survive on 15 inches of water per year. It would be helpful to have alternatives.
Comment by Elizabeth Barrow — July 15, 2010 @ 8:28 am
I really think that open grass areas in downtown areas are important, just as are shade tree plantings, sitting areas, and small parks. But it could be a great demonstration for LA citizens about how to get the turf look without traditional grass species. Here’s an example of what Delta Bluegrass is producing using native species:
http://www.deltabluegrass.com/NewFiles/selection.html
Note: these may not be as wear-resistant as traditional fescue blends. So an effective turf management strategy would be to have “use” areas with more traditional types, and perimeter plantings of less-mowed native grasses.
Comment by Don Shor — July 15, 2010 @ 9:41 am
15 years ago hot girls shopping was the norm. Today it’s 80 plus.
Give the geezers a plastic lawn with pretty border flowers.
No ones shopping for a meadow with wildflowers with me.
The younger crowd is dumb, broke, and prefers to shop and pay $1.98 for a Bonnie Best 2 inch lettuce plant.
Comment by Old Kim — July 25, 2010 @ 9:19 pm
Here is another option for the LA lawn. I have no direct experience with buffalograss, but this is a sterile clone with some advantages over the original.
http://ucverdebuffalograss.com/
Hey, Old Kim, young gardeners are finding us, and they treasure the expertise independent nurseries can provide. Here’s our yelp.com page. The 2007 review wasn’t sterling, but made some good points (we do tend to neglect our house plants during some seasons…). But the 2010 review was exactly what we’re after here.
Comment by Don Shor — July 26, 2010 @ 2:33 pm
You’d think I’d know how to do a web link….
http://www.yelp.com/biz/redwood-barn-nursery-davis
Comment by Don Shor — July 26, 2010 @ 2:34 pm