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FRAMING THE SCENE A <br /> sturdy pergola defines the <br /> garden's lively gsthering area <br /> where bright colors lure <br /> hummingbirds to a feeder. <br /> N <br /> people would appreciate see- " <br /> ing and smelling "We added <br /> a variety of plants to the front <br /> yard like ash and fernleaf <br /> ��` �` among other things for multi- <br /> ple-season interest." <br /> onfident enough with <br /> her own lrnowledge <br /> and experience, <br /> Mouse set about coming up <br /> with plans for the front and <br /> backyard gardens. "I wasn't <br /> intimidated because I felt <br /> ready for this. I didn't want <br /> help from a pro because I <br /> had a good sense of what <br /> we needed to keep in mind <br /> along with what would and <br /> wouldn't work." What about <br /> making mistakes? "T'here's <br /> no such thing—nothing is <br /> ever a mistake!" <br /> Sloped, with steps leading <br /> to the front door, the front <br /> lawn was replaced with a <br /> vinca groundcover and some <br /> low-growing junipers. While <br /> removing a lawn can be a <br /> tedious process, the couple <br /> ,; managed to do the job sans <br /> `� chemicals. In late fall, they <br /> °'+ �'� spread a dozen layers of <br /> ''� � newspaper over the grass and <br /> i ` covered it with topsoil and <br /> compost. "By April we'd <br /> efficiently killed most of the <br /> grass. A lot of roto-tilling got <br /> it out." Once the vinca was <br /> planted, it quickly spread. "It <br /> has lovely blossoms and is <br /> very easy to caze for." <br /> The curbside xeriscape <br /> is Mazk's domain. Planted <br /> with his favorite ornamental <br /> grasses and yucca plants, iYs <br /> low maintenance and needs <br /> very little water. "We try to <br /> conserve water because we <br /> get very little rain," explains <br /> Mark. "We average about 320 <br /> days of sun annually so the <br /> climate is very dry." <br /> � BAGKYARD SOLUTIONS 51 � <br />