how gorgeous can no grass be? The Los Angeles Times examined just that.
The Los Angeles Times recently covered this garden with the headline “This Storybook cottage’s native plant wonderland shows how gorgeous no grass can be.” When the homeowners encountered the cottage just a few years ago, neglect hid the substantial charms of the cottage and lawned-life limited use of the surrounding spaces. In renovating, they earned more beauty and less work.
All in all, Pham and Solberg are still
Los Angeles Times, 2024
pinching themselves about how well
it all came together. “There’s a healthy water
table under our house now,” Solberg said,
laughing. “And maintenance-wise,
there’s not a lot we have to do.
Project Snapshot
See the garden in person during Theodore Payne Foundation’s Native Plant Garden Tour April 5, 2025. Here is a snapshot of the garden during the 2024 Garden Conservancy’s LA Open Days.
See before and more photos in the full project gallery in Houzz, where you can save your favorite ideas.
Plant Palettes
Want to create storybook vibes? Check out Micheal’s container garden tips. For the planted garden, we chose a plant palette that would keep the Studio City property lush and leafy in high heat and low rain – and any stormwater that came LA’s way. Check out the following plant palettes in Pinterest for more.
