My Land Park Yard Gets a Makeover -- The Lawn is Gone -- Day 25

Who knew Bermuda grass would be so difficult to kill? Probably everybody but me. When Kevin told me it would take about a month before my new sod would be installed, he was right on the money.

This is the time of year that we see many homes in Land Park undergo some type of renovation. Kids are back in school and cooler weather arrives -- although the highs predicted for early this week (low 90s) are still pretty warm.

Kevin arrived bright and early Sunday morning with his team and sod cutter. After spraying the lawn with RoundUp on 3 separate occasions, that stubborn lawn had finally died. The sod cutter was pretty cool. It did throw dirt into the air, though, and I imagine my neighbors' cars might be a little dusty as a result. If your car has a slight film on it this morning, I apologize.

His guys carted off the strips of dead sod and weeds and dumped the mess in the street. Everybody throws their garden waste in the street on Sundays because the street sweepers come on Monday.

Then they dug holes to install additional sprinkler heads. Kevin says we don't have enough rotors to adequately water the lawn. His team also dug holes to install a drip system through the front garden beds. The drip system will wrap around the side of our house and wind through all the garden beds in back, including our vegetable garden. Except for the cactus garden, I will no longer need to water the flowers or veggies by hand.

Since the rose garden has now vanished, we had some discussion about planting a Japanese maple in that spot. But as I was showing homes in Land Park last week, I drove by a weeping cherry tree on Vallejo Way, a few blocks east of Riverside. The last time I noticed that tree, it was about 5-feet tall. Now, it's at least 12 feet. Hmm. I googled Yae Shidare Higan.

Most of those Google images showed the tree in bloom. So, I hopped in my car and drove over to Vallejo to take my own photo (see above). When my husband came home from grocery shopping, I showed him the tree on my monitor. What do you think of this? Isn't it spectacular? (It needs to be pruned, according to Kevin.) But I really love this tree. It has grace and movement.

No, he hated it. Said it looked like it was diseased and dying, which it's not, of course. I pressed him, but it was pretty clear to me that he is intensely against the idea of planting a weeping cherry tree in the front yard. He prefers a Japanese maple. I pondered this. He hasn't won any arguments for a while. We've been married for 10 years. A Japanese maple it will be.

Here are photos of yesterday's lawn removal in Land Park. First photo is a side view of my front yard's dead grass. Second photo is the back yard. Third photo is dumping the new soil, followed by bender board installation, which divides our lawn from the neighbor's. The back yard is dirt and so is the front. Look at that pile of dead sod in the street. Gosh, I hope the street sweepers take it this morning. It might be a bigger pile than the city allows.

Next weekend, the sod arrives. Kevin says we have to water the dirt daily to compact it. I wonder if stray cats will try to use this as a litter box? Or if the squirrels will continue to bury their nuts?

Photos: Elizabeth Weintraub, Land Park Agent