Drought Tolerant Landscaping Ideas for Los Angeles Yards

Drought tolerant landscaping in Los Angeles means replacing thirsty lawn with plants that live on little water once established, like sages, manzanita, deer grass, agave, and yarrow, and finishing the rest of the yard with rock, mulch, decomposed granite, pavers, or artificial turf. Done well, it cuts outdoor water use and weekly yard work while still looking finished and green from the street.

Below are 10 drought tolerant landscaping ideas that work in LA front and back yards, a plant chart, a look at a real Santa Clarita front yard, and what to know about rebates before you start. Option 1 Builders builds turf, hardscape, and planting projects across Los Angeles County from our office in Encino.

10 Drought Tolerant Landscaping Ideas for Los Angeles Yards

1. Turf where you play, plants where you look. Keep a small artificial lawn for kids and dogs, and turn the rest into planted beds. This is the most common layout we build.
2. A rock garden with succulents. Mixed river rock, a few boulders, and succulents such as barrel cactus and agave need almost no water and read well from the street.
3. A dry creek bed. A shallow swale lined with river rock moves rain across the yard to where it can soak in, and looks good dry the other 300 days a year.
4. Decomposed granite paths and sitting areas. DG is permeable, costs less than pavers, and has a soft, natural look with native plants.
5. A native meadow. Deer grass, California fescue, and yarrow give movement and texture without mowing.
6. A Mediterranean border. Lavender, rosemary, sages, and olive trees fit LA's climate and the Spanish and ranch-style homes across the San Fernando Valley.
7. Pavers instead of lawn strips. Replace narrow side-yard grass with pavers or stepping stones set in gravel. See our patio pavers page for options.
8. A planted parkway. Low plants and mulch in the strip by the street, where grass is hardest to water without overspray.
9. Drip irrigation under mulch. Drip puts water at the roots, and 2 to 3 inches of mulch keeps the soil cool and cuts evaporation.
10. One good shade tree. Shade cools the yard, the house, and any turf or patio next to it. Pick a tree sized for the space.

Drought Tolerant Plants That Grow Well in Los Angeles

LADWP publishes free lists of plants suited to the city, including its Top 10 California Friendly plants. Even drought tolerant plants need regular water for their first year while roots establish, and LADWP notes that October to March is the best planting window.

A Real Example: Drought Tolerant Front Yards in Santa Clarita

On a recent front yard project in Santa Clarita, Option 1 Builders built two neighboring front yards as one design. Artificial turf covers the lawn areas. Two curved rock gardens sit inside the turf beside the front steps, filled with mixed river rock, a boulder, succulents, barrel cactus, and low shrubs. A band of river rock runs along the base of a low brick garden wall instead of a strip of bare soil.

The result is a yard that looks green and finished from the street with very little irrigation. It also shows a rule worth knowing: some cities limit how much of a front yard can be non-living. Inside Santa Clarita city limits, the city's front yard handout requires at least 50% living landscaping, so the mix of turf, rock, and plants matters.

Drought Tolerant Front Yard vs Back Yard

Rebates for Drought Tolerant Landscaping in Los Angeles

LADWP customers can get $5 per square foot to replace a living lawn with a low-water landscape, but only with pre-approval before any grass is removed, and artificial turf does not qualify. Our guide to the LADWP turf replacement rebate explains the terms and steps. If you want both turf and the rebate, plan which areas will be planted and which will be turf before you apply.

Mistakes to Avoid With Drought Tolerant Landscaping

• Bare gravel with no plants. It gets hot, looks unfinished, and may not meet city or HOA rules.
• Weed fabric under every plant bed. It works under rock and paths, but around plants it can block water and mulch from reaching the soil.
• Keeping the old spray sprinklers. Convert them to drip, or the new plants get overwatered and the water runs off.
• Ignoring drainage. Rock and turf still need water to go somewhere. See our yard drainage page if water sits after rain.
• Planting in July. Fall through early spring gives new plants the best start.

Questions About Drought Tolerant Landscaping in Los Angeles