l2gafterwowflowers [This is the sixth and final installment of a diary by Greater Long Beach photographer Jeanine Birong----see the entire series here---who with her husband, Mark, and children, Anthony and Sarah, replaced their traditional grass lawn with drought-tolerant plants as part of the water-saving Lawn to Garden Project, sponsored by the Long Beach Water Department. This week: Serenity.]

It’s hard to believe that less than six months ago I came home every day to the ugliest lawn on the block. Now going home means returning to the prettiest and most-fragrant front yard on the street. The welcome mat of land that stretches from the sidewalk to our porch featured clumps of crabgrass and patches of dirt dotted with seedlings struggling to take hold. Now it’s a colorful palette covered with a copious amount of flowers. It used to be a dead zone, attractive only to the kind of dogs that dragged along walkers who never cleaned up after themselves. l2gafteruglyleft Now it is alive with a floral fireworks show of jasmine, freesia, lavender, geraniums, and much, much more.

We chose plants that would attract birds and butterflies. And they have. The beauty of the floral display is accented by butterflies flitting above. A bird has built a nest in the willow tree, and is tending to its newly hatched chicks. The lavender not only smells great but attracts bees. Just last night I glanced out my window to see a young male blue jay with a beak full of dried grass as he landed on a nearby roof eve and surveyed the new landscape. Pronouncing it good, he decided to build a nest here, too.

l2g-afterbeautifulleftview Besides the birds, butterflies and bees, our yard has attracted a lot of human attention, too—especially from the neighborhood’s young children. Last Saturday I was delighted to overhear a young boy exclaim, “Look at all the pretty flowers!” to his grandfather as they walked by. Another neighbor had to keep scolding her child not to pick flowers (to my complete amusement) and just a few minutes later another young mother was having trouble getting her children to stop running up and down the garden paths. The sound of their laughter reminded me of when my own children were that young. I hope the garden always attracts little ones because they bring me so much joy

Last year at this time, there was no reason to pass any time in front of my house. Now I go out front just to look at the flowers. Nearly every time I get a visit from a neighbor or a passerby. My yard has become a public space, and I love it because I have met and gotten to know the people who have been living all around me.

This garden is so much more than the lawn ever was, even at its best. It was rarely used except to be mowed. l2gafteracrosstheyard The work it required was not worth the effort. The new garden is effortless! I haven’t watered in 10 days. Except for wandering through it to gather a few stray weeds occasionally, it requires no upkeep so far. Inspired by the floral display, I have begun planting some drought-tolerant bulbs that will give me a different floral display in the summer months. Isn’t that what a garden is all about?

And the best part? The Long Beach Water Department is going to give me a rain barrel!

That’s the next project.