28 grass-free landscapes

Stefani and Peter Gruenberg removed their front lawn and installed flagstone walkways, drought-tolerant groundcover dymondia margaretae and an assortment of rocks and pebbles. The drought provided fresh inspiration for Stefani, a longtime ceramics artist, to create a sculpture garden. Read the full story here.

Stefani and Peter Gruenberg removed their front lawn and installed flagstone walkways, drought-tolerant groundcover dymondia margaretae and an assortment of rocks and pebbles. The drought provided fresh inspiration for Stefani, a longtime ceramics artist, to create a sculpture garden. Read the full story here.

  (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

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See how thirsty turf grass was removed in favor of low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants.

Grass-free landscaping

Olive trees frame a stone-lined courtyard in Atwater Village. Before and after photos here.

  (Mariah Tauger / For The Times)

Grass-free landscaping

David Pixley tends to his front garden in Burbank. He has been cultivating the drought-tolerant garden for years with cuttings from the Huntington and other places. It is a wild and crazy mix of things -- succulents, tropicals and more. Read the full story here.

  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

Grass-free landscaping

A selection of California native and some non-native, drought-tolerant plants create a warm welcome in Manhattan Beach. See the before and after photos here.

  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Grass-free landscaping

Native plants, crushed gravel and recycled concrete in this Brentwood garden create a comfortable oasis for birds and butterflies. More photos here.

  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Grass-free landscaping

Peggy Casey and Erik Hillard’s Altadena garden is situated on nearly 3/4 of an acre and features drop-dead gorgeous gardens in both the front and the back. See more photos here.

  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Grass-free landscaping

Landscape designer Tony Exter transformed this Los Feliz front yard with aloes, agaves, gravel pathways and dwarf olive hedges. More photos here.

  (Mariah Tauger / For The Times)

Grass-free landscaping

Linda Glaser, pictured, removed her 3,000-square-foot front yard lawn and put in native and California-friendly plants, edibles, a bioswale, and other water capture features. Full story here.

  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Grass-free landscaping

Julie Burleigh has created a sanctuary surrounding the West Adams home she shares with her partner, photographer Catherine Opie, and their son. More photos here.

  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Grass-free landscaping

This home in Mar Vista is framed by edibles and drought-tolerant plants.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Grass-free landscaping

Low-water California native wildflowers and plants, a decomposed granite path and a gabion made of basketed rocks, frames Andreas Hessing’s home in Altadena. Read more about the garden here.

  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Grass-free landscaping

A Long Beach couple transformed their front landscape into a drought-tolerant work of art that includes bold, graphic, circles of rock and artificial grass. Read the full story here.

  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Grass-free landscaping

Garden designer Mimi Kahn installed a low-mow festuca rubra (creeping red fescue) because this Santa Monica family wanted to avoid unnecessary watering and noisy lawn mowers. More photos here.

  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Grass-free landscaping

A Laguna Beach garden is filled with drought-tolerant and fire-resistant plants designed to further the Mexican feel of the home. Full story here.

  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Grass-free landscaping

In Sierra Madre, artificial turf and concrete pavers create a whimsical checkerboard pattern. Full story here.

  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Grass-free landscaping

Square cement pavers and a concrete fountain that doubles as a bench reside in this Venice garden created by Naomi Sanders. See the full story here.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)