Stop mowing – and create a wildlife-friendly sanctuary

Lance Salisbury considers himself an “early adopter” of water-wise gardening. The Sacramento homeowner ditched his front lawn almost 10 years ago.

“I moved into my current house 11 years ago and it had a big grassy front yard with trees and shrubs,” Salisbury says. “The backyard was even more grass. After tackling that lawn, I was tired of mowing before I even got to the front yard. It was the most grass I ever mowed in my life.”

Salisbury grew up in southern Nevada; he knew there was another way.

“We always had water conservation,” says Salisbury, an environmental scientist for California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife. “My dad was a (water-wise) adopter before anything but grass was considered an option.”

At his own Arden Arcade home, Salisbury kept the backyard lawn. “I have young kids; they play in the backyard. But I wanted the front yard to resemble nature. That was my inspiration.”

Helping Salisbury complete his makeover was a $850 rebate from the Sacramento Suburban Water District, his water provider.

“I went to board hearings and made a spiel about why they should adopt a ‘Cash for Grass’ program. There are tons of water wasted and, like me, people are tired of mowing.”

That was April 2015; SSWD adopted the program and Salisbury was among the first in line. “I think I was in the first five people who got it. I was going to do it regardless. The rebate paid for about a third of the total project. I did all the work myself.”

The former lawn was transformed into a water-wise landscape featuring redbud and desert willow trees plus sages and loads of poppies. The makeover saves water year round plus a swale captures roof run-off during storms. “Hundreds of gallons soak into the ground, not go out into the street,” he says.

“I did a lot of research at the UC Davis Arboretum,” says Salisbury, noting UCD’s water-wise gardens. “You need plants that can handle freezing temperatures and rain in winter, and then the heat of summer.”

Salisbury’s front yard now attracts an abundance of wildlife including bumblebees, lizards and even wild turkeys, he says. That’s just what he wanted. “I created my own little wildlife sanctuary.”

For his efforts and results, the Salisbury family was among the Regional Water Authority’s “Summer Strong Yard Champs.” This summer, they appeared on local billboards to provide inspiration to other Sacramento homeowners.