Appletree Court - Camarillo, CA

Description

1/3 acre initially 100% weed grass and 7/10 dying trees...changed to 5 % weed lawn and the rest heavily mulch new plantings. Intially 95% water runoff to street changed with bioswale reforming throughout to approx 90% retention. Still working on the immediate driveway for a Roman drain into a mulch sump. We have the first City permitted retro install of a grey water stub out from the master bath shower and tub water...Had to introduce the idea to the City for that one.

Here's how the project was completed:
1. We have a marvelous neighbor down the street that had a backhoe to break up the front yard brick planter facade when he was fiddling with his own property in 2007. I buried that rubble in our backyard bench when we built it in 2008.
2. The front yard has about 10,000 lbs of river rock that I traded with my girlfriend when they were excavating their property. I was able to move or roll them into position in the front yard and dry stack raised elevations in the front. I used old cut concrete pieces to create stair steps with soil 'risers' in the center path.
3. I kept the original sprinkler system in the front but replaced the sprinkler heads with 2-3 foot risers to elevate the spray gently over the plants...I basically water for 1-2 hours every 3-4 weeks during the summer and the established plants are on their own in the winter...Since I eventually want to pasture chickens in the front yard...throwing away perfectly good irrigation and replacing it was a no go.
4. I worked with a garden fork on the front yard all 2007 winter and 2008 in 10x10 ft patches to sift and remove the Bermuda and Kikuyu grasses. I have very sandy soils with roots that come out easily but because I DON'T spray anything other than water, it was therapy and genuflection for some time to confirm eradication of those beasts.
5. We had a Bobcat front loader change all the elevations in the back yard. Initially we had one flat direct direction all draining into our patio, flooding with each rain about 4-6 inches. We dropped the soil line about 16 inches several yards from the back patio, keeping all soil on site in a mound braced by the 'ear' shaped retaining wall and bench in the middle of the yard.... a very large Bioswale.
6. Then came the start of the 5,000 gallon collection of coffee grounds from Starbucks over 21 months. Each week, I sheet mutched sections after weed removal with the new next door neighbor's moving boxes and coffee grounds....Did I tell you that I chase tree chipping trucks?...about 50 cubic yards in all with the several loads over 3 yrs. I pay them to dump and spread but only the good stuff ( making friends with them first and a 6pack for later doesn't hurt).
7. Most of the roof run off is captured with a DIY gutter system, tanking with IBC (275gal) tote tanks in the critical area and drained in the back. I still want to place a roman drain in the lower end of the driveway...that project is creeping up on the lists but not until I find that old 12x12x4 wall brick with voids in it (I have an overwhelming need to scrounge materials in small incremental pieces).
8. My goals are to have all perennials, to eventually stub out the daughter's shower, get the 5,000 gal rain storage tank in place, and have that driveway drain in....then the property can be an example for what we should be doing with original construction.