Eden & DaneProject Dossier · Landscape Design
The Butterfly
Focused Garden
A rewilded backyard that turns a soggy, patchy lawn into a low-maintenance meadow for butterflies, pollinators, and the family dog.
98,969 gal / yr
Rainwater the redesign catches and redirects across the yard, instead of pooling on the lawn.
7 guilds
Themed plant communities along every fence line, the arroyo, and the pathways.
$376 / yr
Municipal water saved by capturing runoff at the local rate.
Site Profile
The land, at a glance.
Lot size
15,000 sq ft
Hardiness
Zone 7b
Climate
Cfa humid subtropical
Dog-safe
100% non-toxic plants
Plans and Goals
What the design achieves.
01
Mitigate water flow over the grass and capture what is available.
02
Establish a butterfly garden with successional flowers all season.
03
Keep every plant non-toxic to dogs.
04
Build a pollinator-friendly environment with habitat, a fountain, food, and flowers.
05
Re-wild part of the property and keep it low-to-no maintenance.
06
Keep the walking stones in the design.
The Guilds
Self-supporting plant communities.
Each guild is tuned to its spot on the property and its role in the whole system.
South fence wall
Privacy + full-season bloom
PassionflowerApple 'Pristine'HibiscusIronweedBee BalmCoral Bells
West fence wall
Pollinator corridor
PassionflowerGoldenrodAnise HyssopBlue BellsBee BlossomMint
Arroyo area
Water-catching basin
IronweedBee BalmPaw PawBlue BellsIrish MossSedum
Mulch expansion
Berries + mushrooms
CurrantsElderberryGooseberriesCoreopsisWine CapsAlmond Agaricus
Grass ground cover
Drainage lawn blend
CloverCreeping ThymeCreeping JennyIrish MossBuffalo GrassStrawberry
Pathway area
Walkable edges
StrawberriesCreeping ThymeCreeping SpeedwellComfreyAstilbe
Northern fence
Height + habitat
GoldenrodSunchokesBee BlossomLavenderBlack-Eyed SusanLilac
Plant Palette
Species going in.
Passionflower · trellisedConeflower · nativeIronweed 'New York' · nativeCreeping Phlox · ground coverGoldenrod · nativeLavender · fragrant
The Problem We Solved
Constraints turned into design decisions.
A soggy, patchy lawn that never fills in
A berm along the mulch edge and deep-rooted groundcovers catch the water before it sheets across the yard, so the grass stops going mangy.
Everything has to be safe for the dog
Every plant in the design is non-toxic to dogs, with the fountain doubling as a clean drinking source.
No appetite for weekend yard work
A rewilded, self-sustaining meadow and guild system that asks for a light seasonal check-in, not a mowing schedule.
Investment and Returns
What the design gives back.
$2,000
Plants & materials for the full redesign.
$3,000
Installation labor, from berm build to planting.
$3,000
Fountain for circulation, enjoyment, and pollinator water.
Estimated at roughly $8,100 installed. The redesign trades an unfixable, high-maintenance lawn for a self-sustaining meadow, and captures the runoff that was causing the damage in the first place.
Next step
Ready to move forward?
Schedule a 15-minute call to discuss phasing, timing, and what comes next for the property.
Book a discovery call →