Lifestyle
In a hot L.A. neighborhood full of brown lawns, his DIY native plant garden thrives
Water-hungry lawns are symbols of Los Angeles’ past. In this series, we spotlight yards with alternative, low-water landscaping built for the future.
The temperature was in the 90s in West Hills, but that didn’t deter an astonishing number of monarch butterflies, hummingbirds and bees from feeding on the California-friendly plants — sages, salvias and flowering milkweed — in Eric Augusztiny’s front yard.
Pollinators, however, aren’t the only ones who call the front yard home. “This is our buddy, Lizzy,” Augusztiny said with a smile as he and his wife, Lise Ransdell, greeted an enormous lizard who crawled out from under a large salvia ‘Desperado’ plant.
“It’s just a postage stamp suburban yard, but there’s a lot going on here,” Ransdell said of the yard’s abundant wildlife, which counts rabbits, skunks, raccoons and possums as visitors.
It wasn’t always like this. When Augusztiny purchased the home in 1996, the traditional yard looked like many others on his street with a Bermuda grass lawn, assorted shrubs and an apricot tree.
Milkweed, a favorite of monarch butterflies, left. Cleveland sage, Salvia clevelandii. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Foothill penstemon grows in Eric Augusztiny’s drought-tolerant front yard.
Yes, Augusztiny acknowledges, lawns have appeal, but not in his West Valley neighborhood where “concrete is the equivalent of a frying pan,” and sustaining thirsty turf in triple-digit heat is impossible. “Even if I wanted a lawn — and I don’t — you can’t keep one alive here,” he said, pointing to the brown lawns that border his tree-lined street.
“The garden goes dormant in the summer but doesn’t die. Drought-tolerant plants are survivors. The sugar bush, toyon, manzanita, coffee berry, ceanothus and hummingbird sage hold their vivid green color year-round. The California fuchsia blooms into the fall, and although the salvias’ spikes above the foliage die back after flowering, the structure and leaves remain vital.”
Besides mowing the lawn, Augusztiny was not much of a gardener before he purchased his home. “I knew how to reseed the lawn. Again and again,” he said with a laugh. So he decided to learn all he could about removing his lawn, building healthy soil and replacing it with a drought-tolerant alternative.
He started by attending a demonstration on lasagna mulching led by artist-in-residence and horticulturist Leigh Adams at the Los Angeles County Arboretum’s Crescent Farm. The class inspired Augusztiny, who then checked out books on California native plants from the Los Angeles Public Library and attended a hands-on workshop at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Field Office.
When the couple remodeled their home in 2018, they decided it was a good time to remove the lawn. The LADWP’s lawn conversion program — which currently pays $5 per square foot to remove turf and replace it with low-water landscapes — was an incentive but not the primary driving force. “I wasn’t in it for the money,” Augusztiny said of the $2,000 rebate they received then, “but it helped cover the cost.”
Eric Augusztiny’s front yard in West Hills before he removed his lawn and replaced it with a drought-tolerant alternative.
(Eric Augusztiny)
Eric Augusztiny’s front lawn is smothered in cardboard during the sheet mulching process.
(Eric Augusztiny)
Suitably educated, Augusztiny decided to tear out his lawn and plant a low-water substitute himself. Just don’t call him a designer. “It was a process of figuring out a simple design, getting the drip system in and putting down the cardboard,” Augusztiny said of the process known as sheet mulching, where the cardboard is wetted down and covered with 3 inches of mulch.
When he smothered his lawn with cardboard, his neighbors often asked him what he was doing. “I told them I was getting rid of the Bermuda grass,” he recalled. “They all told me, ‘Good luck with that.’”
Taking classes offered Augusztiny some revelations as he planned his garden. He followed Adams’s suggestion to “paint with wildflowers” and scattered wildflower seeds on top of established plants. He planted hummingbird sage after he read that it grows well in the shade of oak trees. Concerned about the depletion of Western monarch butterflies due to habitat loss, he felt it was important to plant Narrow-leaf milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis). “They have since shown up in droves,” he said.
On the parkway, a coast live oak, Catalina cherry and silk tree provide shade. Augusztiny collects water using a rain barrel and rain chains. He also installed drip irrigation.
Regarding plants, Augusztiny made treks to native plant nurseries all over Los Angeles, including the California Botanic Garden in Claremont, Theodore Payne Foundation in Sunland and Pierce College in Woodland Hills. “Now, I have to stop because I’m generating my plants from harvesting the seeds and taking cuttings,” he said. “You can generate and regenerate the garden.” He even picked up free animal waste from the Los Angeles Zoo (known as “zoo doo”) at the Griffith Park Composting Facility.
He admits he killed some native plants initially because he overwatered them in the summer. That ended when he took a three-month hands-on course in native garden maintenance with Antonio Sanchez of the Santa Monica Mountains Fund in 2022. “I learned that drought-tolerant plants strengthen during the rainy season to ride out the dry season,” he said. He stopped drowning plants in the summer because he thought they were thirsty.
A Matilija poppy grows in Eric Augusztiny’s drought-tolerant front yard.
After six years, Augusztiny thinks Adams’ “sleep, creep, leap” mantra has finally materialized. “She told us the plantings would sleep the first year, creep the second and then leap in the third,” he explained. “Ah, but with only 11.5 inches from 2020-2022, the garden wasn’t moving.”
Fast-forward two years. After two years of record rainfall in Los Angeles, the California native habitat has overwhelmed the front yard.
“I hate to steal a title from a Hollywood film,” said the actor, “but suddenly it was everything, everywhere all at once.”
Narrowleaf sunflower grows in the garden.
The garden is wild and colorful with a heavenly fragrance attributed to the exploding sages — Cleveland (Salvia clevelandii), hummingbird (Salvia spathacea) and white (Salvia apiana) — along with colorful wildflowers like the fire-resistant California fuchsia (Epilobium canum) and purple Foothill penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus).
Although many of the larger drought-tolerant plants are planted away from the street, some, such as bigberry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca), are dwarfed by California buckeye (Aesculus californica), coffeeberry (Frangula californica) and sugar bush (Rhus ovata).
Rain chains capture rainwater from the roof.
Augusztiny’s front yard and parking strip are overflowing with drought-tolerant plants.
No longer a gardening novice, the Seattle native passionately advocates the “need to do our small part to help stem climate change.” He thinks creating a native habitat in his front yard and installing rain barrels and a permeable driveway in the face of record-breaking heat waves is a good place to start.
“I enjoy nature, and Los Angeles has it all,” he said. “I’m not a purist when it comes to plants. I like to refer to them as climate-appropriate. But the more blacktops we can eliminate and the less stormwater runoff there is, the better our water quality and lives will be.”
Now, when neighbors walk their kids to school, they don’t ask him what he’s doing in his front yard. “They compliment the garden,” said Augusztiny, who waters twice a month. “The garden is not just for me. It’s for everyone.”
Plants in this garden
Arabian lilac (Vitex trifolia)
Coffee berry (Frangula californica)
Sugar bush (Rhus ovata)
Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii)
Narrow leaf milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis)
Black sage (Salvia mellafera)
White sage (Salvia apiana)
Purple sage (Salvia leucophylla)
Bigberry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca)
Palmer’s abutilon (Abutilon palmeri)
Desperado sage (Salvia desperado)
Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita BOP’
California fuchsia (Epilobium canum)
Purple needle grass (Nassella pulchra)
Australian emu bush (Eremophila glabra)
Snow berry (Symphoricarpos mollis)
California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)
Hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea ‘Las Pilitas’)
Nuttall’s sunflower (Helianthus nuttallii)
Giant wildrye (Elymus condensatus)
Toyon ( Heteromeles arbutifolia )
Dudleya abramsii
Coulter’s Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri)
Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’
Fiesta Marigold monkeyflower (Mimulus ‘Fiesta Marigold)
Mimulus (Diplacus) ‘Fiesta Marigold’
76th EMMY® AWARDS NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCEMENT
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The Television Academy announced nominations for the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards on Wednesday. Shogun leads nominations with 25 on the drama side, while The Bear brought in a comedy category record of 23.
Winners will be announced at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 15.
Outstanding comedy series
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Hacks
Only Murders in the Building
Palm Royale
Reservation Dogs
What We Do in the Shadows
Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series
Lionel Boyce, The Bear
Paul W. Downs, Hacks
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
Paul Rudd, Only Murders in the Building
Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary
Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live
Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series
Carol Burnett, Palm Royale
Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
Liza Colon-Zayas, The Bear
Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building
Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building
Maya Rudolph, Loot
Jean Smart, Hacks
Kristen Wiig, Palm Royale
Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series
Matt Berry, What We Do in the Shadows
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building
Jeremy Allen White, The Bear
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Reservation Dogs
Outstanding drama series
The Crown
Fallout
The Gilded Age
The Morning Show
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Shogun
Slow Horses
3 Body Problem
Outstanding lead actor in a drama series
Idris Elba, Hijack
Donald Glover, Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Walton Goggins, Fallout
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
Hiroyuki Sanada, Shogun
Dominic West, The Crown
Outstanding lead actress in a drama series
Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show
Maya Erskine, Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age
Anna Sawai, Shogun
Imelda Staunton, The Crown
Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show
Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series
Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
Tadanobu Asano, Shogun
Mark Duplass, The Morning Show
Jon Hamm, The Morning Show
Takehiro Hira, Shogun
Jack Lowden, Slow Horses
Jonathan Pryce, The Crown
Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series
Christine Baranski, The Gilded Age
Nicole Beharie, The Morning Show
Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown
Greta Lee, The Morning Show
Lesley Manville, The Crown
Karen Pittman, The Morning Show
Holland Taylor, The Morning Show
Outstanding limited or anthology series
Baby Reindeer
Fargo
Lessons in Chemistry
Ripley
True Detective: Night Country
Outstanding lead actress in a limited or anthology series or movie
Jodie Foster, True Detective: Night Country
Brie Larson, Lessons in Chemistry
Juno Temple, Fargo
Sofia Vergara, Griselda
Naomi Watts, Feud: Capote vs. the Swans
Outstanding lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie
Matt Bomer, Fellow Travelers
Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer
Jon Hamm, Fargo
Tom Hollander, Feud: Capote vs. the Swans
Andrew Scott, Ripley
Outstanding supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie
Dakota Fanning, Ripley
Lily Gladstone, Under the Bridge
Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer
Aja Naomi King, Lessons in Chemistry
Diane Lane, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
Nava Mau, Baby Reindeer
Kali Reis, True Detective: Night Country
Outstanding supporting actor in a limited or anthology series or movie
Jonathan Bailey, Fellow Travelers
Robert Downey Jr., The Sympathizer
Tom Goodman-Hill, Baby Reindeer
John Hawkes, True Detective: Night Country
Lamorne Morris, Fargo
Lewis Pullman, Lessons in Chemistry
Treat Williams, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
Outstanding reality competition program
The Amazing Race
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Top Chef
The Traitors
The Voice
Outstanding talk series
The Daily Show
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Late Night with Seth Meyers
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
You can see the full list of nominees here.
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Taylor Swift, seen onstage in Amsterdam in July during the European leg of her record-breaking Eras Tour, has broken another record with her latest album The Tortured Poets Department.
Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images
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Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images
This week, Kendrick Lamar enjoys a resurgence: His very catchy Drake diss track, “Not Like Us,” has rebounded to the top spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart for the first time since its release week back in May. Taylor Swift has outdone her own record on the Billboard 200 albums chart and a talented upstart named Bruce Springsteen has made a chart debut. (For real.)
TOP SONGS
It was probably the release of the clever official video on the Fourth of July that did it: Kendrick Lamar’s sneering Drake diss track “Not Like Us” is back at No. 1, nine weeks after it debuted in the top spot.
Since then, it’s been meandering between the second and sixth position. By contrast, none of Drake’s own diss tracks against K-Dot are currently anywhere in the Hot 100; his collaboration with rapper Sexyy Red, “U My Everything,” is currently at No. 76. As far as sheer popularity goes, Kendrick is the clear winner in this round of beef.
Meanwhile: Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has dipped back down to No. 2 after one week in the top spot, followed by Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen, at No. 3, Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby” at No. 4 and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” rounding out the top five (her follow-up, “Please Please Please,” is at No. 6).
TOP ALBUMS
Well, folks, she did it: With The Tortured Poets Department at No. 1 for a 12th consecutive week, Taylor Swift has set another chart milestone. Not only has Tortured Poets beat the 11-week record of two of Swift’s other albums (1989 and Fearless), but it is now the only album by a female artist to debut in the top spot and remain there for so long. (The previous record was held by Whitney Houston, for her 1987 album Whitney.)
As Billboard notes, only two other albums have remained at No. 1 for their first 12 weeks after being released: Stevie Wonder’s iconic Songs in the Key of Life, which was released in 1976 and spent 14 weeks in first place, and current country star Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time, which in total spent 19 weeks in the top spot.
In a big upward sweep, another contemporary prince of country, Zach Bryan, moved from 17th place last week to No. 2 with his album The Great American Bar Scene. (Remember how we said this looked like it was going to be a big summer for country music?)
Seventeen of the album’s 19 tracks have also made it into the Hot 100. Why the big jump this week? The reason why Bar Scene didn’t chart higher last week is that was only commercially available for one day of the last chart-tracking period.
Rounding out the top five on the Billboard 200: Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time has tripped down to No. 3, followed by Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft and Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.
WORTH NOTING
Last week’s Billboard 200 chart position for The Great American Bar Scene doesn’t tell the full story of this album’s successes so far. Bryan’s album is currently atop a number of Billboard charts: Top Streaming Albums, Top Country Albums, Top Rock Albums, Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Americana/Folk Albums. Bryan’s multi-genre dominance also helped has also made some room to introduce another singer-songwriter to the country music chart: Bruce Springsteen. (Bruce Springsteen! In 2024! 49 years after his first Billboard chart appearance with 1975’s “Born to Run”!)
Performing as a featured artist on Bryan’s song “Sandpaper,” The Boss has made his debut on the Hot Country Songs chart, at No. 26. “Sandpaper” also landed at No. 76 on the Hot 100 this week — Springsteen’s first appearance on the overall singles chart since “Working on a Dream” in 2009. It just goes to show: With a lot of effort and a vision, a talented singer-songwriter can accomplish anything!
Donald Trump‘s Secret Service detail is catching heat for a security failure after he was shot — and an ex-agent who worked with him has thoughts on how they could’ve prevented this.
Mike de Geus — who worked for the Secret Service during the Trump years, and who used to guard the former President — tells TMZ there were a lot of problems he saw with the way the Secret Service handled things Saturday, including several glaring issues they missed.
TMZ.com
He points out that there are very simple things the agency could’ve done to block off the clear line of sight Thomas Matthew Crooks had from a building outside the perimeter … even if that technically wasn’t within the Secret Service’s ring of protection.
Mike says they should’ve seen the building Crooks perched himself on had a direct line to Trump — and he suggests there are simple things they could’ve done ahead of time to block that clear path … including rolling out vehicles, or even turning the stage.
While he says they missed opportunities to protect Trump, he does note they did the right thing by getting him out of there relatively slowly.
That might sound counterproductive, but Mike points out the Secret Service had to make sure Trump wasn’t bleeding beyond just his ear grazing, so he gives them credit there.
TMZ.com
Now, on the issue of the agents themselves — something else that’s come under a microscope — Mike does say he feels some of the agents might’ve not been the best options to protect a guy as big as Trump. The much-smaller female agent comes to mind here.
He believes the agents should be physically capable of carrying whoever they’re tasked with shielding — and, at least to the eye, it’s unclear if all the agents on his Saturday detail were right for that specific scenario.
Big picture … Mike thinks the Secret Service has slipped a bit in quality — and while he can’t pin down why that might be, he thinks this incident is a come-to-Jesus moment.
Interesting insight from a guy who used to do this job, no doubt.
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