Lawn: Going, going, gone

We all know it: the Southern California lawn has got to go. There isn't water enough for it. Not to mention time. Mowing, weeding, trimming, all for something that looks - if you do everything right - like a rug. It's boring and very English, or at least east coast.

Yes it feels good on the feet. It's great to lay on and play on. Or for picnics. But you can do all that with a little lawn. You don't need these huge swaths of green for anything but a soccer game. And I'm sure after you've spend all that time mowing, weeing, trimming et al., you're not going to let a soccer team or two play on it. At least I'm not.

So I'm cutting back bit by bit. My partner loves the lawn. Not enough to mow it or weed it but he really likes that suburban homogeneity. He thinks that our front stretch of green makes up for my weird choices in landscaping. It's one thing being the only gay couple on the block, it's another to be the first freaks to get rid of their lawn.

But it is going, bit by bit. I started with the borders, expanding and aggrandizing them inch by inch and now foot by foot. They are up to three feet on one size, and six on the other two. He didn't really notice it and he loves the new plants - lush green plants that take up to two thirds less water than the lawn.

Next is the center planting bed, situated so the sprinklers hit it with the least amount of water so I can start reducing the watering time as soon as it's in. He's going on a business trip next month for a week. He'll be surprised when he gets home.