No Man’s Land

Hmmmmmmm..?

As an irredeemably nosy person, no one’s yard escapes my gimlet eye … and in Riverside the last couple of years there’s been a lot that’s made me smile: I’ve seen yards de-lawned, succulents employed and gravel spread. Not all of these yard solutions have been imaginative, interesting or even attractive, but as with my own yard, those that were the result of spirited DIY impulses seem to be the most successful. Then there’s the above. This vision recently caught my eye on a nearby street and it begged closer examination and analysis. Even passing quickly, the color is pretty arresting … but in an unnatural, senior-trailer-park-pink kinda way. Add in bark mulch in a darker tone and that pink veers queasily into yuck territory. The concrete curb-style edging around the tree annoys me, the rubberized bender board edging irritates me and the two white rocks inside the circle by the driveway make me apoplectic. Yet I don’t hate it all, somehow…

Those rocks!

… there’s a certain, shall I say, unstudied rawness about the design that appeals to me. And it’s tidy — really tidy —which I like. Of course, it is low-maintenance and low-water. In fact, the only way it could be lower in both regards is if that massive tree were removed. I’m keeping my eye on this place; I’d be interested in knowing the type of person it would appeal to. Do I know anyone like them? Do I want to? Is there someone driving around in search of senior-trailer-park-pink-minimalism that needs to see this place? I wonder … and I wonder these things, because lately we’ve been absently thinking about, do I dare I say it, moving. To a smaller, more manageable place, maybe even back to Long Beach … and thinking about that, I’ve wondered who might want to buy this place with its extensive gravel spread. I realize the Rancho is a far cry from this pepto-wasteland, but it still gives me pause.