What Cher's 1970s Garden Can Teach Us About Low-Water Planting and Bold Design
Long before xeriscaping became a buzzword and drought-tolerant gardening a necessity, Cher's sprawling Southern California garden in the 1970s was quietly doing something revolutionary. Nestled in the sun-drenched hills of Los Angeles, her outdoor space became an unexpected masterclass in combining low-water plants with structured, sculptural design — a philosophy that feels more urgent and relevant today than ever before. As water conservation moves to the center of modern landscape planning, looking back at this icon's garden reveals timeless lessons that every contemporary planting enthusiast should take to heart.
The Design Philosophy Behind Cher's Iconic '70s Landscape
The 1970s in Southern California were a formative era for garden design. Influenced by Mediterranean aesthetics, Hollywood glamour, and a growing awareness of the region's natural aridity, many designers began leaning into the landscape rather than fighting it. Cher's garden embodied this ethos with remarkable confidence. Rather than imposing a lush, water-hungry English-style lawn onto a climate that simply doesn't support one, the space embraced structure, contrast, and the natural beauty of plants that thrive with minimal irrigation.
At its core, the garden was built around a principle that modern landscape architects now champion loudly: let the plants do the architectural work. By selecting species with bold forms, dramatic foliage, and varying heights, the design achieved visual richness without relying on constant moisture. It was, in the truest sense, working with nature rather than against it.
The Low-Water Plants That Defined the Look
The plant palette in a well-executed drought-tolerant garden is everything — and the selections that defined spaces like Cher's during that era remain go-to choices for informed gardeners today. Understanding which plants anchor the aesthetic helps modern gardeners recreate that signature textured look.
- Agave: Few plants command a space the way agave does. With its sharp, architectural rosettes and steel-blue coloring, agave provides dramatic focal points that need almost no water once established. In 1970s California gardens, large agave specimens were used the way sculpture might be — placed deliberately to draw the eye and define spatial boundaries.
- Lavender: Softening the hard edges of more structural plants, lavender brought fragrance, color, and a billowing informality that balanced bolder forms. Its silver-green foliage works beautifully as a textural contrast and it thrives in lean, dry soil.
- Euphorbia: With their unusual, almost alien silhouettes, euphorbias introduced vertical interest and a striking blue-green hue that photographed and translated beautifully in the California light. They require excellent drainage and infrequent watering — perfect for the climate.
- Ornamental grasses: Feather grass and blue fescue were used to introduce movement into the composition. Where stone and succulent could feel static, grasses animated the planting with every breeze and softened transitions between zones.
- Rosemary and sage: Beyond their culinary appeal, Mediterranean herbs like rosemary and salvia brought loose, flowing texture and silvery tones that tied the composition together. They are among the most reliable low-water performers in any warm-climate garden.
The Structured Layout: Why Bones Matter More Than Blooms
One of the most important lessons embedded in 1970s California garden design — and central to spaces that channeled Cher's aesthetic — is the idea that great gardens are built on structure first, planting second. The "bones" of a garden, meaning its paths, walls, levels, and spatial organization, are what give a design longevity and sophistication.
In Cher's garden, this translated into clearly defined zones connected by hard landscaping. Gravel paths and decomposed granite surfaces not only complemented the drought-tolerant planting but reduced water needs dramatically compared to traditional lawn. Raised stone beds created visual layers and allowed for excellent root drainage — a key factor in keeping Mediterranean and desert plants happy and healthy long-term.
The layout also used repetition strategically. Repeating the same plant species or form at intervals throughout a garden creates rhythm and cohesion without visual chaos. A single agave species, for example, planted at three different points across a garden space, creates a visual thread that ties zones together and makes even a large, complex garden feel intentional and curated.
Modern Planting Lessons Drawn From This Timeless Approach
The relevance of these principles has only grown stronger. With climate change accelerating in many regions and water restrictions becoming a reality for homeowners across the globe, the drought-tolerant garden is no longer a stylistic preference — it is increasingly a practical necessity.
Here is what today's gardeners can directly apply from this era of design thinking:
- Choose texture over color: In a low-water garden, sustained floral color can be difficult to maintain. Instead, prioritize plants with interesting leaf shapes, varied surface textures, and contrasting forms. Spiky against soft, glossy against matte — these contrasts carry a garden through every season.
- Invest in hardscaping: Gravel, stone, and decomposed granite are not design compromises — they are design choices that amplify planting rather than compete with it. They also reduce evaporation and suppress weeds effectively.
- Edit ruthlessly: The gardens of this era succeeded because they were disciplined. Fewer, bolder plants placed with intention always outperform crowded beds of competing varieties.
- Think in layers: Ground-level succulents, mid-height shrubs, and tall architectural specimens create depth that reads beautifully from both inside the garden and from a distance.
A Legacy Worth Revisiting
Cher's '70s garden was ahead of its time in ways that are only becoming fully visible now. The marriage of low-water plants, bold texture, and structured layout that defined that era of Southern California design is, in many respects, the blueprint for the most thoughtful modern gardens being planted today. Whether you are working with a small urban terrace or a sprawling suburban backyard, the lessons embedded in that iconic approach — simplify, structure, and let plants earn their place — remain as powerful and practical as ever.
Great garden design has never really been about abundance. It has always been about intention. And few decades understood that better than the 1970s at its bold, sun-soaked best.