GrasslandLandscape & Lawn Care (562) 551-8873
California native front yard with a dry creek bed and decomposed granite path

Landscaping In Sunrise

Landscaping in Sunrise starts with graded fill that changes yard to yard, and part of it sits in the Sunrise Boulevard historic district, where fences and hardscape can need city review.

Main ZIP
90806
Soil Type
Graded Fill
Clay In Topsoil
10%
Sand In Topsoil
63%
Elevation
39 to 54 ft
Miles To The Shore
2.9
Empty Street Tree Sites
26
Typical Home Built
1958
Sunrise on the city neighborhood map

The Ground In Sunrise

Gray sandy fill with small shell pieces and pebbles

USDA maps this as Typic Xerorthents, a type marked as moved by people, over Typic Haploxeralfs. Both run about 6 to 10 percent clay and drain well. Most of the points we checked are zoned R-2-N, which means duplex style housing.

USDA soil parts mapped here, surface layer
SoilShare Of Map UnitClaySandpHDrainage
Typic Xerorthents20%10%63%8Well drained
Typic Haploxeralfs15%6%70%6.8Well drained

What That Means For Your Yard

  • Graded soil changes from one spot to the next, so dig a few test holes before you design.
  • Look for buried rock or old debris before you price a trench.
  • Some of this ground slopes, and water on slopes needs to move slowly. Drip works better than spray.

Weather And Homes

About 2.9 miles from the shore, the area gets a cool sea breeze most days without the worst of the salt. Most plants that struggle right on the sand do fine here.

Census figures for the tracts here put the typical home at about 1958. Many yards from that era still have their first sprinkler lines and foundation shrubs, and much of that is ready to go. Replacing old lines at the same time you redo a bed saves a second dig.

About 25 percent of homes in these tracts are owner occupied and about 49 percent are houses. With a mix like that, low care plantings are often the better buy on a rental, while an owner may want more.

Historic District Rules Here

Sunrise Boulevard Historic District

About 78 percent of the neighborhood map falls inside this district. The street layout makes rectangular, wedge shaped and irregular lots, so no design copies well from one yard to the next. Most homes have a lawn with some gardens and trees. Read the city guideline.

The city says plantings are typically not reviewed, but fences and site changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness before a permit. See how that works.

Your Parkway And Street Trees

A city tree inventory logged 26 empty street tree sites in this neighborhood. The typical logged parkway there is about 4 feet wide. If one is in front of your place, the city runs a free street tree program. Ask for a parkway tree before you plan the rest of the strip.

Your parkway follows the same city rule as the rest of Long Beach. Fake turf is out, and street trees belong to the city, so trimming one takes a Public Works permit. If you still have living lawn there, Long Beach Utilities runs a free native plant parkway kit.

Popular Work In Sunrise

Questions We Hear

What kind of soil does Sunrise have?

USDA maps this as Typic Xerorthents, a type marked as moved by people, over Typic Haploxeralfs. Both run about 6 to 10 percent clay and drain well. It is also rated well drained. Your own yard may differ, especially if soil was brought in, so a test is cheap insurance.

Can I put artificial turf in my Sunrise parkway?

No. City code limits parkways to living plants plus permeable materials such as mulch, decomposed granite or pavers on sand, and those must cover under half of the strip. Turf is allowed in the front yard itself.

What days can I water in Sunrise?

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m., for up to 10 minutes per station, under the Level 1 rules from Long Beach Utilities.

Next Door To Sunrise

Where These Facts Come From
Neighborhood

Serving Sunrise

Yard visits across Sunrise and nearby streets.