450 sq ft artificial living wall in San Diego using Dragon Mat

A San Diego homeowner had a big blank wall in her backyard and wanted it covered in green without signing up for years of watering and pruning. CalifauxScapes installed a 450 sq ft artificial living wall using our Dragon Mat product. Three weeks, minimal irrigation, and the wall looks the same twelve months later as it did on install day.

Overview

The homeowner wanted a lush green backdrop for her backyard, and she wanted it immediately. The 450-square-foot rear wall was the obvious candidate. We used our Dragon Mat product, which has a dense, leafy texture that reads well at both close range and from across a yard. The wall was UV-treated to hold its color under San Diego sun, and it needed minimal plumbing since there's nothing alive to water.

The challenge

The backyard felt unfinished. A large bare wall dominated the view from every angle, and the homeowner had already looked into traditional landscaping. She didn't love the timeline (years for full coverage with climbing plants) or the ongoing commitment (irrigation systems, seasonal pruning, pest management, replanting dead sections). She wanted the finished result now, with minimal upkeep.

San Diego's climate added a practical constraint. Whatever went on that wall would get hours of direct sun daily, so the material needed UV resistance or it would fade and get brittle within a year.

Our solution

We recommended our Dragon Mat artificial living wall system. Dragon Mat has dense, varied foliage with multiple shades of green, which gives it more visual depth than single-tone panels. It's the kind of product that looks good from across the yard but also holds up when someone walks right up to it.

We designed the layout to cover the full 450 sq ft wall surface, using UV-resistant materials throughout. Minimal irrigation needs, no drainage, no soil. The wall mounts directly to the existing surface, so there's no structural work involved beyond securing the panels.

Implementation

We measured the wall, prepped the surface, and started panel installation. The Dragon Mat system is modular, so the panels interlock and we can adjust placement to avoid repetitive patterns. That's something we pay attention to because repeating the same panel layout across a large surface is one of the easiest ways to make artificial greenery look fake.

The three-week timeline broke down roughly as: week one for planning, materials, and surface prep; week two for primary installation; week three for seam blending, detail work, and final walkthrough with the homeowner. We worked around her schedule and kept the backyard usable throughout.

Results

The homeowner has a finished green wall that she doesn't have to think about. Minimal watering, no dead patches to replace, no seasonal changes in appearance. The UV-rated materials are holding their color after months of San Diego sun, which is exactly what they're designed to do.

The wall changed how the backyard feels. What used to be a flat, bare surface now reads as a green backdrop that ties the whole outdoor space together. The homeowner uses the patio more, and the wall works well as a background for everything from morning coffee to evening gatherings.

"I still can't believe this isn't real. CalifauxScapes turned my boring backyard into my personal retreat in just a few weeks. It looks great every single day, and I barely have to worry about watering or it turning brown. Exactly the low-maintenance solution I was looking for." — San Diego homeowner

Project details

Image suggestions

• Hero: Wide shot of the completed living wall as the backdrop to the backyard seating area, ideally during golden hour.
• Before: Straight-on photo of the bare wall before installation.
• After: Same angle as the before shot, showing the full Dragon Mat installation.
• Detail: Close-up of the Dragon Mat foliage showing color variations and leaf textures.
• Wide: Environmental shot from the opposite side of the yard showing the wall in context with the full outdoor space.