All Categories
Featured
Regional Service Center Best Practices in Southern Califo...
Measuring the Total ROI of Sustainable Landscape Investments
Table of Contents
"People do not realize that mainstream plants such as camellias and boxwood, for instance, can go months without water," said gardener Tom Ash of WeatherTRAK, a business that established weather-based sprinkler timers that water just when they sense your plants need it. "House owners typically overwater their landscapes by 50 percent," he stated.
Don't confuse friendly with native. While many natives are drought-tolerant, so too are luscious-looking plants from all over the world. A California-friendly landscape is about the plants. And it is likewise about the plant keeper: the house owner who decides when and just how much to water and takes an active role in where the water goes.
If you believe yuccas are yucky, dig a little much deeper into your gardening books to find plants that rely on a lot less water than possibly you thought. Daffodils do not require a drop of water in the summer, if you get my drift.
Turf is the biggest water drinker in the landscape, needing 70 percent of the landscape water we utilize. Water less.
Don't squander water. According to the Surfrider Foundation and Orange County Coastkeeper, letting water hit the curb for any reason is bad.
Mulch like there is no tomorrow. 3 inches of mulch go a long method toward retaining the water we do use. If you think you are already skilled at saving water in your landscape, you can evaluate your guts to discover. The countywide California Friendly Landscape Contest runs through June 1.

All gardens will be judged by the public very first ("American Idol"-style), who can view and vote online at from June 1 to July 1. Finalists will then be selected by a panel of judges. Find contest information, guidelines and application info at . 1. Discover the plants you already have.
Group plants according to water needs. California-friendly plants can consist of and are not restricted to ornamental yards, bulbs, shrubs, natives, succulents and the majority of plants from Mediterranean climates worldwide. Let an imaginative style, and not always the plants, take center phase.
The judges will be looking for 3 inches at least. Install a weather-based timer that senses the wetness level in your soil and the air and combines the info with knowledge of your landscape to water only when your plants need it.
Be your own clever timer. Discover to read your landscape, look at the soil and plants and consider the climate before you turn the water turn on. 7. Control runoff. Ensure a single drop never strikes your driveway or the seamless gutter. 8. Check out permeable hardscape products such as pavers and gravel that filter water before it drips into the watershed.
Go organic. Enough said. 10. Provide drier landscapes a great reputation by keeping your landscape pinched and pruned to excellence. Low water does not indicate low upkeep. Low upkeep doesn't imply sloppy. or 714-796-5023.
All gardens will be evaluated by the public very first ("American Idol"-design), who can see and vote online at from June 1 to July 1. Discover about the plants you already have.
Group plants according to water requirements. 2. Broaden your plant palette. California-friendly plants can include and are not limited to ornamental turfs, bulbs, shrubs, natives, succulents and a lot of plants from Mediterranean environments worldwide. 3. Take notice of style. Not all drought-tolerant landscapes need to be dull as dirt. Let a creative style, and not necessarily the plants, take center stage.

Mulch, mulch, mulch and do not forget to mulch. The judges will be trying to find 3 inches at least. 5. Install a weather-based timer that senses the wetness level in your soil and the air and integrates the details with understanding of your landscape to water just when your plants need it.
Be your own wise timer. Find out to read your landscape, take a look at the soil and plants and think about the climate before you flip the water switch on. 7. Control overflow. Ensure a single drop never ever hits your driveway or the rain gutter. 8. Look into permeable hardscape products such as pavers and gravel that filter water before it drips into the watershed.
Go natural. Provide drier landscapes a great credibility by keeping your landscape pinched and pruned to excellence. Low water doesn't imply low upkeep.
Latest Posts

Anticipating 2026 Regional Landscape Regulations

Comparing Standard Versus Modern Maintenance Systems

Regional Service Center Best Practices in Southern California