Swimming pool was unused, so couple turned it into a rainwater garden
Posted by: Maven on April 9, 2012 at 7:02 amFrom The Republic:
“Dina and Irl Cramer were looking at the little-used pool behind their Manhattan Beach, Calif., house when they realized: “It would be really nice to have a garden,\” Dina said.
But rather than simply jackhammer out the pool or bulldoze it full of dirt, the Cramers turned the pit into a case study for how Southern Californians can capture winter rains for use watering the garden. The edges of the pool were ground down, and the rest of the concrete form was retrofitted with a rainwater storage system.
Now, in place of a concrete basin filled with chlorinated water, the Cramers have a stream, a small waterfall and about 100 lush plants all fed with rain harvested from the roof and stored in recycled-plastic tanks underground. … “
Continue reading from The Republic by clicking here.
Los Angeles City Hall has a drinking problem
Posted by: Maven on January 21, 2012 at 7:15 amFrom LA City Watch:
“As the threat of a water crisis looms on the horizon, the City of LA finds itself immobilized, tethered by garden hoses and irrigation systems to an unsustainable municipal lifestyle that costs money, wastes water, and sets a poor example.
Consider the unintended consequences of the recent Occupy LA encampment surrounding City Hall that killed the turf lawn, prompting Emily Green of the LA Times to declare it a “positive achievement\” that provides LA's leadership with an opportunity to “walk the talk\” of a water-wise commitment.
Many cities use the landscaping and maintenance of their municipal property as a teaching opportunity, showcasing drought resistant options to the traditional turf lawn that is neither native nor sustainable. … “
Continue reading from City Watch by clicking here.
Chance of Rain blog on relandscaping L.A. City Hall’s lawn: The fourth option
Posted by: Maven on January 12, 2012 at 7:01 amFrom the Chance of Rain blog:
“Choices are best understood by those who make them. In the case of the decision about where to unveil schematic drawings of what new landscaping around Los Angeles City Hall might look like after last year's Occupation, it may only be comprehensible to city hall's caretakers at the Department of Recreation and Parks. Choosing last night's meeting of the Los Angeles Downtown Neighborhood Council was, procedurally, rather like the federal government unveiling new plans for the White House grounds at a meeting of a DC neighborhood association.
LA supports 15 council districts and an estimated 90-plus neighborhood councils. An internationally recognizable symbol for most of the city's 500 square mile reach could be a gushing lawn sprinkler. Depending on the location from cool coastal spots to hot valleys and foothills, from 40 to 70 per cent of our largely imported water is used outdoors. How fast and how seriously Los Angeles embraces water conservation is integral to the ultimate success of the city in the coming era of population growth and climate change. If there is a single community that has the least understanding and the least at stake to do with landscape reform, it is the loft and apartment dwellers who comprise the Downtown Neighborhood Council. They live in one of the rare corners of the city free of what Joni Mitchell described as “the hissing of summer lawns. One joked last night about attendees from the San Fernando Valley needing a passport. … “
Continue reading from the Chance of Rain blog by clicking here.
Southern California: Expect another week of dry, warm weather, forecasters say
Posted by: Maven on January 4, 2012 at 7:47 amFrom the Whittier Daily News:
“Keep your lip balm and sun glasses handy.
That’s because meteorologists are forecasting another week of warm, dry weather for Southern California, albeit with temperatures cooling slightly starting Friday.
Today high temperatures should reach 87 degrees in the San Gabriel Valley and 84 in downtown Los Angeles with no rain in sight, according to the National Weather Service in Oxnard. High surf warnings from Tuesday will subside around noon today but will return with high surf peaking Friday with 8 feet to 12 feet sets and waves 15 feet high pounding west-facing beaches in Los Angeles County. … “
Continue reading from the Whittier Daily News by clicking here.
Regional approach directed at consumers to foster climate-appropriate landscaping in Southern California’s Inland Empire
Posted by: Maven on December 30, 2011 at 7:32 amFrom the Water Efficiency Journal:
“California's latest efforts to dramatically improve the efficiency of water use in new and existing urban irrigated landscapes intensified in 2004 when legislation created the Landscape Task Force. The Governor and legislature received a comprehensive set of recommendations to educate Californians and help transition from awareness to action. Five years later, the legislature approved new requirements to reduce urban per capita water use 20% by 2020.
To understand what matters most to home and property owners about their urban landscapes, a Statewide Market Survey of Landscape Water Use Efficiency was conducted by the Water Resources Institute and Institute of Applied Research and Policy Analysis at California State University, San Bernardino, in 2007. The survey found “appearance\” (41%) the most often mentioned answer followed by “ease of care\” (23%). The research was funded by the United States Bureau of Reclamation's southern California area office, the California Urban Water Agencies, and the California Urban Water Conservation Council. … “
Continue reading from the Water Efficiency Journal by clicking here.
No drought fears yet: Santa Rosa rainfall half of normal, but reservoirs’ water supply above average
Posted by: Maven on December 14, 2011 at 7:56 amFrom the Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
“The calendar tells us it should be looking a lot like Christmas out there, but the North Bay’s run of dry, cool and sunny weather invokes a mid-fall sensibility.
Since July, Santa Rosa has had about half the typical annual rainfall of 8.34 inches, only 4.15 inches as of Dec. 13.
“Our ground-water aquifers aren’t filling up. The creeks aren’t running like they should,” Santa Rosa Fire Battalion Chief Mike Jones said. … “
Continue reading from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat by clicking here.
San Diego’s water-hogging landscapes give way to new ethic
Posted by: Maven on November 11, 2011 at 6:03 amFrom the San Diego Union-Tribune:
“Modern San Diego, founded in the 19th century by Midwesterners accustomed to green lawns and lots of rain, is facing the 21st century with a new water-saving ethic and local landscape architects are showing the way.
Fresh from hosting their annual convention at the San Diego Convention Center last week, the designers of parks, commercial campuses, residential yards and natural open space retreats offer a new paradigm for the land beyond the four walls of where we live and work. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
California Watch: With drought long passed, will voters back pricey water bond?
Posted by: Maven on October 5, 2011 at 8:15 amFrom California Watch:
“Post Peak Pass is a granite notch on the remote southern boundary of Yosemite National Park, altitude 10,700 feet.
On Saturday, its north face was partly covered with a 100-yard-long patch of crusted snow : a reminder of just how emphatically California's three-year drought was broken by the wild winter of 2010-11.
Although California's high peaks still are capped with last year's snowpack and its reservoirs are brimming with runoff [PDF], voters will be asked next year to approve an $11.1 billion state water bond measure that was crafted in response to the crippling drought. … “
Continue reading from California Watch by clicking here.
Beaumont: Water agency digs deep to promote conservation
Posted by: Maven on August 10, 2011 at 8:24 amFrom the Riverside Press-Enterprise:
“The San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency is continuing its efforts to go green.
The agency recently had a water-efficient demonstration garden installed behind its Beaumont Avenue headquarters, where previously there was dying grass.
“The board has an overall goal of sustainability,” said its director, Jeff Davis. … “
Continue reading from the Riverside Press-Enterprise by clicking here.
Agave: Tough as nails
Posted by: Susan Lauer on August 2, 2011 at 8:01 amFrom the Lompoc Record
All across the desert southwest and Mexico, agaves stand up to just about anything: punishing heat, severe drought and poor, gritty soil.
Continue reading from the Lompoc Record
Drip irrigation and drought-tolerant plants are keys to a water-wise garden
Posted by: Maven on July 20, 2011 at 6:10 amFrom the San Diego Union-Tribune:
“Many a dampened spirit was lifted after Gov. Jerry Brown announced the official end to the drought in California March 30. But East County residents have been saving water − and creating beautiful gardens − since long before the shortage.
An artist to her very core, Barbara Prunty-Eckland moved from Solana Beach to Lakeside six years ago in part to start a water-wise garden.
The Iowa native, who missed having a garden to tend, invested nearly $15,000 to get it started, including a drip irrigation system. In 2008, Prunty-Eckland's yards had a personal payoff when they were awarded “Best In District\” for drought tolerant “California-friendly\” landscaping by the Lakeside Water District. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
Southern California water agencies offering money if you remove your lawn
Posted by: Maven on July 15, 2011 at 6:31 amFrom the O.C. Register:
“San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente and the South Coast Water District are offering a lawn-removal incentive program designed to boost water conservation and reduce runoff.
Residential and small commercial customers in those agencies’ water service areas are eligible to receive at least $1 per square foot of lawn removed. A total of 19 local water agencies in Orange County are partners in the voluntary program with the Municipal Water District of Orange County and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. … “
Continue reading from the O.C. Register by clicking here.
Riverside: Homeowners removing lawns to save water, money
Posted by: Maven on June 18, 2011 at 7:00 amFrom the Riverside Press-Enterprise:
“It wasn’t just his water bill that motivated Carl Fisher of De Luz to rid his landscape of grass.
There was also the cost of hiring a landscaper to maintain his lawn weekly. The noise from mowers and weed-whackers disrupted his work at home, and sprinklers hitting his house attracted bugs to the inside.
In addition, sprinkler heads would break, leading to costly repairs. “If it was underground, you’d have a pool of water somewhere,” Fisher said. … “
Continue reading from the Riverside Press-Enterprise by clicking here.
Water scarcity and regulations a boon to local business
Posted by: Maven on June 2, 2011 at 7:40 amFrom Neon Tommy, a publication of the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism:
“Standing in his lush yard in Redondo Beach, Mike Garcia showed off his green gadgets like a proud father. There was the permeable pavement, the drip irrigation system and hidden beneath a layer of recycled rubber tires, a series of tanks that capture and store up to 4,000 gallons of rainwater.
Garcia installs such water savers. And, because water is scarce, his customer base has blossomed.
“The phone has been ringing off the hook,\” said Garcia, owner of Enviroscape L.A., a green landscaping firm that installs rainwater harvesting systems and other products. … “
Continue reading from Neon Tommy by clicking here.
How to lose the lawn
Posted by: Maven on May 29, 2011 at 7:08 amFrom MyMotherLode.com:
“Did you know that a typical modest-sized front and backyard suburban California lawn consumes 45,000 gallons of water per year And to stay pest and weed free, those water-thirsty lawns use more pesticides and herbicides per acre than any other crop grown in the country! More and more homeowners are opting to lose their lawns in favor of drought tolerant landscapes that not only look beautiful, but are saving one of our most precious resources-water.
So let’s say you are one of the ‘converted’ and you are tired of being a slave to that thirsty green patch. What do you do There are several methods for lawn removal and the one to choose is the one that fits your pocketbook and your physical abilities. … “
Continue reading from MyMotherLode.com by clicking here.
Water-saving garden opening at Cal State San Bernardino
Posted by: Maven on May 28, 2011 at 7:53 amFrom the Riverside Press-Enterprise:
“Purple spikes of lavender and hot-pink rock roses shoot from a thick blanket of mulch, signifying the first blooms in the Inland area’s newest water conservation demonstration garden.
The 1.2-acre site on the campus of Cal State San Bernardino has been under construction for a year. The garden will officially open with a ribbon cutting Friday, followed by public tours and workshops next Saturday.
Low-water, native plants are featured in six themed areas, and educational displays teach about irrigation and the source of the region’s water in the San Bernardino Mountains. Shady spots provide room for enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the garden. … “
Continue reading from the Riverside Press-Enterprise by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Late spring rains means water managers must serve two masters; plus a weather update & more
Posted by: Maven on March 22, 2011 at 9:47 amFrom the Sacramento Bee:
“In a state often torn between flood and drought, spring is a reprieve. Winter storms are done, and a thirsty summer seems a distant worry.
Not so this year. The calendar may say spring, but the clouds disagree. Stubborn storms promise ample water supplies, but they bring a real threat of flooding to the state for the first time in five years.
For California’s water managers, it is a perilous time.
This spring is especially vexing because the state’s reservoirs are full, the snowpack is mountainous at 146 percent of average, and yet more storms loom, including another expected today.
That means a delicate juggling act, and a little guesswork, to serve two masters: flood control and water storage. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
From the Record Searchlight:
“Increased releases down the Sacramento River and a rush of water into its tributaries are pushing the river over its banks around the north state, prompting swift-water warnings.
The Bureau of Reclamation boosted releases from Keswick Dam which regulates river flows from Shasta Dam out of Lake Shasta Monday afternoon to 50,000 cubic feet per second. … ”
Read more from the Record Searchlight by clicking here.
It may seem like a lot of water flowing out of Oroville, but there have been larger releases in earlier years, notes the Chico Enterprise-Record:
” … Water Resources Supervisor Kevin Wright, of the California Department of Water Resources, noted two seasons where releases were much higher: in 1997 and again in the winter of 2005-06.
Wright said that during the New Year’s weekend of 1996-1997 was the highest recorded release ever. At that time, 150,000 cfs rushed into the river along downtown Oroville. … “
Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record by clicking here.
So what’s in store for us The Accu-Weather Western Weather Blog has the post-mortem on the latest storm and a look ahead here.
We can forget about La Nina, says the LA Times:
“Let us not scorn those forecasters who, months ago, so confidently predicted a drier-than-normal Southern California winter.
Instead, let’s calmly note that Sunday’s ferocious storm dumped so much water throughout the region that it shattered records in several communities. Downtown Los Angeles and many other areas have exceeded rainfall averages for an entire season and there’s still three months to go.
“La Niña definitely was a bust,” said Bill Patzert, a climatologist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge and one of several meteorologists who had predicted last fall that La Niña, a climatological phenomenon marked by cold ocean-surface temperatures, would bring a drier-than-normal rainy season. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Oh, and that shortage Arizona was worried about last month Never mind, say officials (via the Inkstain blog).
The Dry Garden: Southern California’s most interesting experiment in water-wise landscaping
Posted by: Maven on March 5, 2011 at 7:01 amFrom the Los Angeles Times Dry Garden column:
“Spotting a pumpkin identified as a gourd prompted Leigh Adams to write John Lyons. She was (and is) an expert in gourd-craft as well as the artist-in-residence at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden. Lyons, whose website carried the photo of the pumpkin, was (and is) a garden designer and lecturer at the arboretum. Yet until Adams wrote, they had never met.
Adams-street That was two years ago. They now joke that they are “as much in love as a non-couple could be.” And they have a baby, a 4-month-old garden that is brimming with art, native sages and fruit trees and is irrigated by rainwater harvested from the street. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times Dry Garden by clicking here.
The Dry Garden: A 3-acre, low-water labor of love called Arlington
Posted by: Maven on February 5, 2011 at 7:12 amFrom the Los Angeles Times Dry Garden:
“As beautiful as private landscapes can be, and they can be stunning, none can match the poetry, joy and solace of a public garden done right. As proof, look no further than Arlington Garden in Pasadena. Here, since breaking ground on the 3-acre site five years ago, neighbor Betty McKenney has seen just about every kind of human interaction.
“We have people who meditate and pray,” said McKenney, left. “We have counselors and young people from a local clinic, some of whom are pretty troubled. Certainly there are schools and Scout programs. People bring their computers, or they read. They walk dogs. We see engaged couples getting photographed. Other photographers work on catalogs with their models. Last time it was a little bit risque. Some of those girls had really long legs. We see couples — 70, 80 years old — holding hands walking through the garden. I saw a mom one afternoon sitting with her little boy. He was eating a pomegranate and they were talking about birds. Then teenagers come in at night. We have it all.”
And that’s even before arriving at the plants, a mix of carefully selected, drought-tolerant California natives and Mediterranean climate zone imports, assembled in a public space that is first-class wildlife habitat and model of water conservation. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Santa Clarita gets smart on irrigation
Posted by: Maven on February 4, 2011 at 6:06 amFrom the Santa Clarita Signal:
“The city of Santa Clarita expects to save more than 180 million gallons of water each year thanks to a recent landscape-irrigation partnership.
Once completed, the project, which will soon enter its second phase, will be the largest use of wireless water controllers in the world, according to industry insiders.
ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance and HydroPoint Data Systems Inc. announced last week that they teamed with the city to implement the second phase of the Santa Clarita Irrigation Controller Replacement program. … “
Continue reading from the Santa Clarita Signal by clicking here.
Bay Area garden tour will feature native California plants
Posted by: Maven on February 3, 2011 at 8:11 amFrom the Oakland Tribune:
“The free Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, which takes place May 1, will showcase 50 pesticide-free, water-conserving gardens that provide habitat for wildlife and contain 50 percent or more native plants. This year, nine of the gardens are located in Berkeley.
Two bird, butterfly, and bee gardens on the tour are found just off University Avenue. The California Native Bee Garden, an Eden for pollinators, attracted 50 of the city’s 85 species of native bees, including bright green bees, small black bees, striped bees, and fuzzy ones. “How to garden for bees” tours will be lead throughout the day.
Forty-four species of birds and 12 species of butterflies have been seen in Glen Schneider’s garden, which contains more than 75 species of local native woodland and grassland plants grown from seeds and cuttings gathered in the Strawberry Creek watershed. … “
Continue reading from the Oakland Tribune by clicking here.
Making it rain: Three contractors in drought-stricken California share how they’ve successfully marketed their irrigation services
Posted by: Maven on January 30, 2011 at 8:22 amFrom Lawn & Landscape:
“Though California has been plagued by drought, some forward-thinking contractors have found that the key to successfully selling irrigation services is to emphasize water conservation. Marketing water management has helped these businesses thrive, even during the economic collapse, and it's a lesson anyone selling irrigation services can learn from.
“In this economy contractors are crying there's no work, but I'm keeping as busy now as I did five years ago,\” says Mike Garcia, owner, Enviroscape in Redondo Beach, Calif. What's Garcia's trick He says he's learned that clients will spend money if it means saving money in the long run.
“I'm looking at the trends and have found that wherever people are hurting, if you're able to offer a solution, that's where you can make a business. … “
Continue reading from Lawn & Landscape by clicking here.
LA Times ‘The Dry Garden’: Does rain mean an end to drought?
Posted by: Maven on January 2, 2011 at 6:48 amFrom the Los Angeles Times:
“Saturday may mark the start of the 2011 calendar year, but the 2011 water year, the 12-month cycle used by hydrologists and water managers, began on Oct. 1.
Few Southern California water years have begun on such a dry note. Three months ago, a strengthening La Niña pattern in the Pacific suggested to climatologists that we were staring at a water year so potentially dry that it could make your voice rasp.
Then in December a weather system known as the Pineapple Express carried near-record rains through California. The upshot in Los Angeles County is that most places have already received half or more of the rain expected for the entire season. It’s reasonable to expect that when the 2011 water year ends Sept. 30, we will have reached or surpassed the regional average of about 16 inches, with numbers that are higher in the foothills and lower in the basin. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Eastern Sierra: Early snowpack adds up
Posted by: Maven on December 8, 2010 at 7:57 amFrom the Sierra Wave:
“Weather forecasters, meteorologists and others have pointed to the La Nina effect in the Pacific Ocean and the likely impacts of colder than normal temperatures and below average snowfall. However, our area sits kind of in the middle of different effects since higher than normal precipitation may hit the Pacific Northwest but not southern California. LADWP’s website shows a pretty good start to our winter snowpack. … “
Continue reading from the Sierra Wave by clicking here.
The Dry Garden: Best ways to kill your lawn
Posted by: Maven on December 4, 2010 at 10:35 amFrom the Los Angeles Times:
“Most of us know that the environmental toll of ornamental lawn in Southern California makes cigarettes look politically correct. Still, removing a long-tended home lawn takes a meeting of conviction and know-how. The steely inspiration will have to be yours. This column is intended only as a lawn killer’s tip sheet.
There are three dominant schools of turf removal. One advocates removing the grass, another suggests poisoning it and a third calls for smothering or cooking it. Which one you choose will depend on your convictions about pesticide use, the amount of time you have and what’s in the target lawn.
For many of the older homes, lawn is not one type of turf but a mix of plants, often dominated by warm season grasses such as Bermuda and St. Augustine, then studded with persistent weeds such as nutsedge and bindweed. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
California Landscape Contractors Association the new sponsor of the California Irrigation Institute Conference
Posted by: Maven on November 11, 2010 at 7:30 amFrom the California Landscape Contractors Association, this press release:
“The California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) is pleased to announce it has become a California sponsor for the urban portion of the 2011 California Irrigation Institute’s 49th Annual Fall Conference, which takes place in Sacramento, January 31- February 1, 2011 at the recently renovated Sacramento Hilton Arden Hotel. The California Irrigation Institute is the oldest independent forum on water and irrigation in California and typically features water experts, government agency heads, water district managers, innovative farmers and those featuring new water saving technology. The primary purpose of the institute is host an annual conference on water issues.
The theme of this year’s conference is titled: California Water – Can we find a Balance Attendees come from all over California and the Western United States to engage in discussions relating to all areas of irrigation: water supply, conservation, water use efficiency, water quality and surface and ground water management. What makes this conference especially unique is participants are actively engaged in open discussions moderated by industry experts. All participants are searching for the best solutions to the issues being discussed. Some of the many topics of this year’s conference include agricultural water policies, water budgeting, the Delta, the Colorado River and more. Industry participants are looking for local solutions that work together to find a balance for California.
Ridgecrest planning commission talks about water and landscaping ordinances
Posted by: Maven on October 27, 2010 at 6:19 amFrom the Ridgecrest Daily Independent:
“The Ridgecrest Planning Commission approved several resolutions regarding work on proposed and existing cell phone towers Tuesday evening, before beginning a lengthy conversation about revised landscape requirements for newly constructed homes.
In fact several commissioners said, Tuesday, that the water district’s policies that restrict the amount of turf allowed in the landscaping of new development were simply wrong, that residents should be able to plant whatever they want on their property so long as they are willing to pay the price. … “
Continue reading from the Ridgecrest Daily Independent by clicking here.
Landscape ordinance updated for water efficiency
Posted by: Maven on October 7, 2010 at 7:54 amFrom Gazettes.com:
“Long Beach is becoming more committed to water efficiency by streamlining the process for major drought-tolerant landscape remodeling projects.
Tuesday evening, City Council approved a first reading of amendments to Title 21 of the city's Municipal Code, the ordinance relating to public and private landscaping. With proposed updates, the city code will continue to closely adhere to the state's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. A final reading will occur next week. … “
Continue reading from Gazettes.com by clicking here.
YouTube: Slow the Flow – Make Your Landscape Act Like a Sponge
Posted by: Maven on September 13, 2010 at 7:35 amFrom the Water Boards Videos, posted at YouTube (hat tip to LA Creek Freak), this instructional video on water conservation and landscaping:
LADWP and Veterans Affairs partner on major turf replacement project to save 8.1 million gallons of water annually
Posted by: Maven on August 6, 2010 at 7:24 amFrom the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power:
“Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) officials together with Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz, representatives of the Veterans Affairs of Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System and The Turf Company marked the completion of a major turf replacement project at the VA’s West Los Angeles facility. Funded through LADWP's Commercial/Industrial Drought-Resistant Landscape Program, the project removed 7.5-acres, or 328,317 square feet, of grass and replaced it with drought-tolerant landscaping. The project is expected to save more than 8.1 million gallons of water each year : enough to serve 50 households annually.
“With an estimated 40% of our city's water used outdoors, LADWP's turf replacement programs for commercial and residential customers go a long way toward reducing our water use across the city, said James McDaniel, LADWP Senior Assistant General Manager :Water System. “Our rebate programs are investments in permanent water conservation that will help reduce our reliance on expensive imported water and we thank the VA and The Turf Company for partnering with us. … “
Read more from the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power by clicking here.
From lawn to native yard: 3 homeowners share strategies, budgets
Posted by: Maven on August 1, 2010 at 6:42 amFrom the Home & Garden section of the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“San Jose homeowner Joanne Curme was tired of her lawn and its never-ending cycle of mow-weed-water-repeat. Kim Tarman of San Ramon longed for a yard with vibrant colors. And Arvind Kumar of San Jose had had it with broken sprinkler heads and dead splotches of lawn.
All three ditched their conventional lawns and joined the growing number of Bay Area residents replacing their grass yards with drought-resistant plants and California natives. Interest in the water- and timesaving gardening method has led to a flood of free classes, drought-resistant gardening books and annual tours organized by nonprofit groups.
Because conventional lawns use so much precious water, a lot of people think water-wise gardening is the right thing to do, said San Jose landscape architect Sherri Osaka, who specializes in designing Bay Area gardens containing drought-resistant plants. “A lot of times they are sick of maintenance, and they want lower water use. Those two things go hand-in-hand.” … “
Continue reading from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
A change of plans at Descanso Gardens
Posted by: Maven on July 18, 2010 at 6:32 amFrom the Los Angeles Times:
“It’s magical to walk among the century-old oak trees and the thousands of camellias that take shelter under them in Descanso Gardens, a chance even now, when the flowers are not in bloom, to gaze wide-eyed at the glories of the planet.
But however pleasing, it turns out to be one lousy pairing for the trees and the flowers.
Descanso has decided it’s time for a breakup, based on irreconcilable differences.
Many of the cherished camellias will be relocated as part of a new 237-page long-range plan that makes Descanso a model for sustainability and guides decisions for years to come about what to plant and where to plant it. Camellias, which need water year round, will be moved away from dry-dependent oaks, but that’s just a start.
The plan calls for Descanso to use zero potable water for irrigation, to stop trucking 300 tons of waste annually to a landfill and to become a self-sufficient generator of energy, in part by installing solar panels over parking spaces. … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Gravel and cactus are not the only way to be water wise
Posted by: Maven on July 13, 2010 at 4:24 amFrom the Riverside Press-Enterprise:
“Sure, homeowners hear constantly about the need to conserve water. And that landscaping around homes uses a lot of water each month.
But agencies say one message has not been part of the warning to cut back as water prices rise — changing what’s planted.
“The misconception is that water agencies are encouraging people to have gravel and cactus landscapes and that is not the case. We want easily maintained, colorful, and bountiful lawns filled with blossoms that are both native to our area and imported that will flourish with the seasons,” said Peter Odencrans, senior public affairs officer with the Eastern Municipal Water District.
His district and smaller agencies held the Annual Western Water Wise Landscape Contest to encourage homeowners to utilize plants and materials most conducive to water conservation. … “
Continue reading from the Press-Enterprise by clicking here.
Plant your roses, save water too: Horticulturalists at Descanso Gardens demonstrate sustainable rose gardening
Posted by: Maven on June 24, 2010 at 7:01 am
From the La Canada Valley Sun:
“As California’s drought continues to drive up the price of water, property owners and landscape designers are increasingly populating yards with drought-tolerant plants.
But despite their expensive, water-sucking reputation, roses remain a great gardening option, according to Descanso Gardens officials. “I think that roses are always going to be valuable,” said rose horticulturalist Amanda Everett. “And there are lots of cultivars of roses that are very hardy under water stress.”
Descanso Gardens celebrated National Rose Day on Wednesday with a lecture and guided tour of its rose garden, led by Everett. A second lecture is scheduled for July 31.
While roses may seem at odds with ever-intensifying water conservation requirements, Everett said, careful selection and planting techniques can significantly reduce water consumption. And their social and historic value remains stronger than ever. … “
Continue reading from the La Canada Valley Sun by clicking here.
For more information on drought tolerant roses, click here.
Cerritos says no to man’s plan for fake lawn
Posted by: Maven on June 17, 2010 at 7:00 amFrom the Long Beach Press Telegram:
“After 35 years of mowing, watering and weeding his front lawn, Cerritos resident Mario Kasilag was tired.
“I was always watering, always using pesticides and herbicides. I was finally at the point in my life where I wanted to relax,” said the 68-year-old aerospace engineer.
Kasilag came up with what he thought was a great idea – a synthetic lawn that would require a fraction of the care. He eagerly presented his plan to the city, but was met with a big “NO” from the Planning Commission. Kasilag was told that Cerritos Municipal Code does not permit the use of artificial plant material in residential front yards.
“I was shocked,” Kasilag said. “I thought it was a good plan. But they wouldn’t budge.” … “
Continue reading from the Long Beach Press-Telegram by clicking here.
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