Did You Know?

"Up to 70% of our potable water in Southern California goes toward landscape use" (LA-DWP).

Southern California, with it's Hollywood image of palm trees and lush landscapes is far from a tropical paradise.  While we aren't necessarily a desert (at least not on this side of the mountains) we are living in an arid climate with a low annual rainfall that requires us to pump the majority of our water from hundreds of miles away.

The reality of our water crisis is quickly becoming apparent and our wasteful landscape practices are finally coming under review.  Tons of gallons of water, pesticides, and fertilizers are dumped onto our landscapes annually just to keep plants alive that are not meant to grow in our climate.  Not only do these landscapes waste incredible amounts of potable water but they also contribute to runoff pollution by dumping fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides into our watersheds and ocean.

The good news is that drought tolerant landscapes need not be the barren gravel landscapes of old times.  They can be filled with lush, drought tolerant flowering shrubs and trees that not only save water but require no fertilizers or other chemicals to survive.

A few other well designed details such as water cachement, a birdbath, and some artistic elements and a boring lawn becomes a wonderful habitat providing food for wildlife, reducing runoff pollution, and creating a wonderful environment for children and adults alike to enjoy the outdoors!

• A well designed landscape can increase the value of your home by up to 20% (www.landscapeamerica.com)

• Up to 70% of our potable water in Southern California goes toward landscape use (LA-DPW)

• Native and drought tolerant gardens use up to 75% less water than lawns and other water intensive landscapes.

• California's Model Landscape Ordinance will require commercial and residential properties to cut back on water, renovate irrigation systems, and install drought tolerant plantings starting in the next several years (www.owue.water.ca.gov)

• Simply retrofitting your existing irrigation system to a low-flow and/or weather sensor controlled system can reduce water use by 30% or more. 

• Installing a water cachement system such as rain barrels or an underground cistern can increase your water savings substantially as well as reduce runoff pollution from your garden.

• Homeowners in the US alone use over 60 million pounds of chemicals and spend over $15 billion annually in lawn care (www.endangeredspecieshandbook.org)

Make a difference:

Ocean Friendly Gardens:

Surfrider Foundation's Know Your H20 program is working to educate homeowners and our local governments about how to effectively reduce, recycle, and reuse water in our arid climate.   Their Ocean Friendly Gardens program is offering a new series of classes on how to design and create gardens that reduce water and pesticide use while also reducing runoff pollution and providing habitat for birds and butterflies.  Argia Designs' Morgan Vondrak along with other local designers and Surfrider volunteers will be teaching upcoming courses starting this fall.  Visit Ocean Friendly Gardens for more information.

Rain Vessels:

Our partner company, Artemisia Designs, is branching out and Jeremy is now offering his ceramic Rain Vessels to our residential clients.  Rain barrels are an ancient method to collect and save rain water for later use and are coming into more popular use with our water crisis.  Rain Vessels provide an artistic and aesthetically pleasing alternative to plastic rain barrels and will be available through Courtyard Pottery in the Cedros Design District in Solana Beach.  

1" of rain over 1,ooo sqare feet of roof area can yield 6oo gallons of water.  Collecting this water for future use not only reduces runoff pollution during rainstorms but saves on water bills when the garden becomes dry.   The chlorine free water saved in smaller Rain Vessels can be used as an alternative to tap water for indoor and potted plants as well as a variety of other garden and home uses.  Larger cachment systems can irrigate entire landscapes.