The Water Authority’s Sustainable Landscaping Demonstration Garden
The Water Authority’s demonstration garden is designed to function as a mini-watershed, holding and cleaning rainwater and forming a healthy habitat for plants and insects. Designing, installing and maintaining attractive, sustainable landscapes generate many environmental and community benefits: lower water use, less green waste, and reduced stormwater runoff and pollution.
This Garden Demonstrates Four Key Principles Of Sustainable Landscapes
Healthy, Living SOILS
Healthy, living soils rich in organic content feed a complex soil food web. The soil holds water like a sponge and has nutrients for better plant health. Healthy soil may also play an important role in carbon sequestration. This garden has a 1.3-inch layer of compost mixed into the soil, and is topped with 3 inches of mulch to suppress weeds and reduce evaporation.
Climate Appropriate PLANTS
A large selection of beautiful groundcovers, shrubs and trees is compatible with San Diego’s mild Mediterranean climate. These plants use less water and exhibit diverse colors, textures and shapes, while providing endless design opportunities. This garden uses more than 20 varieties of very low to moderate water-use plants, placed in hydrozones where plants with similar irrigation needs are grouped together.
RAINWATER As A Resource
Sustainable landscapes make the most of rainfall onsite. By slowing its flow, water is captured from rooftops and other hard surfaces so it can sink into the soil or be stored for later use. This garden demonstrates rainwater harvesting through a bioswale and detention basin next to the building and rain barrels along the entryway.
High-Efficiency IRRIGATION
A smart irrigation controller adjusts water automatically in response to site and changing weather conditions. High-performance distribution components regulate pressure and are tailored to fit the exact watering needs of different plants in the landscape. This garden has inline drip irrigation and rotating nozzles to maximize water-use efficiency.
Design: Steven Sherman, California Landscape Technologies
Installation: LandCare Logic
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