Water Efficient Landscapes - California


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Water Efficient Landscapes - California

  1. 1. water efficientL A N D S C A P E S In California, the largest use of all urban water is watering landscapes. When a landscape or irrigation system is poorly designed or poorly maintained, or the landscape consists of plants not suited to the dry and often hot California climate, water demand increases as a result of excessive evaporation, leaks, and runoff. Water consumption can be greatly reduced with careful planning, good plant selection, efficient irrigation systems, and good water management and maintenance practices. Since California experiences frequent and sometimes prolonged droughts together with an ever increasing demand, there is a great need for us to use water efficiently. But this doesn’t mean we have to give up our gardens. We can use water more efficiently and still have colorful, esthetically pleasing landscapes—including some turf areas for recreation. This brochure is intended to help you create a landscape that is not only water efficient, but attractive, colorful, and low maintenance. The designs illustrated here are typical back yards, but the principles of water efficient gardening apply to front yards as well.
  2. 2. Planning ahead How much grass do youPlanning is the key to a successful water wise land-scape. It is very tempting to go to a garden center and need?buy plants because they catch your eye, but not know- Lawns use more water than any other part of a land-ing where to place them and how much water they need scape and they cover large amounts of acreage state-are the beginnings of an unnecessarily high water using wide. Oftentimes lawns are installed because anlandscape. By planning ahead, costly mistakes can be alternative was never considered. There are alternativesavoided. to lawns, so in the planning stage decide if lawn is really a requirement in your yard. Think of who will use it andContact your local water provider to see if they offer any how often, who will mow it, fertilize it, remove the thatch,services such as water audits or landscape planning. etc.Some agencies offer landscaping classes and providewater conservation devices. Some also have demon- Perhaps a lawn is not needed at all. If a grass area isstration gardens where you can witness water efficient really just space filler, consider alternatives such asgardens in person, see how attractive they can be, and hardscapes, rock gardens or an unthirsty groundcover.get ideas for your own site. This is especially important on areas with slopes that tend to shed water faster than it can soak in. WaterTo get started, measure the landscape and draw the draining into street gutters and storm drains oftenarea and any existing landscape features to scale. This discharges directly into streams and this runoff fromwill give you an idea of the numbers of plants you will landscapes frequently contains fertilizers, pesticides,need, the size of the lawn and how much irrigation pipe, and other pollutants.sprinkler heads, and mulch you will need to buy. If you choose to plant a turf area after considering theseConsider the size, sun exposure, and slope of the area factors, minimize the size of the lawn and choose ato be landscaped. Avoid lawns on slopes that are grass type that doesn’t require lots of water and fertil-difficult to mow and water. If possible, reduce slopes in izer.the landscape that encourage runoff and waste water. Warm season grasses such as Hybrid Bermuda GrassThink about who will use the landscape and how they and St. Augustine Grass use much less water than cool-will use it. These factors determine the type of plants season grass such as Kentucky Bluegrass. Certainrequired and how it will be maintained. Don’t forget the Dwarf Tall Fescues use somewhat less water thanneed for shade and privacy screening. Bluegrass.When drawing the actual planting plan, avoid the Warm season grasses typically have a short wintertemptation to place too many plants for the area. A dormant period, but winter dormancy occurs when manycrowded garden will use more water, cost more, be people are not actively using their gardens and evenprone to diseases, and require more maintenance. dormant, warm season grass provides a usable surface for people and pets. If the look of dormant grass isConsult books such as Sunset Western Landscaping objectionable, it can be overseeded with another type ofBook about garden design. Many books available are grass for the winter.very good for useful advice and ideas. Some are writtenwith the dry west in mind and focus on landscaping withthe proper types of plants for warm, dry climates. Good choices make goodIf this phase of the project is too difficult, hire a licensed landscapeslandscape architect or designer. A landscape architect Once a decision regarding the turf area has been made,might be able to design the irrigation system for you or choose trees and large shrubs next. Make theseyou can consult with an irrigation design specialist. Be choices carefully, they are the "backbone" of anysure to keep a copy of the landscape plans for future landscape and poor choices will result in high waterreference. use, poor performance, and frequently costly mainte- nance or removal. When selecting trees and large shrubs, choose varieties that will still fit into your yard when they mature. Learn what your climate zone is and buy plants that are suited to it. Choose deciduous trees for shade and evergreen trees for screening.
  3. 3. water efficient landscapeWhat’s right about this landscape?Warm-season grass, permeable surface patio, water efficient plants with nearly year-round color, mulch in shrub areas, deciduoustrees for summer shade and winter sun, a California native, shrubs attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. This garden, with alandscaped area of 1,800 sq. ft., requires about 5,800 gallons of water to irrigate for the month of July in the Central Valley. A smallerlawn would make this landscape even more water efficient. A landscape of the same size with thirsty plants and a bluegrass lawnwould require an additional 2,000 to 3,000 gallons of water for the month of July. Snow in Summer (white) Jerusalem Sage “Burgandy” Lamb’s Ears Cerastium tomentosum Phlomis fruticosa Gazania hybrid Stachys byzantina Cat’s Claw Vine (yellow) Macfadyena unguis-cati Butterfly Bush Western (lavender pink) Redbud (pink) Buddleia davidii Cercis occidentalisCape Mallow Pink Crape Myrtle Anisodontea x Lagerstroemia hypomandarum indica Siskiyou Pink Gaura lindeheimeri Chinese Pistache Peter Pan “Moonbeam” (yellow) Pistachia chinensis Agapanthus Coreopsis verticillata hybridTry to group plants by water requirements, such as very Beginning on page 45, this publication gives the waterlow (e.g. drought tolerant California natives, such as needs of landscape plants in the six major climateBlue Oaks, Western Redbud), low (e.g. Rosemary, regions of California. Guides of this type are valuable inLavender), medium (e.g. Photinia, Euonymus), and high the design stage by aiding in the selection of plants for(e.g. Australian Tree Fern, Umbrella Sedge). Keep the groupings with similar water needs. These groupings ofhigh water-using plants to a minimum as focal points. plants of similar water requirements are also known as hydrozones.For help with selecting trees, shrubs, and groundcoversconsult a good gardening encyclopedia such as SunsetWestern Garden Book, your local Cooperative Exten- Irrigationsion, or a reputable nursery. Your local Urban Forester After the plants are chosen, design and install anor tree foundation can give valuable advice about which efficient irrigation system—one that will deliver a suffi-trees grow well in your area. cient amount of water where it’s needed. If you need information or help to design an irrigation system, ask atAnother excellent reference is A Guide to Estimating an irrigation supply store or hire a licensed landscapeIrrigation Water Needs of Landscape Plantings in contractor who specializes in irrigation systems toCalifornia, which is available on the Department of design and install it.Water Resources Web site at:http://www.owue.water.ca.gov/docs/wucols00.pdf Several of the major irrigation equipment manufacturers sell inexpensive irrigation design manuals online and at supply stores. A good irrigation design manual will
  4. 4. typical landscapeWhat’s wrong with this landscape? (from a water conservation point of view)Large lawn with cool-season grass, impervious patio, and a lot of high water using plants (Hydrangea, Azaleas, Birches, Annual colorand Coast Redwood). This garden, with a 1,600 sq. ft. landscaped area, requires about 8,400 gallons of water to irrigate for themonth of July in the Central Valley. This landscape requires over 2,500 gallons of water more per month (in July) than the previousexample.What could be a better version?Although this landscape uses several water efficient plants, the water use is still high. Smaller lawn, warm season grass, less highwater using plants, mulch, and avoiding large trees in smaller yards make landscapes much more resource efficient. For example,Redwoods need a lot of moisture and grow too large. Faywood Ash Fraxinus anqustifolia Azalea European White Birch “Raywood” Rhododendron sp. Betula pendulaCoast Redwood Sequoia sempervirens Bigleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea macrophylla “Newport Dwarf” Escallonia Star Jasmine Purple Leaf Plum annual color Trachelospermum jasminoides Prunus cerasifera Zinnias, Petunia, Pansyaddress important aspects of sprinkler design such as Check the operating pressure with a pressure gauge atsprinkler layout, water pressure, choosing the right an outdoor faucet so that you can select the rightsprinkler for the job, head to head coverage, and sprinkler for the job. Sprinklers are labeled to show howmatching precipitation rates. Some manufacturers offer far they spray at different pressures. Operation at toofree irrigation design services. high of pressure will create a lot of water-wasting mist and too little pressure will cause uneven coverage.Always be sure to keep a drawing of the sprinkler layoutand a list of parts used (including brand names and Microspray and drip irrigation are other good choices formodel numbers) for future reference. This will make any tree and shrub areas. Microspray and drip also workfuture repairs or additions much easier. well on container gardens and window boxes. Microspray and drip systems apply water slowly and justUse sprinklers that will apply water evenly. Use stream where it’s needed.rotors on lawns and bubblers in shrub and tree areas.The better quality pop-up spray sprinklers work well in When you water, apply it infrequently, deeply (through-smaller areas, but avoid using sprinklers that create a out the root zone), and evenly. This will encourage deepfine mist because much of that water is lost to evapora- rooting, which will make plants better able to withstandtion and overspray. hot, dry spells.
  5. 5. Lawns require water about once or twice a week inwarm weather. Trees and shrubs require watering lessfrequently. Because of this shrubs and trees shouldalways be on separate zones from turf.In the spring, fall, and winter all plants need much less water wise plantswater than is required in summer. Consequently, There are many water wise plants to choose fromwatering time should be much shorter and less fre- that thrive in California’s mostly moderatequently in the off peak seasons. climate. These include both many attractive natives and plants introduced from other Mediter-One way to make watering much easier is by using an ranean-like climates. These unthirsty plantsirrigation controller, also called a sprinkler timer or clock. enable any gardener to create a water conservingTimers can save gardeners a lot of time by watering landscape. In addition to the plants shown inautomatically, but they can waste a lot of water if not these water efficient landscape designs, here is areprogrammed to water less as the seasons change. list of a few more of the many water wise plants available.If an irrigation controller is to be used, be sure to SHRUBSpurchase one with multiple functions. Buy one with extra Blue Hibiscus, Alyogyne huegeliistations in case you need to add irrigation zones later. Coyote Brush, Baccharis pilularisMost importantly, adjust the timer monthly, weekly if Barberry, Berberis x stenophyllaneeded, so that the irrigation time set for the summer is Bush Anemone, Carpenteria californicanot set during the rest of the year. Bush Morning Glory, Convolvulus cneorum Smoke Tree, Cotinus coggygriaDuring hot or cool spells most controllers can be easily Euryops, Euryops pectinatus Pineapple Guava, Feijoa sellowianaadjusted without disturbing the original program. By Texas Ranger, Leucophyllum sp.using the "seasonal adjust" or "budget adjust" feature, Pomegranate, Punica granatumfrequent changes to the amount of time watering caneasily be accomplished simply by pushing a button. TREES Madrone, Arbutus menziesiiThe amount of water applied can be increased or Bottle Tree, Brachychiton populneusdecreased in 10% increments. When considering that Pindo Palm, Butia capitataJuly is usually the peak demand for water, it can be Australian Beefwood, Casuarina strictaconsidered to be the 100% mark. Honey Locust, Gleditsia triacanthos Sweet Bay, Laurus nobilis Interior Live Oak, Quercus wislizeniiFor example, during April the irrigation could be turned Locust, Robinia x ambiguaon and the controller set for 60% of the amount it will be Texas Mountain Laurel, Sophora secundiflorawatered in July. This can be accomplished by pushing Chaste Tree, Vitex agnus-castusthe seasonal adjust button until the display shows 60%.The controller can be adjusted upwards gradually as the GROUNDCOVERSweather warms. Bearberry, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Carmel Creeper, Ceanthous griseus horizontalisLikewise in fall, the season adjust can be adjusted Red Spike Ice Plant, Cephalophylum sp.downward beginning in August for most areas of Califor- Chamomile, Chamaemelum nobilenia. This can continue through October or November. Creeping Coprosma, Coprosma x kirkii Trailing Lantana, Lantana montedivensisBy November the irrigation system can be turned off in Creeping Mahonia, Mahonia repensmost places in the state. Pork and Beans, Sedum rubrotinctum Australian Bluebell Creeper, Sollya heterophyllaRainfall may be enough for most areas, but if supple- Wooly Thyme, Thymus pseudolanuginosusmental irrigation is required during the winter, use themanual “on” switch to run the irrigation when the land- PERENNIALSscape shows signs of water stress. The controller can Yarrow, Achillea millefoliumalso be reprogrammed to run less frequently than it Columbine, Aquilegia hybridswould during the rest of the year. Consider installing a Wormwood, Artemisia "Powis Castle"rain shut-off switch to prevent watering while it’s raining. Italian Arum, Arum italicum Cast Iron Plant, Aspidistra elatior Fortnight Lily, Dietes iridioidesUse a soil probe or large screwdriver to check the soil Siberian Wallflower, Erysimum x allioniimoisture. It may look dry on the surface, but be moist Blanketflower, Gaillardia grandifloraunderneath. If the soil is still moist, plants probably Sunrose, Helianthemum nummulariumwon’t need to be irrigated yet. Always observe how a Crown Pink, Lychnis coronariachange in the irrigation schedule affects the landscape.
  6. 6. strolling gardenTurfless is effortless—well, almost.If you don’t need grass, just a quiet place to enjoy nature and be outside, try installing a strolling garden. Many water efficient plantsare not fussy and don’t require a lot of maintenance. Occasional pruning to rejuvenate and improve shape is all that many of theseplants need. Unthirsty plants, organic mulch, and a permeable gravel path make this garden a real water saver. This garden, with alandscaped area of about 900 sq. ft., requires about 1,550 gallons for July in the Central Valley and only about 1,000 gallons on theCoast during July. Snow in Summer (white) Strawberry Tree Lantana “Gold Rush” Cerastium tomentosum Arbustus unedo Lantana hybrid Silver Mound Artemisia Pink Jerusalem Sage Artemesia schmidtiana Phlomis purpurea Lemon Bottlebrush Callistemon citrinus “Perth Pink” Cork OakQuercus suber Verbina bonariensis Spurge Euphorbia characias Pink Jerusalem Sage Phlomis purpureaNew Zealand Flax Phormium tenax “Maori Queen” Lantana hybrids Orchid Rockrose Sea Tomato Rose “Confetti” Rockrose Cistus purpurea Rosa rugosa Lantana Cisus skanbergiiSome features to look for in irrigation controllers are: These irrigation guidelines are general and may not always reflect the needs of your particular site.• multiple independent programs (for different types of plant zones) The fun part• several start times, cycle and soak (for heavy or Once the irrigation system is installed, the lawn, trees, compacted soil or sloped areas) and shrubs can be planted. If your site has very sandy or heavy clay soil, amend the soil to increase the fertility• nonvolatile memory and battery backup (to keep the and water holding capacity or to improve drainage. schedule current after a power failure) Plant shrubs according to the plan so that their leaves will just touch once they become established. This will• water budgeting in percentage (%) increments (to ensure that the ground will be shaded by foliage but water according to what the plants really need) there will be adequate air circulation. This “room to breathe” will make appreciating the foliage and flowers• rain shut-off device (to save water when the land- much easier. scape is watered by rain)
  7. 7. Set all shrubs and tree root balls somewhat high in the • Observe how a decrease in water affects the land-planting hole so that the top of the root ball will not scape and make adjustments as needed.settle below grade. • Refresh the mulch layer in the spring.If young trees need staking, use two or three stakes tiedloosely and just high enough on the trunk to keep the • Prune only when necessary to shape the plant ortrunk from bending over. Remove them once the trees remove dead or diseased parts.can stand on their own. While stakes can support anewly planted tree, if left too long, they will actually • If fertilizer is necessary, use a balanced fertilizer,cause the tree to grow weakly. Shorten the staking avoiding high Nitrogen mixtures that will causepoles so that they will not rub the bark of the new tree. excessive growth and could impact groundwater quality.New lawns can be seeded, hydroseeded or planted withsod. There are advantages to all of these methods; • When you mow, "grasscycle" the clippings. Thetherefore, budget, time of year, and availability of clippings left behind on the grass will break downproducts will determine the right grass planting method without causing a buildup of thatch.for your landscape. A good landscaping book will outlinethe steps to preparing, planting, and maintaining a lawn. • Aerate lawns occasionally to improve water infiltration.After the plants are planted, cover the ground around • In times of drought, deep soak shrubs and trees onlytrees and shrubs with a two-to-three-inch layer of after they show signs of water stress, and water onlyorganic mulch, keeping it away from the plant stems. in off peak hours. If a drought becomes severe,Mulch will keep the soil cool and moist in warm weather community leaders may ask people to stop wateringand insulate it during winter. Mulch also has the added their lawns, but any trees planted in lawn areas willbenefit of controlling weeds and enriching the soil by still need an occasional soaking to survive. Deep soakadding organic matter. these trees as you would any other tree in the land- scape by drip, bubbler or garden hose.Routine maintenance If a garden is comprised mostly of water efficient plants,keeps a landscape the landscape can be sustained on minimal irrigation through a drought and will be able to recover whenlooking great water conditions improve.Regular maintenance of a landscape will keep it lookinggreat and resource efficient. By working on small tasks The big pictureon a continuous basis the large tasks will be limited. If good horticultural practices are followed, the depen- dence on chemicals in the garden can be reduced• Check the irrigation system frequently for leaks, significantly. Mulching and grasscycling can greatly broken sprinklers, and clogged emitters; repair with reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. Likewise, when the correct parts. less water is used, fertilizers and pesticides are not washed away. Less water controls excessive growth• Adjust the sprinklers as needed. If water runs off the and reduces the amount of succulent new growth that is landscaped area before the irrigation cycle is com- attractive to insect pests. plete, adjust the timer to run several times with a shorter duration each time. For example, instead of Since too much water causes many problems with running it for 15 minutes continuously, adjust the timer plants, it makes sense to be water wise. It will save to run three times that day for 5 minutes each time, money and time, as well as give the gardener the with an interval in between to let the water soak in. satisfaction of doing his or her part in solving This is especially important on slopes and high traffic California’s real water challenge. areas.• Check the soil moisture depth with a soil probe or large screwdriver. If you use a screwdriver, push it in to the soil until you feel resistance. That is the ap- proximate depth of where the soil is dry. If the mois- ture extends well below the root zone cut back on the water somewhat by shortening the time of an irrigation cycle or adding more time between cycles.
  8. 8. State of CaliforniaThe Resources AgencyDepartment of Water ResourcesOFFICE OF WATER USE EFFICIENCYP.O. Box 942836Sacramento, CA 94236-0001Phone: (916) 651-9676Web site: www.owue.water.ca.gov/landscapee-mail: landscape@water.ca.gov(A copy of this brochure is available in PDF format atwww.owue.water.ca.gov/landscape/pubs/pubs.cfm) Printed by DWR Printing Production Services, June 2002This brochure was written by Julie Saare-Edmonds, landscape specialistfor DWR’s Office of Water Use Efficiency. Design and layout was providedby Alice Dyer of DWR’s Division of Planning and Local Assistance.