Green Business Certification Program

2022 Water-Wise Garden Contest Entries

GARDEN A

Irrigation method(s):
By Hand

Tell us about your landscape:
Our garden blends palms, herbs, flowers and succulents for a colorful, aromatic, and water-wise landscape! The Guadalupe palms are a highlight, surrounded by varying shades of purple from sweet pea and salvia plants, as well multiple kinds of lavender, rosemary and thyme. It has brought us a lot of joy to see hummingbirds and butterflies enjoying our new front yard!

GARDEN C

Irrigation method(s):
Drip Irrigation, Rain Barrels

Tell us about your landscape:
The goal was to cultivate a native garden that is beneficial to insects and wildlife friendly. We've seen the return of wildlife after project completion and enjoy watching the California Bumble Bees and other other insects and birds visiting our plants, seeds, flowers and berries. We started the project by removing the existing grass and all plants which were non-native so we could start with a clean slate (with the exception of 1 mature tree and 2 bushes) and replaced the landscape with 95% California Native Plants. We focused much of our plant selection on hyper local to our specific coastal area, many of which you might find on a hike in our town such as coastal sagebrush, dune sagewort, and coastal buckwheat . The additional 5% non-native are rated low for Water Use Classifications of Landscape Species and drought resistant. We utilized Corten Steel planters for our vegetable gardens as an architectural touch and a driftwood bench. We added hardscape with pavers which is angled to direct the rain water where we want it to go and a permeable decomposed granite pathway which meanders through the entire garden. Sonoma Moss Rock is placed throughout the landscape as retention walls and for natural aesthetic. We kept erosion in mind with plant placement on our hillside. We repurposed an old existing playhouse by transforming it into a simple greenhouse. We are using drip irrigation in the landscape for the first year and once we get to the rainy season and our rain barrels fill, they will be used to supplement watering on exceptionally (but rare) hot days.
I acknowledge my garden was installed on the ancestral and unceded land of the Ohlone People.
Credit: We worked with landscape designer PlantKind.co to make sure we got it right! Show Less...Show More...

GARDEN D

Irrigation method(s):
Drip Irrigation, Recycled Water, Rain Barrels

Tell us about your landscape:
The goal was a native garden in an English cottage style that is highly aromatic along the walkways with different tactile surfaces and different contrasting plant and flower colors to create texture and depth. A variety of drought-tolerant California natives, edibles, and seasonal flowers were planted that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Using green design principles, the garden is irrigated using greywater and rainwater when possible and powered with solar and a battery backup system.

The garden began with a deck being built to the hillside and a 200sqft veggie garden being installed. It then proceeded up the hill a height of 44 additional feet in elevation, width of 54 feet wide at deck and 62 feet wide at the top, and total of 4,850 square feet with multiple paths, stairs, playhouse, flagstone areas, etc.

The garden consists of 13 different fruit trees both dwarf and espalier, 362 native plant shrubs and vines, native plants, 1 mature Toyon tree, 2 Live Oaks, 1 Redwood, 1 California ironwood, 1 children's playhouse, 1 children's slide built into hillside, an arbor with porch swing at top, 300 sqft Roman chamomile play area, and an extensive fairy garden. Main garden is irrigated by greywater via 1 Water ReNu greywater system using showers, baths, bathroom sinks, and laundry to irrigate native and low acidity non-edibles. Edibles and more sensitive plants are irrigated by 2 x 765 rain barrels (1830 gallons) and municipal make-up water as needed for the veggie garden, redwood, 12 blueberry plants (4 varieties), and 35 strawberry plants. Show Less...Show More...

GARDEN E

Irrigation method(s):
By Hand, Rain Barrels

Tell us about your landscape:
Use of drought tolerant planting mostly succulents. Redwood bark for ground cover to trap in moisture and limit required watering as well as remaining ground cover use of pebble/cobble.

GARDEN F