THE DELEON INSIGHT
WATER-EFFICIENT LANDSCAPING By Jenny Yin, DeLeon Realty Interior Designer
Many homeowners would love to have their houses encircled by lush lawn, towering trees, and colorful flowers. With so many people working from home recently, having a nice garden has become even more desirable, since it could serve as an extension of a home office. Plus, it adds more value to your property.
• Santa Barbara Ceanothus - Prefers sun to partial sun exposure, requires infrequent to no summer watering • Scarlet Bugler - Prefers hot and dry summer, is drought tolerant • Deergrass - Stays evergreen even without watering
In order to maintain the garden, typical houses would need to spend more than 50% of their water usage on landscaping. However, with Governor Newsom recently declaring a drought emergency in 41 counties1, Californians now need to use water more efficiently and wisely. This does not mean you have to give up your garden though; rather, there are several alternatives to reduce water on landscaping and still create and maintain a charming garden.
Mulch is Important to the Garden Another way of reducing water on landscaping is to retain moisture in the soil. Moisture is lost through evaporation, especially during hot and windy days. To prevent the garden soil from evaporation and direct exposure from sunlight, placing mulch on top of the soil is most effective.
Landscape Using Low-Water Native Plants/Trees Landscaping your garden with low-water native plants and trees has a great impact on water conservation. Native plants have already adapted to your local environment, and over time, will require less care. California native plants are a great option because they are water-efficient, come in a variety of colors, and provide biological diversity. Here are some of the California plants that will help your low-water garden stay pretty: • Golden Yarrow - Prefers sun exposure, has clusters of yellow flowers, is attractive to butterflies
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Because mulch has the ability to maintain moisture in the soil, it will reduce the need of watering your plants. It also acts as an insulator that keeps the roots of the plants at a constant temperature and cooler in the summer. Another benefit of mulch is to provide nutrients and improve the quality of the soil as it breaks up the clay and allows water and air movement through the soil. The recommended method is applying 2 to 4 inches of mulch on planting beds, especially the area around the trees. Replacing the grass with mulch will lower the competition for water and nutrients. Besides the benefit of conserving soil moisture, aesthetically, mulch looks great and blends well naturally with the surrounding landscape. It mimics the elements that you will find in the natural environment, such as plant branches and soil.
