Living in Southern California definitely has its perks! We get to wake up to blue skies and the pleasant heat from the sun almost every morning. Unfortunately, the dry desert weather is not as friendly to some plants and it also requires us to use more water when maintaining our gardens. If you are a homeowner in the greater Pasadena area, there are many good websites that provide local information about how to be water wise and we wanted to share some of that information here.
When landscaping it's often easy to forget what is required to maintain certain vegetation in the environment we live in. Who doesn't love the sight of gardens with lush green grass, exotic plants and vibrant colors? The back-side to planting gardens without thinking about our climate is that your garden will probably need a lot of watering to stay healthy. It's estimated that the average American household uses approximately 320 gallons of water each day and here in the South West almost 60% of that water is used outdoor. Furthermore, here in Pasadena it is estimated that people over water their lawns by 50-70%! The great thing is that just by applying some simple methods to the way we plan and maintain our gardens we can save many gallons of water.
The first thing to consider is what plants and flowers that you will have in your garden. There is a wide variety that are drought-tolerant and that are California natives. By choosing plants and flowers wisely you can create a garden that is both beautiful and also water friendly. Flowers like the Bigleaf Lupine and the Bush Sunflower are especially popular with the butterflies and will attract many fluttering friends.
Here is an excerpt from an article that gives you more tips about being water wise when gardening:
"To make sure that you are only watering with the amount of water the plants actually need, install timers, sprinklers and emitters. This helps you to keep track of your watering and you can simply sit back and enjoy your blossoming garden! Using mulch around your plants and along walkways does not only prevent weeds but also helps reduce water use on bare areas."
To read our full article go to this link.
