Beyond compliance
Under MWELO, plants must be low- to medium-water
use and suited to California’s climate, as determined
by California’s Water Use Classification of Landscape
Species. While the ordinance encourages the use of Cali-
fornia natives — collectively the most water efficient —
it’s not a requirement.
“Unfortunately, we’re still using mostly nonnatives
in our landscaping, but using plants that can get by
with less water, less fertilizer, pesticide treatment and
are suited to our climate is a huge step forward,” says
Saare-Edmonds. The next step, she says, is to use more
California native plants that require almost no additional
care or watering once established.
Balics says people can’t believe it when she tells them
the only time she waters her yard of rich, green native
foliage is two or three times in the summer.
But landscaping with natives and eco-friendly princi-
ples isn’t yet mainstream. It can be more expensive and
often requires a change of maintenance routines. That
requires building soil health naturally — which helps
to retain water — and understanding the requirements
of native plants. Each plant or plant community should
be individually assessed as opposed to following the
exact same set of practices — shaving plants into balls or
rectangles — every time, says A. Haven Kiers, assistant
professor of landscape architecture at UC Davis.
Kiers teaches her students to focus on the ecology of
native plants that have coevolved with native insects like
bees, and combine them in an aesthetic way. But without
properly trained maintenance crews, the vision of the de-
signer or landscape architect gets lost, says Saare-Edmonds.
Despite the barriers, momentum is growing. In 2017,
EcoLandscape California, a Sacramento-based nonprofit,
merged with ReScape California, based in the Bay Area,
strengthening ecological landscape education and advoca-
cy. The organization has trained more than 2,500 profes-
sionals to install, design and maintain eco-friendly residen-
tial and commercial landscapes in Northern California.
Further efforts from organizations like the UC Master
Gardener Program, Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, Cal-
ifornia Native Plant Society and water-wise demonstra-
tion gardens are fueling the shift.
Ecological principles could function as a powerful
nucleus toward conserving urban water and curbing
some of our most unsustainable landscape practices. As
Kiers says, “It’s about how we can use natives ornamen-
tally. … And make them look sexy at the same time.”
Jennifer Berry writes about science, nature and the envi-
ronment. Her work has appeared in numerous publications
and on the air, including Highlights for Children and Public
Radio International.
May 2020 | comstocksmag.com
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