“ The main issue you want to stay away from is grouping plants together that have different water needs ,” Gallardo explains . “ An effective droughtresistant garden is correctly hydro-zoned to avoid over- [ or ] underwatering plants . Hydrozoning should be done during the planning stages and involves grouping plants with similar water needs together .”
GOING GREEN Creating a yard that ’ s more sustainable and saves money may be the goal , but how a homeowner wants their landscaping to look will dictate the amount of maintenance a drought-resistant garden will require . For example , Christoph says , if a naturalistic look is desired , clipping and hedging is not only unnecessary , but also counterproductive . She says to let natural duff accumulate on the ground , and don ’ t rake and remove organic material from the ground surface .
“ Raking is a task [ that ’ s ] not needed . Until plants have covered the surface , hand weeding will be necessary ,” she says . “ Your garden will look like it belongs in California , not like it is trying to duplicate a garden from a different , wetter climate .”
Gallardo says the main way that native plants can help save money is by reducing water usage . Native plants require less water to thrive and have adapted to and are uniquely suited to survive in their native habitat . Overall , they also require less maintenance , which saves time and money .
Gallardo ’ s strongest recommendation for decreasing water bills is making sure that homeowners understand where the water they use is going . If possible , track water usage with a smart water meter . ( If you aren ’ t sure whether you have a smart meter , ask your water provider who will be able to give you more information and point you in the right direction .)
“ In general , a conservative estimate for household water use shows that approximately 50 % of a household ’ s usage goes to the landscaping ,” he says . “ When the weather begins to change , your landscape watering schedule should change . It ’ s also important to regularly check the irrigation system for any breaks or issues . The biggest factor we see at our district with high bills is an overactive irrigation system .”
With these tips and some landscape changes in favor of native plants , homeowners may soon have a water-sipping garden that not only looks great , but keeps the green in their pockets .
Above : Rocks and drought-tolerant plants including New Zealand hair sedge and stained glass agave create a tasteful space without green turf . Below : Some low-water landscaping offers an alternative to a full lawn in the front yard .
Succulents add a nice , green backdrop for a few pops of color in low-water landscaping .
FROM TOP : MELLON STUDIO / COURTESY OF ANDERS LASATER ARCHITECTS ; BRYAN GERLACH ; MARY HURLBUT
36 FALL / WINTER 2023 / 24 | LATITUDE33MAGAZINE . COM