Water Wise Landscape Design in the Bay Area
When homeowners consider landscape design in the Bay Area, water conservation is often a top priority. Fortunately, a beautiful garden and minimal water use are not mutually exclusive. By following a few basic strategies, you can enjoy your home’s landscaping without wasting a colossal amount of one of Earth’s most precious (and ever-dwindling) resources.
Getting Started
You can start by assessing the watering needs of the plants you already have or plan to install. Choose plants that require the least amount of hydration possible. If your yard currently has vegetation that requires much water, you might think about replacing those items in the spring.
Another important factor is the amount of water that evaporates in the soil and transpires via a plant’s leaves. This process is known as evapotranspiration. A call to your local water district or an on-site assessment may help in determining the evapotranspiration rate for your area. Once armed with this data, you should be able to plan irrigation more efficiently.
Appropriate Plants for Your Zone
If you don’t already know your plant hardiness zone, you can find this information on a plant hardiness zone map. Because California is so large, it encompasses multiple zones. Even here in the Bay Area, the zones vary according to specific locations, so consulting a zone map is always a good idea.
After you discover the zone for your location, you should explore the plants that grow naturally there. Native flowers and other native plants typically require less water than others. While doing this research, be sure to look up drought-tolerant plants that grow wild in your area. You will likely find a variety of beautiful plants and flowers that don’t need a lot of water to survive. In some cases, the plants you select may thrive with no watering at all on your part.
To reflect the serious drought conditions in this state, laws about lawns and low-water plants have been enacted in California. This is good news for homeowners, even those who live in neighborhoods governed by HOAs. If you still wish to integrate a lawn with your overall landscaping, consider drought-resistant grasses, or better yet, you might install synthetic turf instead.
Using Resources Efficiently
Make sure that you are employing all your tools, systems, and resources in as efficient a manner as possible. In order to coordinate your resources effectively, you may benefit from consulting a reputable team of landscape contractors in the Bay Area.
Place organic mulches around your plants and trees. This will promote moisture retention, as well as help prevent weeds that may consume the water meant for your chosen vegetation.
Encouraging optimal soil condition may lead to less water consumption and better drainage. To accomplish this, the placement of manure, old leaves, and compost could dramatically improve your soil.
Plan your irrigation schedule as strategically as possible. It may initially seem counterintuitive, but watering a lawn longer but less frequently actually fosters root growth and a healthy lawn. Another tip is to install drip irrigation when possible. This will ensure that your water targets the intended area and specific plants, and typically, less water is used when this method is applied.
Viking Pavers Landscape Design in the Bay Area
Although you may wish to redesign your landscaping for water conservation, you might feel overwhelmed at the thought. You don’t have to do it alone! Viking Pavers is proud to serve you with a team of highly competent and talented landscapers in the Bay Area. We look forward to helping with your next landscaping or hardscaping project.
Feel free to call us at (800) 941-1014, or leave us a message via our online contact form.
