Western Municipal Water District's

Landscapes Southern California StyleSM

Created out of concern for Southern California's water future, Landscapes Southern California StyleSM, a one-acre water conservation demonstration garden, was designed to encourage public acceptance, desire for, and use of water-efficient landscapes. It is located at Western Municipal Water District's office at 450 E. Alessandro Boulevard in Riverside, California. Visitors to the garden can, via a self-guided tour, see more than 200 species of plants in a natural setting and the irrigation systems that contribute to water efficiency. By following the techniques that are demonstrated here, consumers can reduce landscape water use 25 to 50 percent, save maintenance time and dollars on water bills and have beautiful, lush landscapes well suited to the arid Southern California climate.

Discover landscaping tips and appropriate plants for the many niche gardens of Western's Landscapes Southern California StyleSM water conservation garden. Take a stroll on a

VIRTUAL TOUR… click here. And see the map below for directions to the garden!

Native Night Presentation

The presentation is now avilable for download. You can get the PDF here.

Invaluable resource!

Western is very pleased to provide a handy and informative resource - Guide to Landscape Water Conservation in western Riverside County. Within the booklet's 20 pages, you’ll discover tips on water-efficient landscaping and details about many of the plants you’ll find in the garden. Pick up your FREE copy at Landscapes Southern California StyleSM, Western's one-acre, water conservation education garden. For a list of Western's "Water-wise 140", the top picks of water-wise plants mentioned in the booklet, just click the art. The garden is open seven days a week, except major holidays, and is free. It's located at Western's headquarters, 450 E. Alessandro Boulevard in Riverside.

Water-wise Seminars and Events

Western regularly hosts and presents water-wise landscape seminars and events in the water conservation center. For a current calendar of events click here.

Fire-wise Landscaping

The goal in fire protection is to reduce the potential fuel for wildfires. Many Southern California homes are located in brush or chaparral land, and in the dry season much of this native vegetation is highly flammable. These same homes are often located on hillsides whose steep slopes are particularly vulnerable to soil erosion when native vegetation is removed for fire control. Therefore, a balance is struck between fire protection and erosion control. Help protect your home from wildfire by following the guidelines in this handy brochure - just click here.

\WATERING GUIDEWATERING GUIDE

Click here to view our detailed watering guide.

CREATING YOUR OWN WATER-WISE LANDSCAPING
By following the basic principles of water-wise landscaping, you will arrive at beautifullandscape solutions that work in theSouthern California climate.

1. Limit non-functional turf.
2. Install the proper irrigation, and do not over water! Conventional sprinklers are best for turf, while low-volume irrigation, such as drip, is best for trees, shrubs and perennials.
3. Group plants with similar water needs. Maximize the use of low-water-use plants especially in sunny, dry and windy areas. Thirstier plants should be used sparingly and planted close to the house in either shady areas or containers.
4. Improve the texture of the soil, if needed, by adding amendments. Amendments can either increase water retention or improve drainage, depending on the soil composition.
5. Use a thick layer of mulch around your plants to help the soil retain moisture. Mulch also inhibits weeds.
6. Plant trees to lower air and soil temperatures. This reduces plant and soil moisture loss.
7. Use low, spreading shrubs and trees to cover large slopes rather than shallow-rooted groundcovers. Minimize water runoff with drip irrigation

Take an Online Gardening Course

Gardening with California friendly and native plants just got easier via Metropolitan Water District's self-guided web tutorial. This easy-to-follow format takes just 15 minutes per segment. Click here for more.

GARDEN FACTS
1 acre
250+ plant species
50 education stations
Open to the public seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed holidays.
450 E. Alessandro Blvd., Riverside, California
951.789.5036

Free admittance