California Friendly® &
Waterwise Landscaping Guidebooks
California Friendly® Maintenance Guide
California Friendly® is California’s future. Water reliability is dependent on using water wisely. We need to create sustainable gardens that rely on less water. This maintenance guide will help you support California’s future:
- Uncover the secrets of efficient irrigation.
- Explore the techniques for irrigating with recycled water.
- Get the maintenance tips for hundreds of California Friendly® plants.
- Discover the methods and means of managing weed and pest infestations.
- Learn how to maintain rainwater capture opportunities.
This book has been written for every landscaper, gardener and land manager in Southern California. It has been produced by the very first collaboration between three Southern California organizations, LADWP, MWD and SoCalGas. Feel free to download a copy of the book for free and use the information in your garden and help us create a beautiful, thriving and sustainable future.
Read Individual Chapters Below
I. Introduction
1. Your Water and Energy—Let’s get this right!
II. Irrigation: Maintaining Efficiency
3. Controlling Your Controller
4. Irrigation Maintenance and Troubleshooting
5. Irrigating with Recycled Water
III. Plants
IV. Pests
V. Stormwater
12. Stormwater: Infiltrating, Screening
13. Managing Surfaces and Slowing Runoff
14. Rainwater Capture: Rain Barrels and Cisterns
VI. Additional Resources
The Waterwise Garden
Designed by Nature
Waterwise landscapes are not only beautiful, they help conserve valuable natural resources and create a diverse habitat of birds, butterflies and pollinators.
This guidebook provides landscape design tips and step-by-step guidelines to help you transform your lawn to a waterwise and sustainable garden. Learn how to hold on to rainwater and reduce the demand for supplemental irrigation using principles of sustainable landscaping.
Get inspired and create your very own waterwise garden today. This guidebook written and designed by Green Gardens Group.
Read Individual Chapters Below
I. INTRODUCTION
Waterwise landscapes in three Easy Steps 1
Envision your Waterwise Landscape 3
II. GET INSPIRED
Kids, Pets, Fun, and Friendly 11
Groundcovers and Lawn Alternatives 13
III. DESIGN YOUR GARDEN
Start with a Site Plan and Test your soil 21
Consider your Microclimates 23
Evaluate your Existing Irrigation 24
Map your yard as a Mini-Watershed 26
Capture First Flush: Detain the Rain 27
IV. PLAN FOR PLANTS
Select Climate-appropriate plants 30
How much Water does your garden Need? 31
How much Water can your garden Save? 32
Make a Hydrozoned planting plan 33
Match Irrigation to new Hydrozones 35
V. LAWN BE GONE
Lawn: Cool Season vs Warm Season grass 37
Lose Your Lawn and Build Healthy Soil 39
Contour Hillsides with Caution 43
VI. GARDEN PLANS FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Slopes and Hillsides are special 57
VII. TEND YOUR GARDEN
Manage Irrigation Efficiency 65
Use this Maintenance Checklist 68
Landscape with a Professional 69
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California Friendly® registered trademark of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Many of the flower and garden images are courtesy of the Theodore Payne Foundation.