WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE RESOURCES

California American Water encourages its customers to implement drought tolerant and California native plants into their own landscapes. It’s simple, pretty, and helps reduce water use while providing habitat for native fauna.  This page offers helpful information and resources to get you started on your own California friendly garden!

Scroll down the page for region specific information.

Did you know

• Just because you have a Smart Controller for your watering stations, you might not be saving water?!  You need to program it properly because a smart controller is only as smart as the information you feed it. Visit for information https://resetyourcontroller.com/  You can also find most smart controller manuals by going to their website and searching “Owner Manual” on the internal search bar. 

• Trees should be watered by the edge of their leaves not near their trunk?  Giving trees a long but infrequent soak at the drip line (the perimeter of the leaves) emulates how a tree would naturally get water during rainy weather and encourages healthy roots.

• Allowing native plants to grow to their genetic density, rather than pruning them, and allowing the leaf litter to remain on the ground both reduces bio-waste and the need for watering? Let those plants garden themselves!

Native plants

Native plants are great for many reasons

• They are meant to be here! They have evolved to be happiest with the usual amount of sun, water, and heat found in your area making them water savers and easy keepers
• They increase biodiversity!  Your local insects, bugs, and animals have evolved with these plants so they rely upon them for food and shelter, but are unlikely to completely kill your plant since the plant has evolved ways to keep predators at bay.
• They are pretty!  You can find native plants in all shapes and sizes to fit most any height, color, texture, or even scent desired.

Visit hhttps://www.cnps.org/ for lists or regionally specific native plants to create the most beneficial garden possible.  Explore more of that site for great information on planning your garden, planting, why native plants, and horticultural research.

Ventura Specific

Visit Water-Wise Gardening in Ventura County for more Ventura County specific gardening information.
 
Demonstration Gardens

California American Water encourages its customers to implement drought tolerant and California Native plants into their own landscapes.  Our own conservation garden can be seen at our Newbury Park Office at 2439 W. Hillcrest Drive, Newbury Park CA 91320.

California American Water has sponsored several conservation gardens in the Ventura District through our Large Landscape Grant Program.

San Diego Specific

In the midst of historic drought, California’s academic institutions serve as a tremendous resource both in offering everything from near-term management advice to farmers and ranchers to the innovative work being carried out by researchers on a vast array of issues from drought resistant crops to snow sensors to climate change. 

Visit San Diego Gardening for more San Diego County specific gardening information.

The San Diego County Master Gardeners offer free gardening classes and free gardening advice on their hot-line.

Demonstrations Gardens

California American Water encourages its customers to implement drought tolerant and California Native plants into their own landscapes.  Our own conservation garden can be seen at our Imperial Beach Operations Center located at 1025 Palm Ave, Imperial Beach CA 91932.

Sacramento Specific

Visit Sacramento Gardening for more Sacramento County specific gardening information.

Larkfield Specific

Larkfield District is a member of the Sonoma Marin Saving Water Partnership. You may gain valuable information by visiting their site at http://www.savingwaterpartnership.org.

Visit http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Garden_Sense_Master/Garden_Sense/ for more Sonoma specific gardening information and help provided by Sonoma State University and the Master Gardeners.
 
Come visit the office for free handouts, drought resistant plant lists, CD’s, and low flow hose nozzles!

Los Angeles Specific

Visit Los Angeles Gardening for more Los Angeles County specific gardening information.

Demonstration Gardens

We encourage our customers to implement drought tolerant and California native plants into their landscapes. Our own Conservation garden can be seen at our Los Angeles Office at 8657 Grand Avenue, Rosemead, CA 91770. We also sponsored a community conservation garden for the Rosemead Chamber of Commerce at 3953 Muscatel Avenue, Rosemead, CA 91770.