Create Your East Bay Water Wise Garden

Fall is an ideal time to cultivate a water-wise garden in the East Bay. As a plant lover you can enjoy your garden year round while being mindful of water usage and its impact on your water bill. With a little planning and thoughtful plant selection, you can create a sustainable oasis that thrives in our Mediterranean climate.

The Essence of Water Wise Gardening

Whether you call it “Water Wise” or “WaterSmart” or just “saving water”, this approach to gardening focuses on creating beautiful landscapes while conserving water usage. By selecting plants with lower water needs and using efficient care practices, you can maintain a vibrant landscape that supports pollinators and conserves our regional water resources. This is especially crucial in our East Bay area, where periods of drought can challenge even the most dedicated gardeners.

Choosing The Right Plants

When selecting plants for your water-wise garden, look for drought-tolerant species that excel in arid conditions. California Native plants fit this criteria perfectly as they have evolved with our regional ecosystem and are quite resilient. Here are some top native plant choices that thrive in the East Bay:

1. California Bush Sunflower (Encilia californica)

This drought-tolerant perennial is known for its vibrant yellow daisies that bloom for several months of the year and attract numerous pollinators. Encilia has a mounding habit and bushy appearance making it a good filler plant in any water-wise design.

2. Coastal Daisy (Erigeron glaucus spp.)

A low maintenance and compact perennial native to California, Erigeron features gray-green foliage and vibrant lavender to white or pink flowers that attract pollinators. Its low water needs make it a good match for the borders and edges of water-wise spaces.

3. California Lilac (Ceanothus spp.)

This showy shrub enhances gardens with lush foliage and dense clusters of vibrant blue flowers that attract pollinators in the spring and early summer. Drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, many Ceanothus varieties can grow quite large making them ideal features in water-wise landscapes.

4. Sage (Salvia spp.)

Sage comes in many drought-tolerant varieties and offers aromatic leaves often paired with colorful summer blooms that draw in pollinators. With low water needs and a bushy habit, native Sages are a popular choice for water-wise planting areas.

5. Narrowleaf Milkweed (Asclepias facularis)

Best known as a nectar source for the Monarch Butterfly as well as a food source for Monarch Caterpillars, Asclepias has clusters of pink to white flowers on slender stems and is very drought tolerant. It attracts many types of butterflies and thrives in water-wise gardens.

Designing Your Water Wise Garden

Once you’ve selected your plants, it's time to consider your garden layout from a functional perspective. Here are some tried-and-true strategies to help you begin to create an inviting and efficient water-wise space:

1. Group Plants by Water Needs

Organize your plantings based on their water requirements. By placing low water plants together and away from those that need more frequent watering, you can improve irrigation efficiency and greatly minimize water waste. This is a key concept in water-wise landscape management.

2. Utilize Mulch

Applying a three-inch layer of organic wood-based mulch around all of your planting areas is a simple and effective way to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil health. Be careful to NOT bury or cover your plant’s base with mulch as this will create conditions for plant disease.

Instead use the mulch to make a donut shape around the plant’s central stem or trunk in the middle. Then your plant can enjoy the water-saving benefits of mulch and stay healthy.

3. Incorporate Hardscaping

Adding ‘hard’ elements to your landscape like pathways, patios, or dry riverbeds made from decorative stones can beautify your garden while substantially reducing the area that needs watering. Hardscaping is a common technique that is popular among landscape designers to create visual interest and functional outdoor spaces. But it is equally useful for backyard gardeners and DIY homeowners.

4. Consider Drip Irrigation

A drip irrigation system is an ultra-efficient way to deliver water directly to the roots of your plants. This method minimizes evaporation and ensures that your low water plants receive the moisture they need without overwatering. Plus, you can schedule watering cycles with the use of a simple timer that fits your system.

Drip systems are not as complicated as they might seem and there are many online resources to help guide you with purchase and installation. However, if you’ve got a large planting area, or a multitude of plant species with different moisture needs, consult with a professional irrigation specialist. 

Caring for Your Water Wise Garden

As we move through the fall season, now is a natural time to clean up your outdoor spaces and prepare your garden for winter weather. It’s also an ideal moment to consider adding California Native and water-wise plants to your landscape. Keep these cultivation points in mind.

• If you decide to bring these beautiful varieties into your garden, be extra mindful to give them sufficient water on a regular basis to help their roots become well established during their first year. Then they will become truly resilient by the second year and much more capable of surviving dry conditions. 
  
  
• Remember that temperatures in the East Bay can fluctuate from week to week--or sometimes day to day--especially during the autumn months. Always check your soil moisture before watering or setting your irrigation system if you have installed one. You don't want to drown your native plants, but you also don't want to stress them with dehydration. Observe them carefully and you'll find their sweet spot.
  
  
• When thinking about nutrients for your water-wise plants, consider that many California Native and drought-tolerant varieties do not require excessive amounts of fertilizer. Use natural amendments such as worm castings or good quality compost to work into your planting areas for gentle supplementation.
  
  

Creating a water-wise garden is about more than just saving water and reducing your water bill; it’s about cultivating a sustainable and beautiful ecosystem in your backyard. By selecting drought-tolerant plants such as California Natives and employing thoughtful gardening practices, you can enjoy an attractive space that flourishes with minimal resource use for years to come.

At Evergreen Nursery, we’re eager to support you on this journey. Our friendly team of plant lovers are ready to help you select the right plants for your outdoor spaces and make sure you have the right gardening supplies, soil amendments, and mulches to support them. Visit our San Leandro garden center today and explore Water-Wise gardening with us.