In 2021, our team at UC Merced found that covering California’s extensive network of irrigation canals with solar panels could make significant contributions to both clean energy and water conservation, serving two of the state’s most pressing needs at once.
Large trees were the driving force that led Encinitas homeowners to remove grass and create a vibrant, low-water use landscape. The waterwise transformation won the San Dieguito Water District 2023 Landscape Makeover Contest.
Rick and Melanie Cullen had a yard with grass with large shade trees. But the roots of their three large Liquidambar trees were damaging the driveway and the grass, which motivated the couple to remake their landscape.
Plants in beautiful colors that attract pollinators highlight the plant palette. Photo: San Dieguito Water District
Rip it all out, she said. Every blade of grass, frontyard and back. As soon as my wife heard the city was offering a rebate, she wanted to replace our lawns with bark mulch and bunchgrass.
Large trees were the driving force that led Encinitas homeowners to remove grass and create a vibrant, low-water use landscape. The waterwise transformation won the San Dieguito Water District 2023 Landscape Makeover Contest.
Rick and Melanie Cullen had a yard with grass with large shade trees. But the roots of their three large Liquidambar trees were damaging the driveway and the grass, which motivated the couple to remake their landscape.
Overgrown landscape trees helped inspire a change to a waterwise landscape design. Photo: San Dieguito Water District
“San Dieguito Water District is proud to recognize customers like the Cullens, who create beautiful and resilient landscapes while making efficient use of their water,” said Isam Hireish, general manager of San Dieguito Water District.
The makeover design incorporates a dry riverbed. Photo: San Dieguito Water District
The Cullens wanted to plant a drought-tolerant, water-wise yard that would be easy to maintain, beautiful, and hold up to their frequent travel schedule.
“My inspiration was to create a water wise, drought-tolerant front yard that also provides us a beautiful yard as if we were in the mountains,” said Melanie Cullen. It started with taking existing small landscape rocks and repurposing them into a natural dry streambed feature.
Plants in beautiful colors that attract pollinators highlight the plant palette. Photo: San Dieguito Water District
Plants were selected that would thrive in the coastal San Diego County environment. The invasive Liquidambar trees were replaced by Blue Ice Cypress, Forest Pansy Red Bud, and dwarf Deodar Cedar trees. Colorful drought-tolerant flowering shrubs and perennials including Coastal Woolybush, salvias, echinaceas, Texas primrose, heronsbill, columbine, Grevillea ‘Mt. Tamboritha’ and ‘Sour Grapes’ Penstemon provide habitat for pollinators.
Grasses including Pennisetum ‘Fireworks’ and Acorus ‘Variegated Sweetflag’ add to the plant palette. Creeping Thyme and trailing Rosemary are used as colorful, fragrant ground cover.
A highlight: one dozen Azaleas create a woodland flower look. Cullen says they bloom when other plants aren’t flowering.
“One might think they are water hogs, but they get the same water as everything else and bloom quite a bit throughout the year,” said Cullen. “It was a matter of choosing the right type of Azalea (Red Bird and Alaska White).”
A circular drip irrigation system requires watering plants only once every one-to-weeks for 20 minutes. Photo: San Dieguito Water District
The Cullens used a drip irrigation system that encircles each plant individually to direct water to the specific plant. They already had a smart irrigation controller which is still in use. A remote moisture sensor was added allowing the homeowners to monitor the ground moisture at the plants and then adjust watering for the yard.
Three to four inches of bark mulch helps retain irrigation, which has worked “extremely well.”
Melanie Cullen says the irrigation was turned off completely from January through May due to generous rainfall. “Presently, we only need to water once every one to two weeks for 20 minutes,” she said.
“I join our Board of Directors in recognizing the leadership of the Cullens and commend them for taking proactive steps to improve our community’s resilience to a changing climate,” said Isam Hireish, General Manager of San Dieguito Water District. “I encourage all customers to utilize water more efficiently and take advantage of the various water-saving incentives we offer.”
In the months since the landscape makeover, the Cullens report all their original goals were met. “We love sitting in our front now and watching the many hummingbirds that also love our yard,” said Melanie Cullen.
For rebates, classes, and water-saving tips: sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/.
(Editor’s note: The San Dieguito Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
The city of Poway is returning to “level 1” voluntary water shortage measures based on a report that the city has sufficient water supplies to meet its demands through June 2024, officials said.
Poway council members unanimously approved the return to less stringent water shortage measures at the Aug. 1 meeting.
Golf professionals and course owners in the Southwest will meet for the first time to discuss how an industry defined by manicured grass can survive climate change, government water cuts and attract players to fairways and greens nourished with less Colorado River water.
A state water regulators meeting…not the kind of thing that makes you think “I’ve got to be there.”
But with new environmental rules on the table for vineyards across Sonoma and Mendocino, there was hardly an empty seat to be found at the latest gathering of the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Three resourceful homeowners took advantage of free resources, including design and plant selection advice, to create beautiful drought-tolerant landscapes. Their projects were named winners of the 2023 Vallecitos Water District Landscape Makeover Contest.
A reflection on the very rainy past seasons may leave San Diego County residents optimistic about the water outlook for this summer. After all, we had record rainfall levels in the southern half of California and snow falling as low as 1,500 feet, generating a snowpack of 172% of normal. It’s very easy to think a 2023 drought has been averted.
Unfortunately, headlines don’t always convey the full story. Despite the significant rain and snow that fell locally and in the northern Sierra Mountains, Southern California must continue to be judicious about continued water conservation and permanent water use efficiency.
Three resourceful homeowners took advantage of free resources, including design and plant selection advice, to create beautiful drought-tolerant landscapes. Their projects were named winners of the 2023 Vallecitos Water District Landscape Makeover Contest.
Carlsbad homeowner Dean Williams and his wife didn’t like their existing landscaping.
“It wasn’t a garden, it was a yard,” recalls Williams.
In 2020, Williams found resources on the Vallecitos Water District website for saving water by redesigning your landscaping. The results won first place in the 2023 landscape makeover contest.
Dean Williams’ home after completing his landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
“There are so many resources. The first step was to take some landscape classes offered through the San Diego County Water Authority, find out the process and what I needed to do,” said Williams.
After removing existing turf using the sheet mulching method to create healthy soil, he planned a colorful plant palette to replace his grass.
Dean Williams’ home before his winning landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
“One of the big things I wanted to change was to go from a drab landscape to having some variety by using different textures on the plants, different flowers, different colors, and complementing colors,” said Williams, who used purple and yellow as the primary landscape colors. “I tried to have an interesting landscape pleasing to the eye.”
The colorful redesign saves water and costs. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Williams said the benefit of installing drip irrigation and a smart controller was significant water and cost savings.
“We’ve noticed over that our water use and bills have gone slowly down,” he said.
Williams said the “do it yourself” project offered many lessons learned, including watering too often.
“Drought-tolerant plants don’t do well in wet soil,” said Williams.
Williams encourages other homeowners to tap into all the available resources through the Vallecitos Water District, Water Authority, City of Carlsbad, and others for advice and possible rebates to offset their investment.
“It just pays in more ways than one to change your landscape. “I want to thank Vallecitos Water District for selecting us so we can showcase our landscape transformation,” said Williams.
Dean Williams took advantage of free resources offered by the Vallecitos Water District and San Diego County Water Authority. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Donald De Tar’s home after completing his landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Donald De Tar learned about the annual Landscape Makeover Contest through the Palomar Cactus and Succulent Society. “So, we decided on a lark to enter,” said De Tar.
His Woodlawn Park area home in San Marcos is dedicated to succulents, cactus, and drought-tolerant plants.
De Tar says it not only saves water but it also saves time spent mowing, fertilizing, and trimming grass. It’s also a lot of fun.
Donald De Tar’s home before his landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
De Tar is proud of the budget-friendly approach to his landscaping.
“I did it on a very inexpensive budget,” said De Tar. “It doesn’t have to be super expensive, especially if you join an organization like the Palomar Cactus and Succulent Society. It can be almost free, especially if you’re doing the work yourself.”
De Tar learned about rebate programs through the Vallecitos Water District, and he successfully applied for rebates to offset costs. “Over time, we did the whole yard, and the backyards and side yards have been transformed.”
I’m very appreciative of the Vallecitos contest,” said De Tar. “I like the fact that Vallecitos is involved in the community and promotes these kinds of contests.”
The results of Mily Le’s landscape makeover, which won second place. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Third place went to longtime San Marcos homeowner Mily Le. She learned about the annual landscape contest through the Vallecitos Water District’s customer newsletter, “Between The Pipes.”
Le visited the lawn replacement program website and learned how to remove her regional grass safely and effectively. She got her design laid out and purchased plants from her local nursery.
The Mily Le home before her landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
As a result, Le says she saves about 30% of her water consumption after replacing her lawn. She says she learned from a neighbor’s experience about researching the eventual size of plants before planting them.
“(My neighbor) did not look it up,” she said. “She had to demolish the front yard, so I took that lesson.”
Le suggests lots of advance planning with your layout. “I’m glad I did it. I think it’s a successful project,” said Le.
For rebates, classes, and water-saving tips: sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/.
(Editor’s note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
