New garden serves as inspiration for saving water

Updated May 11, 2022
New garden serves as inspiration for saving water
With nearly 60 percent of household water consumption occurring outdoors, educating customers on water-efficient landscapes is our top priority.

On May 11, we welcomed our newest resource – the Inspiration Garden. We flipped an existing courtyard garden into the region's latest water-wise demonstration to spur landscape water-saving ideas for customers and the community, which is vital as we face continued drought conditions.

Once the plants have been established, we estimate that we will save more than 35,000 gallons of recycled water annually.

"We recognize the shift in our climate that translates into longer, dryer periods," said Bobby Alvarez, water conservation administrator for Roseville. "Where we can achieve the most savings is making the switch from turf to a garden that allows for year-round color and texture, and it can save a good amount of water, too."

This water-wise demonstration garden is a living example of how customers can introduce plants and irrigation approaches that make for a beautiful, diverse garden that thrives with less water.

"This is another example of what makes Roseville—Roseville," says Mayor Krista Bernasconi. "This garden will educate and inspire our residents in an interactive and unique way. Our community will love it!"

While the garden includes 300 plants consisting of low and moderate water use plants, it also contains 37 percent of plant species that are California natives. The garden also comprises proper irrigation practices, soil management and mulch, and the right mix of plantings to encourage pollinators – all conditions needed to create a healthy garden ecosystem.

"We've already had visitors at the garden as we pulled away the construction fencing," says Brayden Mitchell, Utility Exploration Center (UEC) supervisor. "With this new resource, we are working on ways of programming this space with how-to workshops to inspire people to consider this approach in their homes, which helps us all work towards sustainably saving water."

The reimagined garden will be a community resource and a teaching area for UEC-hosted classes on the latest water efficiency and stormwater quality management approaches. It will include many gardening best practices to give tangible tips – from irrigation efficiency and proper planting to complete retrofits of existing turf.

Learn more about gardening and this resource at Roseville.ca.us/inspirationgarden, and visit SaveOurWater.com to learn how we can take action to save water both at home and in the yard.

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