What is “waterwise”?  One very simple definition is using as little water as possible to maintain an attractive landscape.  With municipalities imposing new water restrictions, this is especially important.

Why is it important to be “waterwise”?  To the average person, the #1 reason is that it can save them money on their water bill. 

Some other factors to take into account:

• 70% of residential water use goes to landscaping, with the vast majority going to maintaining the lawn.
• It takes 10,000 gallons of water per year to maintain an average sized, traditionally designed yard of lawns and planting beds.

 An attractive waterwise landscape is made up of more than just low water usage plants.  It can also include: 

• Efficient irrigation systems using drippers, bubblers, and microsprayers.
• Minimal or no lawn, or even faux (fake!) grass.
• Permeable hardscape, such as decomposed granite pathways or widely spaced flagstone, that absorbs irrigation and rain water and does not allow it to drain off the property.
• Recirculating fountains and water features such as pondless waterfalls, or simply a dry streambed as a landscape feature.

 Want to know more about how you too can have an attractive, waterwise yard?  Contact Emily Habib, landscape designer and owner of Waterwise Landscape Design.