Resources for Water-Wise Gardeners
Blue-eyed Grass.
Below are resources that the Water Conservation Garden has compiled as a service to those who seek assistance with water-wise landscaping. The Garden is not responsible for any of these programs or resources, and cannot assure customer satisfaction.
- Read Your Water Agency's Drought Ordinance
- Books
- Community Association (HOA) Directory of Resources
- Fall/Winter Conservation Tips
- Fire Safety
- Garden Hotlines
- General Water Smart Landscape Information
- Incentive Programs
- Invasive Plants
- Irrigation
- Landscape Professionals
- Member Agencies
- Native Plants
- Nurseries
- Other Resources
- Plant Lists
- San Diego County Gardens
- Soil, Mulch & Compost
- Trees
- Television
- Water Conservation Training Graduates
Books
- "California Gardener's Guide, Volume II" by Nan Sterman
- "California Native Plants for the Garden" by Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O'Brien
- "Care and Maintenance of Southern California Native Plant Gardens" by Bart O'Brien, Betsey Landis, and Ellen Mackey
- "California Wildfire Landscaping" by Maureen Gilmer
These books are available in the Water Conservation Garden gift shop.
Community Association (HOA) Directory of Resources
Fall/Winter Water Conservation Tips
Fire Safety
- Firewise Landscaping pamphlet (PDF)
- Home Safety Survey: Reduce Your Vulnerability to Wildfire (PDF)
- Fire and Watershed Management Guide
- Fire Resistive Plant list
Garden Hotlines
- San Diego Master Gardeners
858-694-2860 M-F, 9-3
Focus is on vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, pest management
- Master Gardeners of Orange County
714-708-1646, 24/7
hotline@uccemg.com, 24/7
Leave a message or send an email. We return all contacts within seven days, usually much sooner. Focus is on all garden-related subjects.
- Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden
909-624-0838
Leave a message and your call will be returned as soon as possible.
Focus is on native plants.
General Water Smart Landscape Information
- Be Water Wise
- 20-Gallon Challenge
- Also on the 20-Gallon Challenge site:
A Web-Based Gardening Tool – Plan Your Water-Wise Landscape. Get Ideas on Plants, Designs, and More!
- Also on the 20-Gallon Challenge site:
Incentive Programs
Invasive Plants
- California Invasive Plant Council
510-843-3902
Irrigation
- Landscape Calculator
This web based calculates irrigation schedules.
- Watering Index
This tool provides information for irrigation controllers with a percent adjust or global adjust key.
- Landscape Irrigation Tutorial
Landscape Professionals
- Landscape Construction
California Landscape Contractors Association
- Landscape Design
American Society of Landscape Architects
- Water Managers certified by the California Landscape Contractors' Association
- Landscape Designers and Landscape Architects who give advice at Garden festivals
Member Agencies
San Diego County
Water Authority
4677 Overland Ave.
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 522-6600
City of San Diego
Water Department
600 B Street, Suite 1210
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 533-5300
Cuyamaca College
900 Rancho San Diego Parkway
El Cajon, CA 92019
(619) 660-4000
Environmental
Protection Agency's
WaterSense partners
program
Helix Water District
7811 University Ave.
La Mesa, CA 91941
(619) 466-0585
Otay Water District
2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978-2096
(619) 670-2777
Sweetwater Authority
505 Garrett Ave.
P.O. Box 2328
Chula Vista, CA 91912
(619) 420-1413
Native Plants
Nurseries
- Click here for nurseries that carry "Water Smart" plants.
This list of nurseries has been compiled by the Metropolitan Water District of southern California.
Other Resources
- Global Water Partnership
- San Diego Cactus & Succulent Society
- San Diego Horticultural Society
- Water Saver Home
- American Public Gardens Association
- San Diego Natural History Museum
- San Diego Audubon Society
- www.theMulch.com
Plant Lists
- 2009 Nifty 50 plant list – non-illustrated (PDF). This list is a
subset of the larger California-Friendly® plant list, for those who would like
fewer options.
- 2009 Nifty 50 plant list –
illustrated (PDF, 1.4 MB).
- California-Friendly® plant list – listed alphabetically by common name (PDF). For those who would like to use a smaller list, see our Nifty 50 plant list, which is a subset of this larger list.
- California-Friendly® plant list – listed alphabetically by botanical name (PDF).
- California-Friendly® Garden Guide at BeWaterWise.com.
San Diego County Gardens
- The Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College
12122 Cuyamaca College Drive West, El Cajon, CA 92019
619-660-0614
- California Friendly Landscape Contest Winners
- Elfin Forest Fire Safe Garden
20223 Elfin Forest Road, Escondido, CA 92029
760-744-2186
- Quail Botanical Gardens
230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, CA 92024
760-436-3036
- San Diego County Water Authority
4677 Overland Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123
858-522-6600
- San Diego Zoo
2920 Zoo Driver, San Diego, CA 92112
619-231-1515
- San Diego Wild Animal Park
15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027-8702
760-747-8702
Soil, Mulch & Compost
- Search the internet or yellow pages, or contact your local tree service.
- For free mulch and compost, contact:
Miramar Greenery
5180 Convoy & Highway 52, San Diego, CA
858-492-6100
- For composting classes and information, contact:
Solana Center for Environmental Innovation
137 N. El Camino Real
Encinitas, CA 92024
760-436-7986
Trees
- Water Wise tree Care for the San Diego Region
- The California Center for Sustainable Energy
858-244-1181
- Professional Tree Care Association
619-262-1083
- International Society of Arboriculture
Television
Explore San Diego with "How Can I Help?" to discover
innovations and sustainable solutions throughout our city.
Water Conservation Training Graduates
The Water Conservation Garden • 12122 Cuyamaca College Drive West • El Cajon California 92019
Tel: (619) 660-0614 • info@TheGarden.org