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EcoLandscape had sturdy interpretive signs for the site that
provide information on the plants and the water saving features
demonstrated in the landscape. Each sign features a QR code that
visitors can scan with their phones, which brings them to a page on the
district web site featuring the complete plant lists, landscape design,
irrigation plan, information on sheet mulching, and more resources
that visitors can use to implement low-water landscapes in their
own yards.
The multi-benefit landscape was designed to provide year-round
color and beauty and minimize maintenance and the wa-ter
needed to irrigate it. Participants gave the courses glowing
reviews, and the landscape they helped create provides a creative
example of water-wise and “River-Friendly” landscaping (plants
found in the local area.) The previous landscape of cool season
turf grass and inefficient sprinklers had a water requirement of
125,829 gallons per year (GPY). Once established, the new land-scape,
with its low- and very-low-water plants and efficient drip
system, will only need 33,113 GPY.
Lessons Learned
The well-site landscape training project was the first of its
kind in the Sacramento region, and lessons were learned for
future projects.
1. In general, the district realized that completely re-landscap-ing
the nearly 5,000- square-foot site required a more sig-nificant
financial investment than it originally estimated.
The sod needed to be removed and the landscape sculpted
so that rain gardens and stormwater management swales
could be added, which increased the equipment needed for
the job. In addition, the soil on the site had been heavily
compacted and was low in organic material, so a signifi-cant
amount of organic compost had to be added.
2. The size of the project required extensive drip irrigation
supplies and 174 plants, 58 percent of which were California
natives, and five flats of groundcover. In addition, the
specific characteristics of the site required completely new,
custom landscape and irrigation designs (as opposed to
the sample plans on the EcoLandscape website). Although
EcoLandscape was able to defray those costs by getting
some items and services donated, the total project cost
was greater than expected.
3. While many of the participants were very engaged in the
project and put in many hours of work at the site, a number
of class attendees opted out of the hands-on training days, so
less work than expected was completed. This meant that the
landscape contractor had to put in more hours, which also
affected the cost of the project. In retrospect, expanding the
size of the class, or involving other community groups in the
work would have helped to defray this additional cost.
Despite these challenges, the project resulted in a beautiful
water-wise, low-maintenance demonstration garden at the dis-trict’s
well site. The customers who participated shared that they
learned much more by being able to “get their hands dirty” on
the actual landscape installation and many returned to celebrate
the landscape’s grand opening, and some of them signed up for
additional EcoLandscape workshops.
An additional benefit was the sense of community and
camaraderie when students, EcoLandscape and district’s
staff members gathered for lunch during the hands-on train-ing
days. Participants shared the pleasures and problems they
were dealing with in their own landscapes and how helpful it
was to work alongside industry professionals and get all their
questions answered.
Five Different Gardens at Howe Park
In 2015, SSWD and the Fulton-El Camino Recreation and
Park District (FECRPD) began discussions about securing
Well site after volunteers helped relandscape.
