New Rebate Program for Replacing Lawn With Native Landscaping
Southern Californians looking for ways to save water and money are getting a helping hand from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California just as summer temperatures are heating up.
Metropolitan launched its new Landscape Transformation Program, offering residents and businesses $1 for every square foot of thirsty grass they replace with more water efficient native plants and irrigation systems.
The district also kicked off its summer advertising and outreach campaign today. The multi-million dollar “365” campaign encourages Southern Californians to conserve water every day and reminds them to take advantage of Metropolitan’s rebate programs—including cash back for water-saving washing machines, toilets, sprinkler nozzles, smart irrigation systems and other devices and appliances, in addition to transforming their landscapes.
“Southern Californians have learned the value of saving water. They understand water is a limited resource, especially after the recent drought. But sometimes we all need a little nudge and a little extra incentive to keep using water as efficiently as possible. Our programs and campaign offer that incentive,” said Metropolitan General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger.
Details about the new landscape program and all of Metropolitan’s rebates are available at Metropolitan’s online water-savings portal bewaterwise.com. The mobile-friendly site offers tips, educational materials, how-to videos and classes on how to be more water efficient.
Metropolitan helped change the way Southern Californians see their yards and open spaces with its popular turf removal program in 2014-2015. That program, the largest anywhere in the country, spurred the replacement of 160 million square feet of grass during one of California’s worst droughts. This time around, instead of a short-term urgent drought response, Metropolitan’s new Landscape Transformation Program will be ongoing, with up to $50 million in applications accepted a year. Some Metropolitan member agencies may provide additional incentives on top of the $1 a square foot.
“Since the turf rebate program ended three years ago, residents have been asking for its return. We used lessons learned from the earlier program in developing the new Landscape Transformation Program. We’ve incorporated new requirements to drive a sustainable approach, encouraging our long-term commitment to help Southern Californians use less water,” said Bill McDonnell, Metropolitan’s water use efficiency manager.
Another key part of that commitment is Metropolitan’s new 365 campaign which builds on Metropolitan’s H2Love conservation campaign. With the tagline, “Every day is a chance to save water. And money,” the campaign not only encourages viewers to conserve, it tells them how to get financial help doing so with rebates available at bewaterwise.com.
Southern Californians will see the campaign everywhere—from a television commercial by an award-winning director (above) to online and social media ads to billboards and even small posters in local convenience stores and on lunch trucks. And it will be multilingual, translated into Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Filipino.
In addition, the campaign finds creative ways to reach diverse audiences, including using on-air personalities on Spanish-language channels, a Chinese-language game show and special events, such as Viva Los Dodgers.
If you would like help with the new landscape transformation program, our professionals at Pacific Vista landscape Services are experts and can help with the rebate process to replace your current landscaping with beautiful plants that save water and money! Call us today for a free consultation at 661-222-7525.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving nearly 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.
It's springtime! Spring is a wonderful time to plant new flowers to add color to your garden. In some cases though, brightening up a shady part of your landscape can be a challenge. Take heart! There is a way to introduce that bright spot of colorful blooms and green plants to the shady parts of your landscape. All you need is a little knowledge of what to put in your garden.
How Shady is the Space?
Before planting your garden, take into consideration just how much shade or sun that space gets. Keep an eye on the area for a little while as the amount of sun exposure can influence how well certain plants do in that space. The categories for shade usually are described as:
Partial Shade: Different parts of the garden receive exposure to direct sun for part of the day and in shade for at least half a day (or three hours during the hottest part of the day).
Filtered or dappled shade: Sun is largely filtered through a tree canopy leaving dappled light on the plants below.
Light or open shade: This space is often bright with fairly even shade throughout the day. These shade spaces are open to the sky but are surrounded by walls, tall trees, or other shade structures.
Full or deep shade: These plants are in areas with little to no direct sunlight. Often beneath dense evergreen trees.
How Much Room Do You Have?
Take into consideration just how much room you have to plant your garden. Are you limited to urns or flower pots? Do you have a large amount of space to fill with flowers and greenery? This can determine the type of plant you can use as some plants will grow quickly and fill the space, while others will stay small and can be planted a bit closer together. Knowing exactly how much room you have to plant can also prevent multiple trips to the store if you under or overestimate just how many plants and flowers to buy.
Mulching
In a shady space, mulching your garden can be an important step. It can help retain moisture, keep the beds sheltered from cold, and add much needed nutrients to the soil. When mulching your beds, be sure to add 3-6 inches of an organic mulch while keeping it clear from the base of any tree trunks or stems. Don’t forget to replenish the mulch once a year.
Consider your Plants
Now that you’ve figured out your garden’s location, picked out your mulch, and observed how much shade the garden will receive you can now delve into what types of plants that will work with the space. Nurseries and home improvement stores can help guide you in knowing exactly what plants to use in the space you have. Of course, Pacific Vista Landscape is here to help. We can help you design your garden scape to make your spring gardens look fantastic!
Happy Planting!
