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 Grow in Harmony with the Environment
Good gardeners know that plants are healthier when they’re grown in harmony with the local environment. Sure, you can coddle your tender posies, but for plants that will thrive without constant intervention it’s important to grow those that have naturally adapted to San Diego’s Mediterranean climate. A big part of that climate is our limited rainfall, about 80% of which falls between December and March. In an average year coastal San Diego County receives only nine to eleven inches of rain, and the inland desert areas get less than half of that.
In the past three years, we've had less than average rainfall in Southern California, so water conservation is on everyone's minds. In fact, it’s impossible to read about gardening in Southern California these days without seeing references to water thrifty, drought tolerant, and/or low water plants. We’re being urged to remove or reduce the area we devote to water guzzling lawns and to use California native and California friendly plants that thrive on once weekly watering—or less! The good news is that you can have a beautiful garden with such climate adapted plants. Each year there are more books, magazine articles, display gardens and home improvement shows aimed at helping us achieve healthy, handsome gardens while reducing our water requirements.
We hope that the information on this page will assist you in making the transition to a garden that flourishes without an excess of water. Be the first on your block to rip out your lawn and create a climate appropriate garden of native grasses and groundcovers—the local birds will certainly thank you! Replace that thirsty landscape with one that will have year round color and excitement while needing far less water (and chemicals and maintenance) than your average turf.
For more food for thought, log on to the informative websites below.
 Be Water Wise
www.bewaterwise.com
Save Our Water
www.saveourh2o.org
The 20 Gallon Challenge
www.20gallonchallenge.com
The Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College
www.thegarden.org
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