tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80307470478378889592012-01-15T02:45:02.938-08:00Ocean Friendly Gardens is a Surfrider Foundation program that aims to conserve water and reduce runoff in San Diego County and beyond through conservation, permeability and retention (CPR) in our gardens and home landscapes.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.comBlogger1321100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-66082002139903129622011-08-08T20:32:00.000-07:002011-08-08T20:32:18.611-07:00

We are excited to announce the dates for our Fall 2011 Ocean Friendly Garden Series, which will be taking place in Oceanside!  OFG Basics Class:  Thursday, September 15th, 2011.  Location and Time TBA, but it will be in north county sometime in the evening.  Come learn how planting an Ocean Friendly Garden can benefit you and the environment.  Learn how to promote healthy soil, select the right

Shaunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01471599043303066942noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-78300206390787322912011-07-19T19:32:00.000-07:002011-07-27T09:57:41.343-07:00

On Saturday July 16th, the public and members of Surfrider's Ocean Friendly Gardens program met with Cammie Ingram of Scripps Institute of Oceanography to tour the exciting new landscape changes on campus.How we treat our landscaping can have a significant impact on our natural environment, including the ocean. Pesticides and Herbicides applied to our gardens can be washed away into our storm

Shaunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01471599043303066942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-28997800833604092892011-06-21T16:56:00.000-07:002011-06-21T17:01:53.959-07:00

The next "Lawn Patrol" for Ocean Friendly Gardens will be in Imperial Beach on July 17th from 9am-11am.Lawn Patrols are a great way to learn about what makes an Ocean Friendly Garden ocean friendly, the impacts of the choices we make in our gardens on the health of our local environment, and what easy steps you can take to turn your garden into an OFG! We talk about soil health, plant choices

Julia Chunn-Heerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02729161149205906998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-22097867562365418962011-06-08T22:24:00.000-07:002011-06-08T22:24:15.991-07:00

Just found this informative (and somewhat unnerving!) website by the Calfornia Energy Commission that tracks the projected effects of climate change on local climates and how this influences how we plan our cities. There was also a recent NPR show about the City of Chicago's Climate Action Plan: Preparing for a Warmer Planet. Many of their recommendations include the same sustainable practices we

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-14079911662200466772011-06-02T21:31:00.000-07:002011-06-02T21:31:09.133-07:00

Laundry-to-Landscape Greywater Workshop Cost: $35 Saturday, June 4 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Location: Clairemont Learn the fundamentals of using greywater as you help install a simple, laundry greywater system according to county regulations which requires no permit. By using greywater, compost, and mulch we will turn this previously unproductive area into an abundant three sister's garden of corn

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-88927029091485790162011-05-20T11:20:00.000-07:002011-05-20T11:20:05.595-07:00

Join us this Sunday the 22nd at 10am at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas for our next Lawn Patrol!! We will visit our 3rd Street GAP installation, a parking strip that was converted from wasteful turf to a native garden and bioswale.  We will take a quick walk up A street and check out some gardens that are mostly ocean friendly and some that are not so ocean friendly and talk about the difference.

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-56902815231361395432011-05-03T08:52:00.000-07:002011-05-03T08:52:16.523-07:00

Water Harvesting Tour Saturday, May 7th 2:00PM-2:30PM Come see water harvesting in action! Guided by Water Harvesting Professional and Permaculturist, Brook Sarson, you'll see how a passive water harvesting techniques, combined with a 1525 gallon rainwater storage system, as well as laundry and bath greywater work together to grow a garden of edibles (including 20 fruit trees) using only 1/4 of

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-51342191034773433652011-04-26T11:08:00.000-07:002011-04-27T11:02:51.181-07:00

Our next Encinitas Lawn Patrol will be SUNDAY MAY 22nd at 10am.   We will meet at the end of Encinitas Blvd at Moonlight Beach and check out our latest OFG and a few other gardens that have made a great start!  Our next meeting will be May 31st at 7pm, keep posted for the location!! We will be looking for volunteers in the following areas: Liasons between OFG and one of the following groups or

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-51832531348369032822011-04-15T09:07:00.000-07:002011-04-15T09:07:59.200-07:00

Quick reminder for tomorrow's Ocean Friendly Gardens Lawn Patrol in Encinitas!!  We will meet at 10am at Moonlight Beach (in the lot at the end of Encinitas Blvd.) and take a quick tour of our most recent OFG and check out some neighboring gardens to assess their Ocean Friendliness!  See you tomorrow!!

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-32063154160892519912011-04-12T20:15:00.000-07:002011-04-12T20:15:20.765-07:00

This weekend we have two events coming up!  At 10am is our first Encinitas Lawn Patrol!  We will meet at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas at 10am and walk up to our first Encinitas OFG at 3rd and A and from there we will take a quick tour around the neighborhood to check out the neighbors' gardens and rate their ocean friendliness! From there we will be running up to Oceanside for the Annual

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-81383454232536216142011-03-21T10:36:00.000-07:002011-03-21T10:36:36.232-07:00

World Water Day OFG Challenge! Decrease water use in your garden and create awareness in your neighborhood by doing one or more of the following: 1) Change regular sprinkler emitters to Hunter MP Rotators:  Each emitter only costs around $5 and is 40% more efficient than regular spray emitters.  Available at your local irrigation supply or Home Depot. 2) Remove unnecessary lawn:   Replacing water

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-82406955256483628262011-03-18T17:14:00.000-07:002011-03-18T17:14:28.730-07:00

Our latest OFG in by Moonlight Beach in Encinitas is coming along nicely!!  Our next Lawn Patrol will be in this neighborhood on April 17th so mark your calendars and we'll see you there!  Keep posted for exact meeting locations and times.

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-70730707850302121312011-02-23T18:54:00.000-08:002011-02-23T18:54:41.858-08:00

The Cuyamaca College Horticulture Program, in conjunction with the University of California Cooperative Extension Service and the Cuyamaca College Botanical Society, is proud to present the Third Annual Sustainable Urban Landscape Conference. The conference will be held on Thursday March 10th at the Performing Arts Theater at Cuyamaca College. The conference theme for this year is Sustainable

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-39779152590541661182011-02-22T11:19:00.000-08:002011-02-22T11:19:58.115-08:00

The OFG meeting is tonight in Solana Beach so come on by to help us plan our year! The meeting is at 7pm at a new LEED rated building at 420 North Cedros in Solana Beach. Since we won't be at a restaurant this time it will be nice and quiet but unfortunately we won't be able to order our own food so we'll bring some snacks but if everyone can bring their own water bottle so that we can avoid the

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-28299505781212486852011-02-09T21:04:00.000-08:002011-02-09T21:04:50.023-08:00

Check out this awesome article written by a NASA scientist!!  It's a few years old but what it covers is pretty up to date.  Did you know that turf is the single largest irrigated "crop" in America, more even than corn?   While she notes the obvious about lawns impact on our water supply she does note that it is useful for carbon sequestration which is being used as an argument by the turf

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-37303419254493322872011-02-09T20:52:00.000-08:002011-02-09T20:52:22.093-08:00

A common question that has come up during our Ocean Friendly Garden meetings is how to report water waste when we see it.  Most of our municipalities have a source on their website for reporting water waste and you can call or send an e-mail with the address and time that you noticed the waste.  Ironically, it is often the municipality itself that is the major source of leaking pipes and

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-18858188967219659582011-01-20T15:54:00.000-08:002011-01-20T15:54:45.022-08:00

Our first Lawn Patrol last fall attracted more than 20 people and was a great way to see how much impact our gardens can have on our coast.  Our walk through several block of the Bird Rock area started at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters where we loaded up on coffee and tea and then began our walk.  We checked out home and business gardens along the way and rated different homes based on how

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-79557023921177375252011-01-19T14:53:00.000-08:002011-01-19T14:53:07.378-08:00

Be sure to come to tonight's meeting at 7pm at Forum Hall in UTC where Josh Robinson from Eden on Earth Landscaping will be discussing rainwater harvesting!! A bit more about Josh: Josh Robinson has a strong love of plants, soil, and ecology. It is only natural that he finds himself working to transform conventional landscapes into their full and sustainable potential as abundant gardens of

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-13343147654551653522010-12-29T12:44:00.000-08:002010-12-29T12:44:20.755-08:00

This photo was recently posted to the California Native Plant Society listserve with the following note:"Here's an area previously covered with iceplant. During rainstorms, iceplant notoriously inflates like a water balloon, the extra weight pulls the loosened soil down the hill with it, causing a mudslide. This mudslide traveled more than 100 feet down the hill. A few more of these, and the city

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-19301011426630476842010-12-02T18:04:00.000-08:002010-12-02T18:04:25.130-08:00

Check out this great blog post from Sunset about a street in Sun Valley that was entirely converted to sustainable landscaping, biofiltration, and water harvesting!! A perfect example that Ocean Friendly Gardens are perfect for our inland neighborhoods as well as our coastal neighborhoods!! Here's the the link to the blog.

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-72250015183367871292010-11-11T10:09:00.000-08:002010-11-11T10:09:47.478-08:00

Cuyamaca College's Water Conservation Garden will host it's annual Water Smart Gardening Festival this Saturday, Nov 13, from 9am-3pm.  Visit the gardens and spend the day at The Garden shopping for plants and learning more about how to conserve water in Southern California!!  Activities for ALL ages!  Event Highlights:  Plant Sale Rain Barrel Sale  Gardening Worshops & Products  Kids' Fun: Ms

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-31400559246129108562010-10-20T16:49:00.000-07:002010-10-20T17:02:56.026-07:00

SurfriderSD is excited to announce our first Lawn Patrol is coming up on November 7th, where we'll take a walk around a neighborhood and check out who's got the right plants, the right design to capture run-off and/or rain-water, and good soil quality.Meet at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters (5627 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla 92037-7524) at 9:45am on Sunday November 7th so you can sign in, get a cup of

Billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-39873910474777722672010-10-18T13:39:00.000-07:002010-10-18T13:39:05.600-07:00

 Bush Poppy   50% OFF ALL NATIVE PLANTS!! There are lots of leftover native plants from Saturday's annual CNPS plant sale and they are all available for HALF price before tomorrow's CNPS chapter meeting at Balboa Park!!  Canyon Prince Wild Rye  From 5pm tomorrow until dark there will be a half price plant sale on the lawn in front of the Casa del Prado patio.  There are some great

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-43076045001675963792010-10-11T18:48:00.000-07:002010-10-11T18:48:21.261-07:00

Another great reason to Kill Your Lawn and put in an OFG! Olivenhain Municipal Water District is offering a $1/square foot rebate for all of their customers who remove their lawns in favor of drought tolerant gardens!   The rebate is only good until December 1st so don't delay! For more info and to fill out the application click here or visit the Olivenhain MWD Homepage and follow the turf

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-9463844739126985302010-10-08T15:39:00.000-07:002010-10-08T15:42:33.255-07:00

Working together often makes the sum greater than the individual parts and Surfrider always looks to team up with community partners when possible. Here's a recent press release from OMWD highlighting that....Mira Costa College Landscape Architecture Students and Surfrider Foundation Partner with OMWD on Sustainable Garden Project. Innovative program launches to provide job training, promote

Billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-82194078640617178152010-10-06T14:22:00.000-07:002010-10-06T14:22:54.163-07:00

As we all know one of the main concepts behind the Ocean Friendly Gardens program is using climate appropriate plants that are low water and provide habitat for local wildlife.  Well nothing matches that description more than our native plants that evolved here! The San Diego Chapter of the California Native Plant Society has a new gardening committee that is dedicated to all aspects of native

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-75672082090970357242010-09-23T16:24:00.000-07:002010-09-23T16:33:28.550-07:00

Not only is water conservation sexy, it can also save you money!San Diego CountyRain Barrel Sales - 2nd event this Sunday, Sept. 26, 9am-1pm, Fallbrook Village Square, first come first served click here for info. (Note: it's the same day as our Hands On Workshop, but people could go before the HOW since it starts at 11am.)City of San DiegoClick Here for info on turf removal and irrigation

Billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-4135725611472426032010-09-21T18:19:00.000-07:002010-09-21T18:24:54.081-07:00

Help clean our oceans in two ways … make your garden more Ocean Friendly by using local compost and mulch. Plus, for every Cubic Yard you buy from El Corazon Compost Facility, operated by Agri Service, they will donate $2 to support the Ocean Friendly Gardens Program! Compost helps foster living soil which promotes water infiltration and reduces runoff at the same time it purifies water.

Billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-69184698602276308302010-09-17T19:49:00.000-07:002010-09-17T20:05:59.525-07:00

Tree of Life Nursery, a nursery in San Juan Capistrano specializing in California native plants, is featuring 'Replace Your Lawn' workshops on Fridays throughout the month of September.Their next workshop will be Plant Selection: Flowering Perennials and is a perfect opportunity to learn more about native plant selections for the garden! An Expert Guest Series will also be held on Saturdays in

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-33764707443644912082010-09-13T17:28:00.001-07:002010-09-14T10:46:55.738-07:00

The San Diego Botanical Garden is hosting a 3-hour workshop on waterwise gardens. Soils expert Sharon May, irrigation specialist Kathleen Eagle, and local author/garden coach Nan Sterman are teaming up to teach this combined approach on gardening.Learn to create a waterwise garden from the ground up using an integrated approach: soil organics, appropriate plants and efficient irrigation. Begin

Rexannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17469733573741506324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-80343011329483320992010-08-30T14:59:00.000-07:002010-08-30T15:05:38.415-07:00

First off, thanks to everyone that made it out to the Surfrider Foundation Ocean Friendly Gardens 'Basics' workshop last week in Encinitas. It was a great class with a nice mix of attendees. If you missed the basics portion of this three-part workshop there is still an opportunity to attend the 'Hands On Workshop' in September and 'Garden Assistance Program' in October, both in Encinitas.The '

Billnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-68350207268473466342010-08-17T09:37:00.000-07:002010-08-17T10:07:29.448-07:00

Join us a week from Saturday after your morning session for some yoga bliss in Encinitas!Encinitas Chiropractic is hosting an outdoor yoga class on Saturday the 28th at Cottonwood Creek Park in Encinitas. The class is donation only and all proceeds will benefit The Surfrider Foundation!!The best part about the location is that after the class you can check out the restored Cottonwood Creek that

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-24886502449570657792010-08-14T18:16:00.000-07:002010-08-14T18:48:58.274-07:00

So nothing could be cooler than arriving at the Olivenhain Water Expo after talking about native and sustainable gardens all day and finding a GORGEOUS native OFG across the street!!Not only were we stoked to see this garden but the homeowners just happened to be in it and they've agreed to come to our next workshop series to share their experiences in taking out their lawn and converting to a

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-86023567739558861632010-08-11T16:14:00.001-07:002010-08-11T16:46:23.130-07:00

Interested in using native plants but not sure where to get them? Well look no further. The California Native Plant Society is hosting its' Annual Native Plant Sale on:Saturday, October 16 11 AM – 3 PMBalboa Park, San Diego Casa del Prado Theater Courtyard1700 Village PlaceThere will be native shrubs, trees, flowering plants, seeds, books and posters available for purchase. More importantly, the

Rexannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17469733573741506324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-48547204105228974502010-08-10T16:47:00.001-07:002010-08-10T16:56:51.511-07:00

We are super excited to show off some pictures from our first Ocean Friendly Garden in San Diego. Again, we give a big thanks to Steve for donating his yard to this program and to all the volunteers who showed up to work. To see the step by step installation process click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/surfridersandiego/sets/72157624255169186/

Rexannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17469733573741506324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-58997455628149263052010-08-07T20:10:00.000-07:002010-08-07T20:27:54.136-07:00

We will have a booth this Thursday August 12 at the 2010 Water Expo at Village Creek Recreation area in Encinitas. Join us at this free event from 6-8pm as we help to educate homeowners and others about how the choices they make in their garden effect water quality in our watersheds and the ocean!!Check out the flier for more information!

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-35122640562989927362010-06-21T13:52:00.000-07:002010-06-21T14:53:18.277-07:00

The San Diego Chapter of Surfrider Foundation is stoked to announce we will be offering another OFG series in the San Diego area. . .this time in North County!This three part series combines a unique classroom session and hands on courses that will show you how to improve or implement your very own Ocean Friendly Garden. With so many of our water quality and supply issues tied to our current

Dylan Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16184520981314339508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-8651444904957159442010-06-21T13:46:00.000-07:002010-06-21T14:08:28.806-07:00

Installing an Ocean Friendly Garden (OFG) can be enough of a challenge without having to face the roadblock of an HOA (Home Owner Association) board which will not approve your project. Making changes without informing your HOA and obtaining the proper approval can lead to hard feelings, fines, and other problems no matter how good the original intentions are. There are steps that every

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-71755404046644067782010-06-21T11:44:00.000-07:002010-06-29T16:34:32.559-07:00

The GAP program was a wonderful success and we are so excited to see gardens all over San Diego become OFGs!!!Our next OFG program starts in August and one great way to get a head start on designing your new garden is to visit one of our local botanic gardens!San Diego Botanic Garden (also known to many of us as Quail Botanic Garden) in Encinitas is a beautiful labyrinth of gardens tucked away in

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-55159397461646160702010-06-11T14:59:00.000-07:002010-06-11T18:28:41.139-07:00

On Sunday, June 6th, over 25 Surfrider volunteers helped implement San Diego's first Ocean Friendly Garden during our inaugural GAP (Garden Assistance Program).The GAP is the final part of a three part series that helps educate our community members on what it means to have an Ocean Friendly Garden and how they can help reduce pollution that comes from our classic landscaping practices. The GAP

Dylan Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16184520981314339508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-26347886290525273522010-06-01T10:44:00.000-07:002010-06-01T11:00:48.118-07:00

This Sunday, June 6th, Surfrider SD will be hosting our first Garden Assitance Workday as part of the Ocean Friendly Gardens program. We will be working to install our very first official OFG in San Diego! This garden will serve as a model for other homeowners to use when converting thier own landscapes.We currently need more volunteers to come help out. The event is from 10am-4pm, but even if

Dylan Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16184520981314339508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-62223825817734675452010-05-27T11:35:00.000-07:002010-05-27T11:35:16.444-07:00

If you've been participating in our Ocean Friendly Gardens program, you started by attending an OFG Basics Course which is a classroom style lecture, and then a hands-on workshop.  Up next is our garden assistance day when we will actually implement an Ocean Friendly Garden with the help of our volunteers!  We chose member, Steve Roeder's home for this workshop series.  He's a long-time surfer,

Belinda Smithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-60653401053255151042010-05-24T16:39:00.000-07:002010-05-24T16:45:54.945-07:00

Personally, I'm a big succulent fan, mainly aloe. Not just because I am lazy, umm I mean an environmentalist, and don't like to water much but because they look cool. Some grow like a tree but most are like a big beautiful bush or smaller, almost like a ground cover if you plan enough. It was good to see this article in the U-T recently...“Succulents make dramatic statements in landscapes

Billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-7558209641159022892010-05-02T17:40:00.000-07:002010-05-02T19:07:06.744-07:00

At the last meeting we were brainstorming on how people can get involved with the Ocean Friendly Gardens Program in San Diego. Lots of people like native plants, water conservation and pollution prevention but may live in an apartment or condo. There are still lots of ways to help make a difference....OFG Volunteer Opps:- add blog entries here to keep the content fresh and local- create an OFG

Billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-20470571339413098662010-04-27T11:53:00.000-07:002010-04-27T12:28:09.095-07:00

Rain barrels and other water catchment systems are fantastic ways to save rainwater for later use in the garden or home, but they do much more than that, they can help to reduce runoff pollution by collecting the water that pours off of our roofs before it runs down our driveways, into the gutters and out to our watersheds and the ocean, picking up pollutants along the way.Thankfully, due to our

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-15875075502209419722010-04-17T18:40:00.000-07:002010-04-17T18:46:21.961-07:00

Sorry for the late notice everyone but the Buena Vista Audubon Native Plant Club ... that's a mouthful ... is hosting their annual native plant tour tomorrow in Oceanside starting at 2:00pm!The walking tour is free (although a small donation is appreciated):Here's the dirt:Come see over 15 Native Plant Gardens in the historic Seaside Neighborhood ofDowntown Oceanside! Plant experts and

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-75887378275207524012010-04-11T11:15:00.000-07:002010-04-12T19:42:06.720-07:00

Water Harvesting Tour and Short Film ScreeningSaturday, May 8th 9:00AM-10:30AM and 2:00PM-3:30PMCome see water harvesting in action! Guided by Water Harvesting Professional and Permaculturist, Brook Sarson, you'll see how a 1320 gallon rainwater tank combined with laundry greywater and bath greywater work together to grow a garden of edibles using only 1/4 of the water that most San Diegans use

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-52119262760434430642010-04-05T19:09:00.000-07:002010-04-05T19:25:25.433-07:00

The Theodore Payne Foundation, a native nursery and educational resource in the Los Angeles area will host their 7th Annual Native Garden Tour this weekend which will showcase over 50 beautiful all California native gardens in the Los Angeles area.Visit their Garden Tour page for a sneak preview of the gardens that will be showcased on the tour and to get more information.Ready to plant natives

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-34938687270208726532010-04-02T08:07:00.000-07:002010-04-02T08:11:01.577-07:00

If you have a few minutes you gotta check out this collection of photos from an Indian Design Group, Captain Planet in the making. I found their photos to be very interesting although lacking some description.http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=photos&gid=272720335069

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-56123021099784629062010-03-25T08:52:00.000-07:002010-03-25T08:56:10.936-07:00

"Home project takes green to another level" - by Onell Soto, Union TribuneAt a new home development now going up in Carlsbad, the gutters run into big plastic buckets shaped to look like terra cotta vases.Homeowners will be expected to use a hose attached to the buckets to water the drought-tolerant landscaping — which is included in the purchase price.It’s a little thing, collecting rainwater,

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-56768471106872483502010-03-24T16:30:00.000-07:002010-03-24T17:12:52.154-07:00

World Water Day marked the premiere of Surfrider's new short film, the Cycle of Insanity, as well as the official kickoff of the Know Your H2O and Ocean Friendly Gardens Programs.The animated 20 minute film addressed with humor and clarity the differences between the water cycle as we learn it in elementary school and the much darker and more complicated water cycle that really brings water into

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-39343715184450355392010-03-10T14:43:00.000-08:002010-03-10T15:07:20.079-08:00

Since the major driving influence behind the OFG campaign is water conservation (which in turn leads to less polluted runoff running into our oceans) we wanted to share with you some of the upcoming events related to World Water Day (03.22.10)Saturday the 20th the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation will host their 4th annual WWD Festival which will include native plant giveaways and a garden tour,

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-25962795676130730702010-02-25T19:26:00.000-08:002010-02-25T19:49:44.674-08:00

This is an example of what we hope to prevent with education through the Ocean Friendly Gardens program. Check out the attached newsclip to see video of the garden, the plants in front will eventually fill to completely screen the bark areas.The property owners could resolve their issue by planting more drought tolerant plants to come up to the city's 40% coverage requirement but the issue at

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-75055064282191106412010-02-23T15:16:00.000-08:002010-02-23T15:18:43.240-08:00

In case you missed the last chapter meeting, we have posted the video online;http://vimeo.com/9660633Brook Sarson is owner and founder of H2OME, San Diego's first rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling installation business. Offering consultations on water reuse and storage opportunities, H2OME provides a complete solution from consultation to installation, including passive and active

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-26241482351887593642010-02-16T14:22:00.000-08:002010-02-16T15:28:54.612-08:00

I read this article today http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/16/hoas-homeowners-turf-battle/and it really got me fired up again about HOAs and how they are the #1 culprit behind wasteful water practices, contributing to invasive plant expansion, and usage of highly toxic pesticides. I have been roadblocked several times by my HOA for building a Ocean Friendly Garden in front of my unit.

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-74902851330077174222010-02-15T18:10:00.000-08:002010-02-15T19:23:08.703-08:00

Isn't it amazing to think that by simply changing the design of your garden you can stop thousands of gallons of runoff pollution from reaching our oceans!? If you're thinking of putting in a new Ocean Friendly Garden now is the perfect time to plan out your new garden so that you can get things in the ground before the hot summer sun arrives!One of the most important and overlooked steps in

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-82667172887911784552010-02-03T22:23:00.000-08:002010-02-03T22:34:44.911-08:00

Tree of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano is holding series of free workshops showing how to convert your garden from lawn into a beautiful and successful native garden!Workshops will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturdays during the month of February (this month!) and include how to remove your lawn, creating and caring for your native garden, design elements, and plant selection. No reservations

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-80511656530416784312010-02-01T11:24:00.000-08:002010-02-01T11:53:23.138-08:00

According to UC Irvine researcher Amy Townsend-Small, just because grass is green doesn't mean it's 'green'. New research has shown that the fertilizers and other carbon emissions produced in the maintenance of turfgrass actually emit more greenhouse gasses than are processed through the grass by photosynthesis. "Turfgrass lawns help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-6936169772874877392010-01-26T13:44:00.000-08:002010-01-26T14:44:14.078-08:00

Interested in grey water? Check out this phenominal website by Oasis Design, an ecological design company in central California that specializes in grey water system design and other ecologically sound design practices.The website is full of practical information about grey water and other water saving systems and you can also find a link to several books and dvd's that designer, Art Ludwig, has

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-22143362493049455792010-01-17T16:45:00.000-08:002010-01-17T17:16:52.843-08:00

The San Diego chapter of the California Native Plant Society has a started a new native gardening committee which is focusing on promoting CA native plants in the landscape. They are providing a host of free information on how to garden with native plants!!A series of informational brochures are posted in PDF form on their website and can be downloaded for free. New fliers will be added

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-66407130585048417892010-01-15T12:14:00.000-08:002010-01-15T12:14:37.294-08:00

This is interesting: I was perusing a financial and economics blog this week, and came across an off-topic (OT) post by one of the members asking if anyone knew of good places to buy succulents and cacti in San Diego. Maybe because it's a financial forum, their main goal is to save money on their water bill?  Most residents in San Diego don't know this, but 50% of their water bill comes from

Belinda Smithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-50098858743609391062009-12-30T12:48:00.001-08:002009-12-30T12:58:32.370-08:00

Ever wondered what the actual costs are to replace a traditional non-native landscape with a sustainable native landscape? This great article takes you step by step through the cost benefit analysis of replacing a San Jose area business park's traditional landscape with drought tolerant native plantings.Lots of great and practical info on natives as well as the process of converting your

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-41715137763519358302009-12-18T07:17:00.000-08:002009-12-18T07:22:04.078-08:00

Ocean Friendly Gardens Book!

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-43902003309284060622009-12-10T15:43:00.000-08:002009-12-10T15:54:46.801-08:00

A big part of Ocean Friendly Gardens is CPR: Conservation, Permeability and Retention. Here, we wanted to focus on the Permeability and Retention. Throughout most of Southern California the 'old school' thinking was that we need to get rid of all of the storm water from homes, parking lots, etc. rather than finding ways to let it soak in to help replenish and recharge local aquifers, support

Billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-4699730675871437802009-11-24T16:45:00.000-08:002009-11-24T16:52:19.977-08:00

Article in the LA Times: "The reason is simple. Compared to building new reservoirs, recycling or seawater desalination, conservation is one of the cheapest, quickest and least environmentally damaging ways for the state to get more water."LINK TO ARTICLE

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-72608944018516722272009-11-06T11:53:00.000-08:002009-11-06T14:54:31.684-08:00

Lawns may be green but they are less than eco-friendly and definitely aren't ocean friendly. The urban sprawl of Southern California has turned it from an arid myriad of plant and animal species into a vast monoculture of emerald green turf, gobbling up water and

Argia Designshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11498840616325549128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-57952297896293523322009-10-25T21:40:00.000-07:002009-10-25T21:46:50.226-07:00

I have heard over and over that Las Pilitas Nursery is the best place to get native plants in San Diego County. Although nearly all nurseries carry natives, Las Pilitas has the largest selection and the largest plants available.Check it out!http://www.laspilitas.com/

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-42049496921775045312009-10-20T15:38:00.000-07:002009-10-20T15:47:49.431-07:00

By DANIEL WEINTRAUBNY TimesPublished: October 17, 2009Anyone who has flown in an airplane above California’s vast Central Valley has seen them: two canals snaking north to south, carrying Sierra Nevada snowmelt to thirsty farms and cities via the sprawling Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Northern California natives are raised to scowl at these channels and the supposedly rapacious, wasteful,

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-68137957346380592862009-10-18T21:17:00.000-07:002009-10-18T21:18:15.276-07:00

Water Harvesting Open HouseSunday, October 2510 a.m. - 2 p.m.In Talmadge - RSVP for address brook@h2o-me.comCome see water harvesting in action! Guided by Water Harvesting Professional and Permaculturist, Brook Sarson, you'll see how a 1320 gallon rainwater tank combined with laundry greywater and bath greywater work together to grow a garden of edibles using only 1/4 of the water that most San

Liana Harlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08615399510675382225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-19033644053377182732009-10-16T10:34:00.000-07:002009-10-16T18:29:49.196-07:00

Recently, I saw someone driving through my neighborhood with an "I Killed My Lawn. Ask Me How." bumper sticker. After some further research, I found out the bumper stickers are available from the Tree of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano.They also offer "Replacing Your Lawn with Native Plants" workshops throughout the year.More information is available at Kill your lawn!

Liana Harlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08615399510675382225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-47945178359683866762009-10-16T10:22:00.000-07:002010-06-11T16:42:26.368-07:00

The Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College is sponsoring a Water Smart Gardening Festival on Saturday, November 14, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.There will be a drought tolerant plant sale, free landscape design consultations, water smart gardeners, master gardeners, and presentations on drought tolerant garden design, plants and irrigation. Free admission and parking.For more information, please visit

Liana Harlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08615399510675382225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-33414439458241331682009-04-16T15:14:00.000-07:002009-04-16T15:16:39.163-07:00

"We can all help minimize the problem of storm water runoff by planting rain gardens -- 6 to 12-inch-deep depressions filled with native plants. ...The square footage of your rain garden should generally be about 20 percent that of the area draining into it. For example, if your roof covers 800 square feet, a rain garden designed to collect all of the roof's runoff should cover 160 square feet.

Billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-60896224056770179532009-04-14T14:07:00.000-07:002009-04-14T14:12:41.570-07:00

The Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College is simply amazing and a beacon of hope in our highly populated slice of semi-arid desert.From Sign On San Diego: The garden at Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego has been seeing a 69 percent increase in visitors since July as more San Diego County residents seek ways to make their backyards more drought-tolerant, said Executive Director Marty

Billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-67990849466815369022009-03-26T17:35:00.000-07:002009-03-26T17:43:05.041-07:00

"My Ocean Friendly Garden (aka OFG) is far from complete but is almost there. OFG has already solved the flooding problem and no more muddy water flowing down the driveway is better for the environment. It's 90% planted with either drought tolerant plants or California Native Plants which has saved a lot of $ on water...To get ideas for plants in my OFG I often visit nature centers,

Billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-58692337870593919802009-03-19T16:22:00.000-07:002009-03-19T16:32:04.922-07:00

The Obama Family is planting an organic garden on the South Lawn of the White House tomorrow. The garden will consist of 55 different kinds of organic vegetables and two hives of honey. The White House chefs plan on incorporating the organic produce in the first family's meals."The White House appears to be casting the garden as just another strategy to encourage healthful eating."Link

Billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-76624464827023452242009-03-19T15:40:00.000-07:002009-03-19T15:51:43.341-07:00

This article by Planet Green offers a few tips to keep your lawn and garden healthy through a drought. By mulching flower beds and only watering before 9:00am, the normal household can reduce their water use drastically."If you can easily jab a 6 inch screwdriver into your lawn, you can wait a week before watering."Planet Green Tips Link

Billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-41650782793876577132009-03-17T18:03:00.000-07:002009-03-17T18:10:34.491-07:00

Courtesy of the Water Conservation Garden and KPBS.Brian had a great quote at the Core Volunteer Training last night: "California is beautiful as it is so we should use more native plants" Ok, so maybe I did not quote him exactly, but that was the message for sure. Not only do native plants help save water, they can also look good (Califonia poppy) and smell great (various types of sage).Click

Billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-78084376350546053302009-03-12T14:48:00.000-07:002009-03-17T18:01:04.648-07:00

Many San Diegans are making the big decision to tear up their lawns and replace them with drought resistant gardens. The Rightmyer family is hoping to cut their water use by more than 20% by just replacing their lawn. Just in California lawns soak up about 1.5 million acre-feet of water per year – equal to the amount used by 3 million typical homes."Californians should end their love affair with

Billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-76216777751537227082009-02-17T15:24:00.000-08:002009-03-17T18:00:36.962-07:00

Jim Mumford owns a plantscaping business in Kearny Mesa. He installed a Green Roof on his building in Kearny Mesa two years ago. The Green Roof has helped with energy conservation and has created a wildlife habitat in an industrial area.Here is link to his website.

Billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-82971179134832962492009-01-07T18:24:00.000-08:002009-01-07T18:37:34.192-08:00

Experts say that a "la nina" weather pattern will dominate this winter....A "La Nina" weather pattern is characterized by colder than usual temperatures (NOAA description). This creates a high pressure system that sits off of Southern California and redirects storms northward.The result.....drought conditions.Although we have had record rainfall in December and January, experts are calling for a

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-85466433270446025612008-12-17T15:12:00.000-08:002008-12-17T15:19:27.559-08:00

Rob Davis wrote an interesting article in the Voice...."With Water Cuts Near, Freeways Still Get Showered"In the article he discusses CalTrans use of water on freeways to keep plants green on our roadsides. Here are a few interesting take aways from the article:635 Million Gallons are used to keep freeway shoulders green75% of roadside sprinklers do NOT have smart irrigation systemsCommercial

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-66772146822130826042008-12-15T07:29:00.000-08:002008-12-15T07:32:49.999-08:00

Below is a link to an article discussing a few of the benefits to using native plants. As you read this article think about how these benefits affect the amount of required fertilizer and pesticides...LINK

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-42688162307735714422008-11-02T17:07:00.000-08:002008-11-02T17:11:01.028-08:00

Check out this article I saw in the UT today. LINKThis group, an outgrowth of Sierra Club, has been planting native scrubs in local canyons....

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-33224487405271311612008-11-02T08:15:00.000-08:002008-11-02T08:16:25.979-08:00

4. CALIFORNIA'S NATIVE PLANTS HELP SAVE WATER AND REDUCE POLLUTION! By Lana Findlay, ILACSD's Education AssistantOctober's Santa Ana winds were a blaring reminder that San Diego is located in an arid environment. Combine this with the current drought conditions we are facing and that means we have little water to waste! A typical San Diego household uses 70 percent of its daily water use in

Oceana Virginianoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-1209125527580186822008-10-22T09:34:00.000-07:002008-10-22T09:36:14.050-07:00

STEP IT UP - Living GreenChange is new, challenging and tough to do when current habits are lifelong, comfortable and easy.What’s your deal!...Take it personal!Make permanent behavior change!~YAPOReconnect the Food Cycle by Food Recycling1. Put all food scraps except meats and oils into a holding bin2. Divvy up scraps into worm bins, compost bina. I put my "premium scraps" into worm bins, no

Oceana Virginianoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-82766030219795664542008-09-19T09:24:00.001-07:002008-09-19T10:03:39.078-07:00

Another reason why it's important to have Native California plants in your garden, is to prevent the possibility of genetic erosion with nearby Natives. Basically non-native gardens can affect the genetic integrity of native plants that were meant to survive in our region of Southern California...so the overabundance of non-native gardens' adverse impact surpasses the metes and bounds of those

Oceana Virginianoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-84661728139776010532008-09-19T09:24:00.000-07:002008-09-19T09:32:48.540-07:00

Below, listed by jurisdiction, are the respective numbers for local watershed issues in your area and reporting illegal stormwater discharging in your area!OCEANSIDEWatershed Issues: (760) 435-5800Illegal Discharge: (760) 435-5800CARLSBADWatershed Issues: (760) 602-7580Illegal Discharge: (760) 602-2799www.carlsbadwatershednetwork.orgENCINITASWatershed Issues: (760) 633-2632Illegal Discharge: (760

Oceana Virginianoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-49599893708791605392008-09-19T06:40:00.000-07:002008-09-19T07:01:55.089-07:00

According to San Diego's Mayor citizens just aren't doing enough when it comes to water conservation. I'm sure you are getting tired of hearing "you need to do more." But the fact is that if we don't do more than it might hit everyone right where it hurts; our pocket book. Southern Californians meet just over half of the requested conservation goal of 10% according to Mayor Sanders. This could

Lonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-42860245600306195672008-08-18T15:11:00.000-07:002008-08-18T16:11:40.210-07:00

Many of us know that Southern California is under increasing pressure to "rethink" its water use and allocation. From recent uprising plans for a new desalinization plants to water recycling the buzz is everywhere. It has become such a big problem that it is hitting the national spotlight. In a recent article of one of the most widely read and acknowledged engineering magazine, Engineering News

Lonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-16218068728077374952008-08-15T15:49:00.000-07:002008-09-19T10:05:20.593-07:00

San Diego Stormwater Runoff Prevention hotline-->report illegal discharges (619) 235-1000(9.2 Public Reporting of Illicit Discharges and ConnectionsThe City of San Diego has an established hotline to promote, publicize, and facilitatepublic reporting of illicit discharges or water quality impacts associated with dischargesinto or from the storm drain system. Reports of illicit discharges and

Oceana Virginianoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-23239013259819850132008-08-14T21:14:00.000-07:002008-08-18T07:30:36.201-07:00

The San Diego Natural History Museum located in Balboa Park is currently exhibiting the "Ins & Outs" of water conservation. The exhibit highlights many aspect of water on planet Earth, how we can help dampen the direct effects and the history of water in California. It will be highlighted thru November 30, 2008 and is the "Only West Coast venue." There is something here for all of us.. Enjoy!

Lonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-24382417059342332872008-08-07T13:05:00.000-07:002008-08-07T13:18:07.691-07:00

I was sent this great article in the voice of SD by Rob Davis (Link).The article highlights the Utility Consumers' Action Network (UCAN) recent water conservation report. The report can be found here: UCAN ReportI liked this quote:"I violently disagree with this almost pathological preoccupation with education," Shames said. "Education is like an excuse for yet another pamphlet."I agree that too

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-75156640536608306772008-07-23T07:53:00.000-07:002008-07-23T08:22:42.368-07:00

There's a whole subculture to composting when you enlist worms -- usually red worms -- to do your dirty work.Worm composting, also known as vermiculture, turns garbage into a rich, dark earth-smelling soil conditioner, which you can use to help your lawn, your flowers or your vegetable garden.Worm composting doesn't just help you, but also the environment. The City of Vancouver in Canada

Dan Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13630273748255273495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-2773595237724180012008-07-08T10:57:00.000-07:002008-07-08T11:24:35.041-07:00

If artificial grass is not your thing and you still want a lush lawn with low maintanance you are in luck. The internet is a great place to begin your research into alternative grass types. After doing a bit of research make sure you visit your local nursery and talk to as many people in your area as possible. Take notice of neighboring lawns and landscaping. Make sure that you take the time to

Lonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-40456684255260751152008-07-08T09:51:00.000-07:002008-07-08T11:25:21.544-07:00

There are many areas around the house and yard where you can contribute to saving water and money. By doing a simple daily survey over a month’s period you can assess you individual water consumption. It may appear that you are doing everything possible but take a couple of minutes to review the attached links. Water savings is a crucial necessity for our future. Spread the word.http://

Lonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-78451791055096867332008-06-02T22:49:00.000-07:002008-06-02T22:52:16.333-07:00

LA Times Article on Guerilla GardeningLINK

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-32107210473811505612008-06-02T22:43:00.000-07:002008-06-02T22:48:15.483-07:00

This is a pretty ocean friendly way to mow your ocean friendly grass!!!LINK

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-15842597527289911642008-05-19T17:33:00.000-07:002008-05-19T17:58:29.118-07:00

Summer is here so now's the time to act. The Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College in El Cajon is a great way to learn more about local gardening and native plant life. The garden was established in 1991 by local residents to combat rising population and drought conditions. The gardens main focus in the earlier stages of its development was water conservation through awareness and

Lonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-18900783627545565982008-05-02T07:27:00.000-07:002008-05-02T07:34:35.248-07:00

Using moss instead of grass is a great way to save water."According to an informal survey by the American Society of Landscape Architects, many of its most prominent members predict that the use of native and drought-resistant plants like moss as a sustainable substitute for grass will be a major design trend of 2008. “We’re definitely seeing more creative plantings, and moss is a great one,”

Belinda Smithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8030747047837888959.post-23579145190661021452008-04-29T23:14:00.000-07:002008-04-29T23:15:13.223-07:00

Take a second to take the poll located in the upper right of this page!Thanks!

Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00319926207865672411noreply@blogger.com0