If you are like many other residents of Orange County, you have become concerned over the past few years about water conservation. This may be due to the advertisements that you see on television and hear on the radio about saving water, or it may be simply due to the watering restrictions that have been imposed on your area. There are few residents of southern California that are unaware that we are in a drought situation, and images of barren fields where crops were once grown, or hearing statistics about the yields of California farmers, fruit producers and flower growers being at historic lows is almost guaranteed to cause a certain amount of concern. Those who make a living in an industry that has been affected by the water shortage see these issues every day, and are relying upon homeowners and businessowners to assist in the conservation efforts in order to get through this as a community. Basically, everyone needs to do their part to conserve water.
Restrictions were loosened in most areas over the course of the past six months due to a slightly better than expected rainfall total. Because of the reserves of water being slightly improved, most state and local municipalities reduced the severity of the restrictions on watering plants and washing your car, however this situation is going to be re-analyzed in Anaheim as well as other cities at the end of January. Although we have been improving as far as the amount of water on hand through both conservation as well as increased rainfall, there is no way to predict if this trend will continue or if we will go back to the shortage levels that created the severe watering restrictions that were seen last summer. For this reason, we can all temporarily breathe a small sigh of relief that every bit of landscaping is not going to get brown and die under the restrictions, however we should also consider planning for the future. For smart homeowners, this means considering taking steps to install landscaping elements that are water efficient.
Orange County is typically quite lush due to our moderate rainfall and temperate weather conditions. Grass and plants grow quite well here, provided they are able to be irrigated regularly during hotter months. While this is typically something that you would not need to think about, as soon as watering restrictions are imposed your plants will begin to suffer. Most landscaping cannot go more than a few months of hot conditions before completely dying, and nobody wants to see their investment in a beautiful yard get brown and die. This is why so many homeowners are learning about xeriscaping or desert landscaping. This type of landscaping is defined by using plants and landscape elements that either use no water or need very little (like cacti.) While it sometimes looks a little different than some people are used to, an absolutely stunning space can be created using rock, landscape lighting, synthetic grass and pavers. The idea is to create a beautiful space that does not use the typical elements that need continual watering.
By planning your desert landscaping now, you can prepare for the eventual re-imposing of watering restrictions. Make no mistake about it, even though we are doing slightly better we are by no means out of the drought, and can probably expect it to become more of an issue again. By acting now, you can prepare for the restrictions while also saving money every month in maintenance costs (artificial grass doesn’t grow) and water charges. You can do your part to help Orange County conserve, while benefiting from it in the process. Contact us today to discuss desert landscaping and water efficient options.
