Did you know half of all household water is typically used for the lawn and garden?
With Southern California’s dry conditions, the Brentwood Community Council (BCC)’s Environmental Committee decided to create a Water-Wise Garden Tour set for Sunday, April 12, in order to promote sustainability practices to reduce water consumption while still having a beautiful garden.
“It’s important for BCC to continue to bring about new ideas to the community regarding earth-friendly lifestyles,” said Teri Kahn, chair of the Environmental Committee. “We wanted to provide a way to use less water at home.”
The tour, which will run from 1 pm to 4 pm, will consist of a handful of stops throughout Brentwood, with each location highlighting a different aspect of dryscape gardening, which is the usage of alternative turf in place of typical turf grass.
Those who participate in the tour will be able to see what kind of basic care and maintenance the alternative material requires – and the huge amount of water it can save.
According to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), turf grass not only demands high water use, but is also expensive to maintain. Alternative turf on the other hand allows residents to be both environmentally friendly and financially wise.
“Brentwood is notorious for having one of the highest rates of water usage in the entire city of Los Angeles,” Kahn said. “We’re really trying to get the residents to transition to dryscape.”
Kahn said that on average, more than 50 percent of water usage in a Brentwood household goes to maintaining landscape and aesthetic.
An important objective of the Water-Wise Garden Tour is to change the perception of the approachability of a water-wise residential turf.
“I don’t want people to go on thinking that this is a project that has to be difficult or expensive,” Kahn said.
So far, there are four destinations confirmed on the upcoming tour, with each location providing an example of dryscape gardening and alternative turf.
The first portion of the approximate three-hour tour will commence at Brentwood School – which Kahn refers to as a “work of art” – with University Synagogue following. The next two confirmed locations will be residential homes within Brentwood.
“It’d be great to add one more stop,” Kahn said. “If anyone knows of an excellent example in their neighborhood, please let us know.”
Kahn also informed Brentwood News about a rebate program that encourages the utilization of alternative turf.
In 2009, the LADWP launched the California Friendly Landscape Incentive Program that offers a rebate of $3.75 per square foot for the first 1,500 square feet of turf grass torn out (and $2 per square feet thereafter). For more information on the rebate program, visit ladwp.com.
The Brentwood Community Council meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7 pm at the Kaufman-Brentwood Library at 11820 San Vicente Blvd.
For more information on the BCC, visit brentwoodcommunitycouncil.org.
Tickets for the Water-Wise Garden Tour are $25, which are available online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/waterwise-garden-tour-tickets-15270952831.
