The Latest Dirt - November 2024
Gardening Sustainably: Richmond’s Low Water Demo Garden
by Dan Lent and Brian Kerss
The Richmond Low Water Demonstration Garden showcases water-efficient gardening, featuring six distinct areas with low-water and drought-tolerant plants. Inspired by East Bay Municipal Utility District’s award-winning book, Plants and Landscapes for Summer-Dry Climates of the San Francisco Bay Region, this garden demonstrates the principles of resource-efficient landscaping in the Bay Area’s dry climate.
Designed to deepen public understanding of sustainable gardening, the garden’s diverse plant selection has evolved to thrive with low to moderate amounts of water during warm, dry summers. Each section highlights a unique approach to incorporating summer-dry plants, proving that environmentally conscious gardens can be both beautiful and beneficial to the environment.
Currently, the garden is in a quiet phase. Many plants, both annuals and perennials, have finished blooming and are setting seed.Native plants like manzanitas, ceanothus, and artemisia are in a natural dormancy, while others, such as Red California fuchsias, salmon-colored yarrow, pink mallows, and Grindelias, are still in bloom. Splashes of color continue with blue sages, Alyogyne, Penstemons, and Agastache in reds and oranges. Buckwheats add their own hues with blossoms that transition from white and red to rich browns as they mature, and elderberries provide contrast with new white flowers alongside ripening blueberries.
Ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance the garden include:
• Adding new plants.
• Spreading fresh mulch.
• Deadheading and pruning.
• Clearing out old growth.
• Updating plant lists as needed.
This maintenance phase will carry the garden through the season, preparing it for fall planting to replace any lost plants and introduce new varieties. Richmond’s Low Water Demonstration Garden stands as an inspiring, year-round example of how sustainable gardening practices can create a stunning, resilient landscape that conserves water and supports biodiversity.
We welcome the participation of all UC Master Gardeners who want to help maintain this beautiful garden, while learning more about gardening with low water or drought tolerant plants.