Breceda Landscape is pleased to announce they will be a part of the 2011 Scripps Ranch Waterwise Garden Tour. 

This a two-part opportunity to see real-world water saving landscapes that are beautiful and save money for the homeowners. Click on the link above for more information, the tour will be:

• Sunday, March 27th 1-4pm (south side of Pomerado)
• Saturday, April 2nd from 10-1pm (north side of Pomerado)

There are 7 elements that a Waterwise Landscape or Habitat should address:

• Appropriate plant selection:
  Select trees, shrubs and groundcovers based on their adaptability to your region's soil and climate.
• Planning and design:
  A WaterWise landscape doesn't just happen. It is intentionally designed to enhance the natural space with minimal environmental impact.
• Soil preparation:
  Preparation of the bed areas for annuals and perennials and planting holes for trees and shrubs is crucial to their survival...
• Practical turf areas:
  Turf areas are important to the well-balanced urban landscape. Select the appropriate grass species and consider the size and geometry of turf areas for optimal water use...
• Efficient irrigation:
  Of the tremendous amounts of water applied to lawns and gardens, much of it is never absorbed by the plants and put to use. Some water is lost to runoff by being applied too rapidly, and some water evaporates from exposed, unmulched soil; but, the greatest waste of water is applying too much too often.
• Use of mulches:
  Use a mulch wherever possible. A good mulch conserves water by significantly reducing moisture evaporation from the soil. Mulch also reduces weed populations, prevents soil compaction and keeps soil temperatures more moderate.
• Appropriate maintenance:
  An added benefit of WaterWise landscapes is less maintenance. A well-designed landscape can decrease maintenance by as much as 50 percent through reduced mowing; once-a-year mulching; elimination of weak, unadapted plants; and more efficient watering techniques.

Listings and maps will be available on the Sustainable Scripps Ranch website at [www.scrippsranch.org/ssr]. Homeowners or landscapers will host many of the stops and be available to answer your questions.