Water-Efficient Landscape

Beautiful gardens can thrive in the Sacramento Valley on low amounts of supplemental summer water. The water-efficient landscape (WEL) demonstration garden at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center is one of those, as are gardens at the UC Davis Arboretum.

The WEL demonstration garden at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center (FOHC) is open to the public seven days a week year round. Wheelchair accessibility is provided. The garden features natives, perennials, trees, and shrubs--plants that do well with less water during our long, hot, dry summer days and tolerate our chilly, damp Sacramento winters.

The links on the left include lists of water-efficient plants that look especially lovely by season—sometimes more than one! Get cultural information, a picture and a little history for each plant.

Below is a collection of resources just for the home gardener from the UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County and other external resources.

Monthly Tips - what to do in your WEL garden each month.

The WEL at the FOHC - a history of the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center (FOHC) WEL.

Seven gardens - map and description of each garden area at the FOHC WEL.

Drought gardening - tips and resources for the whole garden.

Frost Protection - cold weather can damage sensitive plants.

Master Gardener publications and videos

Note: PDF files open in a new window/tab.

Lawn Removal Methods - go beyond lawn to a more water efficient garden. (GN 161)
Mint family plants (PDF) - lists some of the plants in this large family that make good water efficient choices for the home garden. (GN 159)
Attracting Beneficial Insects to Your Garden (PDF 171kb) - describes a variety of plants that will attract the insects you'd love to have as helpers in your garden. (GN 129)
Plant list (PDF 130kb). - complete list of plants in the FOHC WEL garden. (GN 101)
California native garden plant list (PDF 120kb). - FOHC WEL gardens. (GN 139)
Ornamental Grass (PDF 92kb) - explains how to select, plant and care for ornamental grasses; includes a chart with specific information about more than 30 ornamental grasses. (EHN 91)
Plant bulbs - when and how to plant bulbs in the Sacramento area.
Flower seeds - when and how to plant seeds in the Sacramento area.

Videos

Transplant a Landscape Cactus Pain Free! (4:56 min.) - UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County.
Landscape Redesign: An Environmentally-Friendly Approach (5:33 min.) - UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County.
- Companion Document (PDF)
Make Your Garden Wildlife Friendly (9:02 min.) - UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County.
A Walking Tour of the Water-Efficient Landscape (6:38 min.) - UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County
Prune Ornamental Grasses (2:45 min.) - UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County.
Prune Rosemary (4:19 min.) - UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County.
Prune Santa Barbara Daisies (2:30 min.) - UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County.
Prune Woody Sages (2:54 min.) - UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County.
Maintaining a Weed-Free Lawn (3:15 min.) - UCMaster Gardeners of Sacramento County.

External Resources

Note: PDF files open in a new window/tab.

UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars - 100 tough, reliable plants that don’t need a lot of water, have few problems with pests or diseases, and have outstanding qualities in the garden.
Rain gardens (PDF) - details for creating your rain garden from the Bay Area Stomrwater Management Agencies Assn.
Urban Bee Gardens - information about the importance of native bees and how to attract them to your garden; developed through the bee lab of Dr. Gordon Frankie of the University of California Berkeley.
Manage pests on flowers - UC IPM.
Manage pests on trees, shrubs, and woody ornamentals. - UC IPM.
Deer Resistant Plants (PDF) - compiled by the UCCE Nevada County Master Gardeners. Refer to "Water Requirements" listed for water-efficient varieties.
Turf Demonstration Project - learn about water efficient turf grasses and lawn alternatives study conducted by Sacramento County Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor Chuck Ingels.

Videos

Building Resilient Gardens (26:34 min.) - Karrie Reid for Virtual Harvest Day 2020.
Select Healthy Plants (19:41 min.) – Missy Gable, UC Master Gardener Program.
Building healthy soil - builds healthy plants, and saves water too.

ANR = free publication from the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Catalog
PN = free publication from UC Integrated Pest Management
EHN = Environmental Horticulture Notes from the UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County
GN = Garden Notes from the UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County

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