Go water-wise in your yard

To the Editor:

We are so lucky to be getting April showers to keep things green. But don't let some springtime drizzle lure you into the false hope that summer will have water to spare. California already made drought history this year, and some predict this could be the worst drought year ever recorded.

So don't beat yourself up later for your brown lawn and dead plants! Instead, make a beautiful yard that can actually persist in this climate. It's called xeri-scaping, which is landscaping in a xeric or dry environment, and it's really the only way to go.

Conserving water is everyone's responsibility, so let's make saving water cool! You could even encourage a little friendly neighborhood rivalry for motivation and fun.

Here are some tips to get you started: Select native, drought-tolerant plants; mulch the ground to store water (extra points for using your own compost!); replace your lawn with rock gardens, cacti, sculptures, and ornaments; use drip lines or soaker hoses instead of sprinklers.

Some hardy native plants to look out for include California fuschia, showy penstemon, and various lupines and buckwheats. To really beat the drought, perhaps grow a “lawn” of thyme, or build a Hugelkultur bed made out of buried wood to store water naturally.

If we take this challenge on now, we won't have to regret our dead lawns later and we'll all have more water!

For links to numerous water-saving tips, visit www.calaverascap.com. Under “Get Involved,” go to “Links & Resources.”

Austen Thibault Outreach coordinator, Calaveras Planning

Coalition & Community Action Project