Water-Efficient Landscape Gardens

The gardens are open to the public dawn to dusk during normal Fair Oaks Park hours (11549 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks, CA 95628 - Map/Directions).  Take a self-guided tour of the gardens - most plants are labeled. Check out the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center Workshop Schedule to attend a workshop on growing and maintaining a water-efficient landscape.

The Water-efficient landscape link on the left lists all of our publications, and videos.

The Water-Efficient Landscape (WEL) demonstration gardens show that beautiful gardens can thrive in the Sacramento Valley on low amounts of supplemental summer water.  

The WEL is composed of seven garden areas designed to offer a variety of landscaping options. Most plants are labeled with markers denoting both common and botanical names.  Here are lists of plants at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center (PDFs will open in a new window):

• WEL Garden plant list (PDF 106kb)
• California Native Garden plant list (PDF 120kb)

In addition to water-wise plant selection, the demonstration gardens incorporate various water-efficient landscaping techniques.  These include:

• use of compost to improve soil structure and fertility
• drip irrigation
• mulch to reduce soil moisture loss and weed growth
• swales to capture water
• permeable concrete walks and patios to prevent run-off

For more resources, visit the Water-efficient landscape page and plant lists by season.

 

History

In 2001 Chuck Ingels, the Sacramento County Farm and Environmental Horticulture Advisor, realized that there was a need to educate the public and landscape professionals about water-thrifty plants and gardens.  He sought and obtained grants from the California Department of Water Resources (Water Use Efficiency Program) and the Sacramento County Transient Occupancy Tax.

Between 2002 and 2003, the plans were developed by Quadriga Landscape Architects and Candace Schuncke, landscape designer and Master Gardener, with input from the Sacramento County Master Gardeners.  The plan included four gardens: a Mediterranean Climate Courtyard, a Common Variety garden, a Native Garden, and an Asian Meditation Garden, along with a central perennial walk.

In 2003, the Water-Efficient Landscape demonstration garden was added to the existing Fair Oaks Horticulture Center.  We broke ground in spring of that year.  The hardscape was installed, then the Master Gardeners began preparation for the first three gardens and the perennial walk.

The ground was poor and compacted in a number of areas.  Hardpan was broken up by bobcat and electric clay spade.  Soil was conditioned with many yards of compost.  Plants were planted.  Drip lines were installed.  The gardens were covered with 3 inches of mulch.  Though the garden plants were small, they grew into a lush garden by the third year.  Along the way, Master Gardeners remulched twice a year and gave workshops about water-efficient garden care.  The poor soil we began with is richer and our gardens are full and beautiful.