These Beautiful gardens require less water, but don’t look dry; they are attractive, lush, and evergreen because they were transformed from grassy yards using the principles of sustainable landscaping. While some conventional landscapes may waste water by allowing it to run off the property, watershed wise landscapes are designed to hold onto rainwater and reduce the demand for supplemental irrigation. In the pages that follow, you’ll see inspirational gardens that allow us to continue enjoying Los Angeles’ varied and amazing climate and outdoor lifestyle, while conserving valuable natural resources and creating a diverse habitat of plants and insects. If we want Los Angeles landscapes that are truly resilient to changes in climate and ecosystems, we need to go beyond sustainable and water wise principles to begin managing each property as though it were a mini-watershed. By paying attention to the design of the garden, building soil and keeping rain on our properties, selecting climate-appropriate plants and managing supplemental irrigation, we transform our grass-covered landscapes into abundant watershed wise enhancements to our properties and neighborhoods.