ECLWRF Salvia, Achillea, Mimulus, and Ceanothus Celebrate Spring 2011
G3 Associate and Surfrider staffer, Paul Herzog, G3’s Pamela, and Jeff Adams, of 10,000 Raingardens distinction, took a mini-tour of six rainwater harvesting (passive and active) projects designed, installed, and stewarded by G3 Associates in the LA area. Jeff is in town to teach an ARCSA program for LA Conservation Corps.
After picking Jeff up at the airport, we took a swing by the West Basin ECLWRF Demo Garden in El Segundo. Thanks to G3’s Marilee Kuhlmann’s masterful design skills, something is ALWAYS in bloom in this garden. It did not disappoint the tour — the monkey flower/ceanothus combination were all in bloom and were all TO DIE FOR!
Next up was a sponge garden in the Ballona Watershed (Culver City) that holds on to all of the roof water and takes in water from the street during a heavy downpour.
Culver City Sponge Garden
During rainstorms this property used to get run-on which would flood the driveway and sit in on the thin lawn in front of the house. Now, all water is directed toward the infiltration area in the front yard, and above-ground wet spots are hard to come by.
The Ballona Garden was followed by a trifecta in Santa Monica. First, we stopped by the brand new Elle Aveeno Surfrider Demonstration Garden at Franklin Elementary School on Montana to check on the newly-installed OFG Yard Sign and weather-based irrigation controller. This garden was built with volunteer labor and funded by a grant from Elle Magazine and the City of Santa Monica.
Paul Herzog and Jeff Adams at Santa Monica OFG
We expect that water use will be reduced by 80% or more and all of the water from the adjacent building will flow into a heavily mulched area within the garden rather than out to the street (and ocean).
Santa Monica Cistern Garden 2011
After Franklin Elementary, we moved on to the Shoreland Plaza at 2nd Street and Montana with its 5,500 gallon subterranean cistern. This garden was the among the first permitted systems allowing a cross-connection with the municipal water supply and the cistern water. It too was built with funding from the City of Santa Monica.
Finally, we looked in on the Garden/Garden Demonstration Project on 17th St. Garden/Garden is part of the Sustainable Sites Initiative, and is an excellent demonstration of the benefits of changing landscapes from turf gardens to sponge gardens.
Garden Garden in Santa Monica
The City of Santa Monica has been recording data from this garden for more than 5 years, proving that sustainable landscapes reduce water, labor, energy, and green waste when compared to the traditional turf-centric garden. Garden/Garden was designed by G3 Founding Member, Susanne Jett, and it is a constant reminder of how forward-thinking she has been for decades.
A quick hop on the freeway took us to a project in Burbank designed and installed by G3 Associate, Scott Mathers of Hey Tanks! LA. This project will be the subject of an entire post sometime in the coming weeks.
G3 Associates Paul Herzog and Scott Mathers talk to Jeff Adams and Scott's Rainwater Client
Scott’s client has included graywater and rainwater harvesting to reduce the municipal irrigation water used on his property. With more than 1,000 gallons of above-ground water storage and the daily availability of shower graywater, Scott’s client is ready to build out his food forest.
Elmer Avenue Sponge Garden
The day was capped by a self-guided tour of Elmer Avenue in Sun Valley. This amazing green street project has several working sponge gardens, some of which will be highlighted in other entries.
