Water-Efficient, Low-Maintenance Petaluma Oasis

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Garden Features

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Drought Tolerant

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Graywater System

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California Natives

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Deer Resistant

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Drip Irrigation

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Pesticide Free

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Rainwater Harvesting System

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Smart Irrigation Controller

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Lawn-Free Landscaping

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Permeable Surfaces

Partner: City of Petaluma

When my wife and I moved to Petaluma during the 2019 drought, we purchased a 68-year-old home with sparse landscaping. This blank canvas sparked our desire to explore sustainable solutions, including rainwater capture, whole-house greywater reuse, and drought-tolerant plantings. Our vision was to create a landscape that not only thrived on minimal water but also required little maintenance and enhanced the aesthetic appeal of our home. By integrating these innovative systems, we aimed to cultivate a self-sustaining oasis that aligned with our values of sustainability and beauty.

Rainwater Harvesting and Greywater Reuse

Each rainy season, we capture and store around 2,600 gallons of rainwater from our roof. While this is just a small fraction of the 20,000 gallons that fall on our roof annually, it provides enough water to sustain most of our plants and garden throughout the spring and summer months. Our trees, including a 60 year old redwood receive filtered greywater from our sinks, showers, and clothes washer.

Mulch

Knowing that a 1% increase in soil organic matter can boost water retention by approximately 20,000 gallons per acre, we have applied generous layers of mulch over the past five years. This practice has not only reduced our water needs but has also transformed the topsoil from dense clay into a light, springy loam.

Plants
We have two distinct microclimates on our property. The front of our house tends to be dry, windy, and can get quite hot during the summer. In this area, we’ve planted pollinator-friendly species such as salvias, sages, lantana, and yarrow. In contrast, the back of our house stays relatively cool and humid, thanks to the shade provided by our redwood and our neighbor’s sequoia. Here, we’ve created a water-permeable hardscape and planted a mix of ceanothus, ferns, grasses, and additional pollinator-friendly plants like borage and salvias.

Greywater from the house is is collected into a small tank. When full, the tank is pumped out to multiple zones of drip irrigation in the landscape. The system can irrigate smaller perennial plants as well as larger trees and shrubs. The Basic System is ideal for small to average-sized residential properties requiring 8 or fewer zones of irrigation.

Key Features

  • Greywater System utilizes 100% of household greywater for trees
  • 2,750-gallon above and below ground rainwater system covers >85% of outdoor water use for year
  • Smart Irrigation Controller senses water needs and adjusts water use
  • Drip Irrigation reduces water loss
  • Hardscape incorporates permeable surfaces for water capture and retention
  • California Native and drought-tolerant plants
  • Pesticide-free
  • Deer resistant

The Garden Tour

This tour will be especially valuable for anyone interested in learning about fungally active mulches, rainwater capture and greywater reuse systems. We will have QR codes so people can easily find the water tanks, pumps, electronics, contractors, etc. that we found through trial and error. Also, our water tank supplier and greywater filter provider will have information in case you are interested.

Special Events
Garden Sense Information Table

Plants in this Garden

Plant Picker
California Lilac

Ceanothus spp & cvs

Ceanothus, California lilac, 'Ray Hartman'
Organization

Ceanothus is a group of fast-growing, evergreen shrubs that vary from groundcovers to small trees, many of which are native to California. They provide a spectacular display of flowers in spring that will attract a multitude of pollinators. Flowers are followed by seeds that provide food for birds. The clusters of tiny flowers range from white to deep violet. Plants perform best with good drainage and minimal irrigation once established. Some do best in cooler coastal climates, but many thrive in hotter inland climates. Pay close attention to the mature size when selecting ceanothus to ensure that it has sufficient space for its natural form.

Groundcovers: C. ‘Centennial’ (1’ x 8’), C. gloriosus var. gloriosus ‘Anchor Bay’ (2’ x 8’), C. griseus var. horizontalis ‘Diamond Heights’ (variegated, 1’ x 4’), C. griseus var. horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’ (3’ x 12’), C. maritimus (2’ x 6’).

Shrubs: C. ‘Blue Jeans’ (6’ x 6’), C. Concha (6’ x 6’), C. ‘Dark Star’ (6’ x 8’), C. ‘Joyce Coulter’ (4’ x 12’), C. ‘Julia Phelps’ (8’ x 10’), C. cuneatus (8’ x 8’), C. thyrsiflorus ‘Skylark’ (4’ x 6’).

Large shrubs: C. ‘Frosty Blue’ (10’ x 12’), C. thyrsiflorus (20’ x 20’), C. t. ‘Snow Flurry’ (white flower, 20’ x 20’).

Trees: C. ‘Ray Hartman’ (15′ x 15′)

  • Water: Very LowLow
  • Light: Full SunPartial Shade
  • Soil: Well Drained

Salvia spp

Sage
Organization

Salvias are a huge group of more than 900 species that include annuals, perennials, and shrubs adapted to a variety of climates and have varying water requirements. Salvias are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, and are generally ignored by deer. Sages that are native to California are generally drought-tolerant, prefer full sun, and little to no fertilizer. Annual pruning in late summer or fall generally helps to keep plants tidy and healthy.

CA native sages:

  • S. apiana, white sage (3-4’ x 4-6’), silvery-white, aromatic leaves with tall flower spikes of white flowers, popular for honey production and in bundles as a natural incense.
  • ‘Bee’s Bliss’ (1-2’ x 6-8’), superb, light gray groundcover with light purple flowers on long spikes; damp conditions can cause mildew which will clear with warm weather and sunny conditions.
  • S. clevelandii, Cleveland sage (3-5’ x 3-5’), medium-sized shrub for hot, dry locations known for pleasant fragrance and deep blue whorls of flowers; popular cultivars include S. c. ‘Allen Chickering’, S. c. ‘Pozo Blue’, and S. c. ‘Winnifred Gilman’.
  • S. leucophylla, purple sage, includes plants with both an upright growth habit, such as S. l. ‘Amethyst Bluff’ (3-5’ x 3-5’) and others with a sprawling form, such as S. l. ‘Point Sal’ (2-3’ x 6’), both of which are from Santa Barbara county.
  • S. sonomaensis, Sonoma sage (1-2’ x 3-4’), groundcover that prefers light shade and will not tolerate damp conditions; cultivars include S. s. ‘Dara’s Choice’, S. s. ‘Greenberg Gray’, and S. s. ‘Hobbit Toes’.
  • S. spathacaea, hummingbird sage (1-2’ spreading), herbaceous groundcover that grows well in dry shade and spreads slowly by underground rhizomes; large leaves have a wonderful fruity fragrance; the only red-flowered native sage.
  • S. mellifera, black sage (6′ x 10′), evergreen shrub that grows well in full sun and well drained soils. Dark green leaves with pale purple flowers in late spring and early summer.

Non-native sages:

  • S. chamaedryoides, germander sage (2-3’)
  • S. chiapensis, Chiapas sage (1-2’ x 3-4’)
  • S. greggii, autumn sage (1-4’ x 1-4’)
  • S. leucantha, Mexican bush sage (3-4’ x 3-6’)
  • S. microphylla, cherry sage (3-4’ x 3-6’)
  • S. officinalis, garden sage (1-3’ x 1-3’)
  • Water: Very LowLowModerate
  • Light: Full SunPartial Shade
  • Soil: Well Drained

Eriogonum spp

Buckwheat
Organization

Diverse group of flowering, evergreen shrubs and perennials and annuals found throughout the western United States. Most available in nurseries are native to California and generally prefer drier sites. Flowers colors include yellow, white, pink, and red and are held above foliage in umbels that dry over time and are popular in flower arrangements. Buckwheats provide pollen and nectar for bees and butterflies, larval food for butterflies, seeds for birds, and cover for many creatures.

Examples:

  • Santa Cruz Island buckwheat (E. arborescens, 3-4’ x 4-5’) densely mounded with white flowers.
  • Saffron buckwheat (E. crocatum, 1-2’ x 2-3’) with chartreuse-yellow flowers and pale leaves.
  • California buckwheat (E. fasciculatum, 2-3’ x 3’) and its low-growing cultivars such as E. f. ‘Warriner Lytle.’
  • Catherine’s lace (E. giganteum, 4-8’ x 6-10’) with delicate, white flowers and soft pale leaves.
  • Red-flowered buckwheat (E. grande var. Rubescens, 1-2’ x 2-3’) low-mounding perennial with rose-pink flowers, coastal bluff buckwheat (E. latifolium, up to 12” x 1-2’.)
  • Sulfur buckwheat (E. umbellatum, 6-18” x 1-3’) with intense yellow flowers and cultivars E. u. var. aureum ‘Kannah Creek’ and E. u. Var. ‘Shasta Sulphur’.
  • Water: Very LowLow
  • Light: Full SunPartial Shade
  • Soil: Well Drained

Favorite Plants

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Wild Ginger - Asarum caudatum

Thrives under our Redwood Tree.

Favorite Garden Suppliers

Urban Tree Farm Nursery

3010 Fulton Road Fulton

Cottage Gardens

3995 Emerald Drive Petaluma

E D Wilson Roses at DEW Garden

4055 Petaluma Boulevard North Petaluma

Recommended Resources

Gardening Tips

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Mulch! Mulch! Mulch!