Nurseries & Gardens

Water Conservation
Garden and County Watershed Protection Program Unveil New Exhibit

Rancho San Diego, CA—The Water Conservation Garden, in partnership with the San Diego County Watershed Protection Program, formally opened a new exhibit this week that highlights storm water pollution prevention.  The public is invited to view the new exhibit any time during its normal operating hours—9am-4pm, 7 days a week.  The new exhibit features a permeable pavement installation, complete with re-circulating fountain, situated alongside a straw bale house with a green, living roof.  Funding for the exhibit comes from a generous grant from the County of San Diego’s Watershed Protection Program.

Permeable pavement is an innovation that allows water to flow through the surface material to the soil layer below, preventing water from flowing into the storm drain.  Although we typically receive limited rainfall in San Diego, our extensively paved surfaces—roads, sidewalks, and other impermeable surfaces– contribute to toxic urban runoff, as water has nowhere to go but into storm drains, carrying pollutants from paved surfaces with it.  Urban runoff has a negative impact on sea life, ocean habitat, tourism, and recreational use of beaches.

“We are fortunate to partner with the County’s Watershed Protection Program to bring awareness to the public about how they can help to protect our watersheds and prevent storm water pollution,” said Marty Eberhardt, The Garden’s Executive Director.  “Through this partnership we have not only expanded our exhibits, but have also expanded our workshop curriculum to include information on green roofs and permeable pavement that will assist homeowners in incorporating these sustainable alternatives into their homes. From our perspective, the first step  is to  use only the water you need, and the second is to prevent pollution with the water you do use.”

The Garden will offer a new class, Gardening on a Rooftop on Saturday, October 22, 9:30-11:30am, and will feature a permeable pavement seminar during its Fall Garden and Home Festival on November 5.  Check the event’s website, www.gardenandhomefest.org for an updated seminar schedule as the festival nears.

Homeowners can further help reduce urban runoff by planting a green, living roof.  Green roofs provide a unique aesthetic while expanding growing space and reducing energy costs associated with heating and cooling.  A green roof requires professional installation and assessment by an engineer to ensure proper support of the added weight.  Jim Mumford of GreenScaped Buildings and roofer Ulf Waldmann oversaw the installation of The Garden’s green roof system.  A straw bale house forms the base for the roof, illustrating the use of sustainable materials for building purposes.  Advantages of straw-bale construction over conventional building systems include the renewable nature of straw, low cost, easy availability, and high insulation value.  Willow Lane Construction of San Diego built and stuccoed the straw bale house.

About the Water Conservation Garden – Opened in 1999, the Garden is dedicated to promoting water conservation in the southern California landscape through excellent exhibits and programs that educate and inspire the public.  The Garden is supported by memberships, donations, grants, and water agency support.  For more information, please visit www.thegarden.org or call 619-660-0614 x10.

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