The Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership has developed eight scalable landscape design templates for the fire rebuild. These free, front yard designs are scalable to fit landscaped areas up to 2,500 square feet, ready-to-permit, and in compliance with local Water Efficient Landscape Ordinances. The eight front yard plans are available in two of each of these styles:
- Sonoma Native/Adaptive – an emphasis on native and fire safer plants
- Sonoma Eco-Edible – a mix of edible and habitat plantings that maximize sustainability
- Sonoma Contemporary – a modern, minimalistic and clean look that is easy to maintain
- Sonoma Cottage – a Sonoma version of a cottage garden with natural materials and colorful plantings
The full-yard concepts show the interconnectedness of the back and side yards with the front yard, displaying optional features that you may choose to incorporate such as rain water catchment, graywater systems, rain gardens, swales and laundry to landscape systems. While these features add costs, they need to be considered during home design and construction. Additions like stubbing out a line for graywater or grading the yards for rain gardens and swales can be done for little or no additional cost during construction so that the features can be added later on when you are ready to tackle home improvement projects in the future. (Note: The full-yard concept plans are not intended to be used for planting or permit purposes.)
For more information and to download the eight plans, click here.
The Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership represents 11 water utilities in Sonoma and Marin counties that have joined together to provide regional solutions for water use efficiency. The utilities include the Cities of Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Petaluma, Sonoma, Cotati; North Marin, Valley of the Moon and Marin Municipal Water Districts; Town of Windsor, California American Water – Larkfield District and Sonoma County Water Agency. Each of the partners have water conservation programs that can assist customers in reducing their water use.