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Home Demonstration

Locally adapted

Water Savvy and Thriving

The Water-wise Home Demonstration Section features California’s native plants that are recommended by Santa Barbara Botanic Garden to create wildlife habitats and that are easy to grow, readily available at the Garden Nursery (and other locations), drought tolerant, and beautiful. Water-wise Home Demonstration also features water-harvesting techniques, such as bioswales, basins, and water-collection tanks, which reduce the need for irrigation.

Its small scale and realistic setting make this garden relevant to today’s home gardener, displaying ways you can be water savvy at home.

garden map

Solutions for a Fickle Climate

Fight Drought with Water Harvesting

With a guaranteed dry season every year and unpredictable precipitation patterns, gardening in California requires creative water use. Fortunately, a variety of solutions exist to enhance soil moisture and help plants thrive. Using topography to create bioswales and basins passively encourages water to slow down, spread out, and sink into the soil, while rain barrels and cisterns can provide a buffer for especially dry times.

More to explore

Wooded Dell

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