WRD Eco Gardener Program -  Class Offerings

Watershed Wise Landscaping Basics
This class is the foundation for designing a garden that uses the principles of gorgeous and watershed-wise landscaping: building a healthy living soil sponge, holding rainwater on the property, selecting local native plants that minimize water use and maximize biodiversity, and managing the irrigation.

 Drought-Tolerant Gardens
Learn how to identify critical steps for successfully designing a drought tolerant landscape. Topics include developing a palette of climate-appropriate plants with a focus on California natives, applying key design principles, and laying out a successful planting plan.

Small Space Gardening 
Be it a small yard, patio, or even containers, discover the many opportunities to create inviting gardens. Learn about design tips around container and plant selection, hardscaping opportunities, and creating garden rooms in limited outdoor spaces.

Rainwater Capture
It’s not about how much rain falls from the sky, but how much rain your landscape can hold on to. This workshop focuses on nature-based solutions for passive and active capture of rainwater in your landscape. Discussion includes considerations in selecting a site-appropriate rainwater capture method, designing swales and berms, and directing water into and out of rain gardens.

Edible Gardening
As food prices increase and the nutritional value of vegetables decreases, creating your own successful edible garden is more valuable than ever. Topics include growing vegetables and herbs in planters, optimizing soil health for maximum benefits, successfully irrigating edibles, and planning for all year-round plantings.

Landscape Transformation on a Budget
For many, removing turf and replacing it with a Watershed Wise landscape is overwhelming and cost prohibitive. This workshop helps attendees understand the expenses, prioritize the choices, and determine how to minimize costs. Learn when to invest in a landscape professional and when to get creative with materials and techniques.

Gardening Myth Busters
With so much information available, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. This class covers common landscape misconceptions that may surprise you. We’ll discuss what plants really need to thrive, the benefits of working with natural systems, and lots of myths about irrigation.

Irrigation Fundamentals
These days we can’t afford to waste a single drop of water. This class teaches you how to make the most of your irrigation system. Topics include understanding the role of soil in optimizing irrigation, the nuts and bolts of how an irrigation system works, and converting to more efficient irrigation systems.

 Revitalize Your Traditional Garden
With so much focus on removing turf and installing new Watershed Wise gardens, what about helping our ‘traditional’ gardens thrive? In this workshop we’ll cover how to maintain traditional ornamental plants such as roses, boxwood, and camellias by building healthy soil, managing irrigation, and protecting vital trees and shrubs in times of drought.

Ready to make a change but not sure where to start? Take a look at these water-saving How-To videos. They are available in both English and Spanish.

1. Drip Conversion How-To Video: Learn how to convert your overhead spray irrigation into a drip irrigation system. 
2. Installing a Smart Irrigation Controller How-To Video: Learn how to switch out your controller for a smart controller that responds to  your unique landscape features and even the weather forecast. 
3. How to Isolate a Water Leak How-To Video: Learn how to use your water meter to look for leaks inside and outdoors.
4. How to Replace a Toilet Flapper How-To Video: Learn how to replace the flapper in your toilet tank.