WRD Eco Gardener Program

THE LILLIAN KAWASAKI ECO GARDENER PROGRAM 

Make your beautiful garden the envy of your neighbors while simultaneously saving water and creating a productive ecosystem in your backyard! The Lillian Kawasaki Eco Gardener Program teaches homeowners about the multiple benefits of planting a sustainable garden through a series of in-person classes. Whether you attend one or all of them, you are certain to walk away with knowledge about sustainable garden design concepts as well as plant and material selections for creating an attractive, water efficient garden. All classes are FREE.

The Eco Gardener program educates residents on four popular topics: sustainable landscape design, drought-tolerant plants, edible gardening, and irrigation basics. For a brief introduction into all four topics at once, try our Water Efficient Gardening class. See descriptions of each class below, then click the sign-up button when you are ready to register! If you’d like to sign up for our mailing list or are interested in hosting a workshop in your community, please use the sign up bottom to contact us.

UPCOMING CLASSES

To protect public health and comply with the California Department of Public Health’s guidelines, WRD has postponed in person Eco-Gardener Classes until further notice.

Instead, we are offering virtual classes! We have both on-demand and 'live' webinar options. The on-demand classes are accessible anytime using the link you get when you RSVP. The live webinar class has a set date and time, and is led my an instructor who can answer your questions. Please see the flyers for each class by clicking the link below and sign up for the class using the Sign Up Today button. If there are no upcoming classes, you can sign up for the mailing list. Thank you and see you online!

- Tues, May 18th | 5pm - 6pm | Live Webinar | Sustainable Landscape Design

- Thurs, May 20th | 5pm - 6pm | Live Webinar | Irrigation Basics

- Tues, Jun 1st | 5pm - 6pm | Live Webinar | Edible Gardening 

- Thurs, Jun 3rd | 5pm - 6pm | Live Webinar | Drought-Tolerant Plants 

- NEW CLASS! Wed, Jun 9th | 5pm - 6pm | Live Webinar | Water 101: The California Water Picture

- NEW CLASS! Wed, Jun 16th | 5pm - 6pm | Live Webinar | Water 101: Sustainable Water in Southern LA County
 

Sign Up Today!

ON-DEMAND CLASSES

These virtual, on-demand classes will teach audiences about sustainable gardening through three topic areas. Sign up today to receive a link to the class that you can use at your convenience from the comfort of your home.

- On-Demand Class | Accessible at your Convenience | Sustainable Landscape Design

- On-Demand Class | Accessible at your Convenience | Edible Gardening

- On-Demand Class | Accessible at your Convenience | Irrigation Basics

Sign Up Today!

VIDEO TUTORIALS

Ready to make a change but not sure where to start? Take a look at these two 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. 

How to retrofit pop up spray to drip irrigation

Eco Gardener

Cómo convertir aspersores a sistema de riego por goteo

Eco Gardener

How to replace old controller with a smart controller

Eco Gardener

Cómo reemplazar su controlador viejo con un controlador inteligente

Eco Gardener

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Leak Detection Class

Irrigation leaks just the size of a dime will waste nearly 6,300 gallons of water per month. Inefficient toilets can waste up to 13,000 gallons per year. The Eco Gardener Leak Detection virtual class will help participants identify and fix water leaks, leading to the conservation of thousands of gallons of water, savings on your water bill, and protection from water damage in your home and garden. With the proper training and tools, leaks can be fixed before they become a costly issue!

Sustainable Landscape Design

Look to nature for the answer! This class explores the philosophy of natural watershed design which uses minimal resources while increasing the aesthetics, and possibly the value, of your property. 

Participants learn how to conduct a thorough site analysis using the principles of planting design and assessing different materials available for use. Visual examples of design styles using various spaces, color schemes and levels of hardscape are shown throughout. An overview of plant selections including drought-tolerant plants and California native plants prepare you to make your backyard a water-saving sanctuary.

Edible Gardening

Turn part of your ordinary landscape into a lush edible garden. Use your water in a way that will benefit you and your family while creating a sustainable environment that you can be proud of.

This workshop shares tips on how to analyze and enhance your soil, as well as how to maximize the productivity of your garden through planning, design, composting and localized irrigation. Learn the fundamentals of propagation and pruning while understanding how to identify and address pest issues. It’s easy to select the right “crop” of fruits, herbs and veggies for your needs, all while having fun in the garden!

Drought Tolerant Plants

With an average of only 14” of rainfall per year in the LA area, it doesn’t make sense to have gardens that require daily watering. Planting a drought-tolerant garden can alleviate the high demand on our precious water resources while saving you money! With many options to choose from, it’s easy to get creative with your eco-friendly garden.

Before diving into the needs and benefits of drought-tolerant plants and California native plants, this workshop examines planting and pruning fundamentals including plant nomenclature (naming), sizing and spacing, growing habits, root systems, pests and diseases, and maintenance considerations. Visual examples of various trees, shrubs and ground covers that are readily available in California and well-suited for the region will assist homeowners in confidently making plant selections for their water-wise landscape.

Irrigation Basics

Imagine 50% of all the drinking water from the faucets at home that you pay for being thrown outside—you couldn’t use it to shower, clean, cook or stay hydrated. That’s exactly what we do here in Southern California in efforts to keep our yards looking lush, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Learn how to get the most out of your irrigation system so that we can conserve water, live more sustainably, and save money while we’re at it.

This workshop will familiarize participants with the components and the layout of a residential irrigation system while teaching them about the installation and maintenance of an efficient, well-managed irrigation system. Troubleshooting the most common irrigation problems that occur will also be covered, leaving homeowners ready to tackle many maintenance issues that may arise.

Water Efficient Gardening

Looking to take it all in on one day? This workshop combines the pertinent information from the four popular topics into one 4-hour workshop. Participants will get a basic understanding of how to approach sustainable landscape design and optimize their soils, as well as the value of water management techniques through smart plant selection and efficient irrigation. Taken together these pillars turn your yard into a beautiful, water-smart landscape and a productive ecosystem.

Winter Gardening

In coastal Southern California, we are lucky to garden yearround. For native plants in the region, the wet winter months is like their springtime! 

This class helps participants make a plan for winter gardening and leaves plenty of time for questions from the audience. From pruning and modified watering schedules, to planting your new CA native plants, we'll teach you how to put the winter months to good use!

PROGRAM HISTORY

From Pilot Program to Community Program

Recognizing the need for effective water conservation education well before the recent 5-year drought, WRD initiated a pilot of the Eco Gardener Program at a local junior college in the fall of 2006. Now in its thirteenth year, thousands of participants have been trained throughout WRD’s 420 square mile service area as hundreds of participants attend the program annually. 

Due to the pilot’s success, more classes were added each year and by teaming up with community partners such as cities, private utilities, and non-profit organizations; the courses became locally-tailored and more relevant. This collaborative approach, combined with always keeping the program free of charge, has resulted in the Eco Gardener Program being an effective tool for reaching populous, under-served, and environmentally-strained communities that may lack access to these types of educational opportunities. 

The Eco Gardener Program even inspired what became the Lillian Kawasaki Demonstration Gardens at the WRD headquarters in Lakewood and the WRD Albert Robles Center for Water Recycling & Environmental Learning (ARC) in the City of Pico Rivera. For both demonstration gardens, the principles from the Eco Gardener classes have been employed to produce a landscape that is both aesthetically balanced and water efficient, all while using minimal resources.