Waterwise Gardening

for the Oregon Coast

Linda R McMahan, Ph.D., Emeritus FacultyDepartment of Horticulture, Oregon State University

Photo: Neil Bell, Rock rose

Today’s ProcessWe will cover oWhat is Waterwise and why consider itoYour garden conditions and personal aestheticsoPossible strategiesoKinds of plants to choose and avoid

ActivitiesoTake notes on preferences and conditions as we

go!oFill out a short set of questions/goals lateroPick some target plants, strategies and goals that fit

you personally

What is WaterWise?

Waterwise gardening is a style that uses drought resistant plants to create landscapes that require minimal irrigation once established

Penstemon, Nasturtium, and Santolinum species

Other Names: Xeriscaping, Water-Efficient Landscapes, WaterSense, Drought Tolerant

Choosing Waterwise Can:

oBe less effort once establishedoSave moneyoSupport a conservation ethicsoBe necessary for the site because of soil

or water restrictionsoReflect a truly local perhaps unique style

by adapting to the local climate and soilsoCreate a stunning garden that will be the

envy of others

Why WaterWise?

R. St. Hilaire et.al, HORTSCIENCE

43(7):2081–2092. 2008.

• “Although water used to irrigate the residential urban landscape will vary according to factors such as landscape type, management practices, and region, landscape irrigation can vary from 40% to 70% of household use of water. So, the efficient use of irrigation water in urban landscapes must be the primary focus of water conservation.”

Why WaterWise?

From: http://www.clackamasproviders.org/water-efficient-plants/

What WaterWise is Not!

o Not boringo Not all desert

plantso Not “Zero-scaping”o Not maintenance-

free

Private garden featuring waterwise plants and sustainable gardening techniques such as permeable paths, mulch, and recycled wood.

Pick Your StyleWaterWise landscapes can be austere, reminiscent of dry landscapes, or lush, focus on herbs or plants from particular climates. Designs can be plain or fancy. Choose a style that reflects who you are personally.

Your Conditions and Wishes?

oWell water or city water – stored wateroNew or established plantingsoWildfire considerationsoAmount of work it takes to maintain a garden

- your age, physical condition, available equipment, money to hire and so on

oPerson aesthetics – What do you like?oLocal climate and soil

Write it Down Now

Some Questions to Consider as We Proceed

oWhat are your favorite landscape plants? Can they survive with minimal water?oDo you mix vegetables with

ornamentals? That might change your strategiesoDo you need to conserve water or

is there more flexibility?

Some Strategies To ConsideroMaking changes slowly may work for youoReduce the area of lawn--lawns generally take

more water than other choicesoZone your gardenoProvide suitable shade oMulch to conserve water and reduce weedsoUse targeted drip or other watering techniquesoHand water oGrow some plants in potsoLearn the needs of your plants

Zoning as a Strategyo Zoning is a practice of grouping

plants together based on their characteristics into zones for appropriate exposure and water

o Each zone may receive a different water delivery

o A plant pot can be a “zone” for high water use or lower water use plants

Possible Irrigation Strategieso Choose irrigation methods

to reduce water use and be site-specific

o Choices include hand watering, drip systems, small pop-up sprayers, automated links to weather stations, and soaker hoses

o Irrigation is necessary for plant establishment

Mulch and Groundcovers•Mulch and groundcovers reduce

weeds and irrigation, - protecting soil from compaction • Use bark, rock, compost, conifer

needles, nutshells, or other materials• Place plants very close to each

other so the canopy can protect the soil and exclude most of the sunlight to reduce weed growth

Dense planting from the Newberg Library garden

Water Run-off Managemento Simple things like parking

pavers can create a permeable surface to avoid water runoff from a garden

o Other examples include permeable concrete, gravel or bark paths, rain water harvesting, even bioswales or rain gardens Parking pavers at the Newberg

Library garden

Layer for Maximum Effect

oInclude trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and groundcoversoCreates shade and varying

habitats for plantsoProvides structural

interestoIncludes spaces for wildlife

Parking lot in the Newberg Library Waterwise Garden

Kinds of Plants to ChooseoBulbsoHerbs and other Mediterranean plantsoHerbaceous plants from American prairiesoHardy SucculentsoSelected native plantsoHardy plants from California oTrees from Eastern America or other drought-

hardy trees like Ginkgo

How Do I Know what is Native?oI consult the Oregon

Flora Project, housed at Oregon State University. This site provides correct and current scientific names, generates maps of plant distribution, has a photo database.

oOr I look it up in a reference This is the reference page for the

Golden current, Ribes aureum, var. aureum, native to Oregon’s east side.

www.oregonflora.org

What is Native?o“Native” of course depends on where you are

from, especially if you want to use only local natives.

oHere are two choices for Oregon Coastal native plants. On the left is coastal strawberry, Fragaria chiloense and the right spoon-leaf stonecrop Sedum spathulifolium.

Other Oregon Native PlantsoOther plants native to Oregon might also work in

your garden, depending on local conditionsoChoose plants from habitats that match your garden,

in general avoiding wetland plants and those that cannot tolerate local higher rainfall

Douglas aster, mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii) and stream violet (Viola glabella)

Groundcovers are Particularly Important!oSignificantly reduce water loss• Provide places for small wildlife to hide• Cools and protects the soil

Phlox subulata and Lithodora diffusa. Photos from http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants

Native Groundcovers

Viola glabella, stream violet, native to Oregon’s west side and northeast mountains

Oxalis oregana, wood sorrel, found on Oregon’s west side

Prairie Plants

oPlants from prairies of North America are excellent choices for waterwise landscapes, and tend to be noninvasive in Oregon

Gaillardia species, or blanket flower, can be annual or perennial. One species Gallardia pulchella occurs on Oregon’s eastside. Coneflowers or Echinacea occur naturally in the mid-west and Southeastern US

Other Prairie Plants

Sunflowers, Helianthus annuus, Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’, and purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea

Trees Native to Eastern NA•

Sassafras, Nyssa sylvatica, Eastern North America

Southern magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora,from SE US. Wikipedia.org author: DavetheMage

Other Waterwise Trees

Ginkgo biloba, maidenhair tree, native to China and known from the fossil record in Oregon

Annuals can be Waterwise

Eschscholzia californicaCalifornia poppy

Clarkia sp. Photo: Neil Bell

More Annuals

Senecio cineraria, sometimes behaving more like a perennial and nasturtium

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/HLA/pls220/annuals/annuals.htm

Bulbs are Great Waterwise ChoicesoThey are generally dormant during the dry

season and winters, but growing when it rains

Crocus, daffodils, tulips, camas, iris, etc.

Herbs from the MediterraneanoSage, rosemary, lavender, thymeoThey are “right at home” in dry summers

Other Mediterranean Plants

Santolina (lavender cotton) and Cistus sp. (rockrose)

Hardy Succulents

Hen and chicks (Escheveria), Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ and other Sedums like Sedum spathulifolium (a native to the Oregon coast)

Many Plants from California

Epilobium canum, California fuschia, a “near-native” perennial for most of Oregon, but found naturally in SW Oregon.

Fremontodendron californicum

Ceanothus from California or Western North America

Ceanothus ‘Anchor Bay” Photo: Neil Bell

Blueblossom, Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

Ceanothus gloriosus ‘Pt Reyes’ http://oregonstate.edu/

dept/ldplants/cegl-i.htm

Landscape Example: Front Office Landscape Yamhill County Extension

o Plants include Campsis radicans vine (native to NA) and Mediterranean plants like lavender, Cistus, and Santolina

Landscape Example: Newberg Library WaterWise Garden

o Newberg Library WaterWise Demonstration. Award-winning garden is to the right as you go south on 99W

o Parking islands receive no supplemental irrigation

o Techniques are explained for the public

More Pics, Newberg

Landscape Example: Private Garden Sheridan o Relatively “young”

garden also designed to be deer-resistant

o Includes some natives but relies heavily on plants from the Mediterranean

Landscape Example: Private Garden, Corvallis

o Rental property, so minimal effort desired

o Includes natives and plants of prairie or Mediterranean origin

o Oregon sunshine, Douglas aster, nasturtium, blanketflower, penstemons, Helianthus cultivars

USDA Hardiness Zones

• USDA Hardiness Zones are indicated in bold type after the plant names. Please remember to check the appropriate hardiness zones for your area before you choose a particular species or cultivar!• Remember that plants in your hardiness zone or

lower may perform well in your landscape—check with local nurseries or extension offices if you have a question about hardiness

Plants to Avoid!!

oInvasive plants – example, ox-eyed daisy, scot’s broom, butterfly bush, crocosmia (especially at the Oregon Coast), English ivy. For lists, look online or ask your extension staff for lists—City of Portland has a good list

oExtremely aggressive plant - unless you like or need them – yarrow is an example especially in wetter areas, also some ground covers

Where to Find PlantsoLocal Nurseries if possibleoSpecialty sales such as the Hardy Plant Society of

OregonoGrow your own seeds, especially annuals and

prairie plants

Resources

oPlant Listss. Slideshare.net. Search for presentations and materials by Linda McMahan.

oWaterSense, a Program of the Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/

oWater Efficient Landscape Booklet, EPA: http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/docs/water-efficient_landscaping_508.pdf

Know where to go when you need information.

Resources

• Brochure City of Portland: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/water/article/268757 •Website – Water Efficient Plants for the

Willamette Valley: http://www.clackamasproviders.org/water-efficient-plants/ note: some plants listed are “moderate use” and may require careful zoning to conserve overall water.

Know where to go when you need information.

Questionnaire and goals1. How often do you irrigate Now? Prefer less?2. Does your garden make a difference in your water

bill? How much would you estimate you spend?3. What is your vacation strategy-longer vacations?4. Why do you want a Waterwise garden? 5. Set 1 or 2 specific waterwise goals for your garden 6. Name 3 things you can easily change to meet them.7. Name one more difficult thing you can change with

time and resources.8. Pick 5 waterwise plants you would like to incorporate

in your garden. You may draw a picture if that helps.

Thank youCopyright Linda R. McMahan, Oregon State University Extension Service.

Presentation may be used freely for educational purposes with credit to the author and Oregon State University. Please contact the author for other uses.