Type: Municipal, Streetscape
Services: Landscape Architecture
Principal In Charge: Michael A. Cook, PLA
Client: Deb Lane, City of Santa Rosa, California

In a time of drought and water shortages, the City of Santa Rosa contracted the firm Michael was employed with to create a water conservation and demonstration garden. Located at their Utilities Department headquarters, the highly visible site is bordered by a bustling business park, fire station, and bus stop. The primary concept of the project was to replace water-consuming turf and ivy, two common residential plant types, with attractive, environmentally-friendly, drought-tolerant species available at local wholesale and retail nurseries.

City officials participated in every phase of the design process for the demonstration garden through several meetings, design, and installation of the informational plant signs and kiosk, and also created a brochure that is available on the City’s website at www.srcity.org/wc. Michael assisted the City and the work was completed over a 2 month period.

For this project, irrigation technology was combined with plant selection to make the garden as water-efficient as possible. A SMART irrigation controller downloads climate data from a local weather station to ensure the right amount of water is applied to the landscape throughout the year. Informative signage educates the public about the sustainable landscape principles at work and exemplifies a low-maintenance, water-wise landscape.