Garden Inspiration
Sometimes a little help from others can get the ideas flowing for your own water-wise garden or landscape project! These resources may provide you with some great inspiration as well as helpful guidance for your project design and maintenance.
Landscape Design
Watershed Approach to Landscaping
Includes how to, design info, and plant selection guides.
By Marin Water
Landscape Design Templates & Maintenance Manual
Use any of these 8 free, scalable, water-efficient, front-yard landscape design templates and their related garden maintenance manual.
Bloom - Simple and Elegant Garden Designs
Great garden designs well suited to landscaping beginners.
Calscape - Garden Planner
Find the perfect native plants for your garden by answering 4 questions.
By Calscape
Technical Assistance
WaterSmart Plant Labels + Nursery List
WaterSmart plant labels highlight low water use plants to nursery customers.
Marin Master Gardeners - Garden Walks
Free garden consultation with a Marin Master Gardener for residential customers
By the Marin Master Gardeners
Marin Master Gardeners - Webinars
Marin Water partnered with UC Marin Master Gardeners to offer educational webinars on WaterSmart gardening practices
By the Marin Master Gardeners
Demo Gardens & Tours
Eco-Friendly Garden Tour - 2022 Videos
Tour Eco-Friendly gardens in Marin and Sonoma County.
Eco-Friendly Garden Tour - 2021 Videos
Youtube playlist of gorgeous eco-friendly gardens in Marin and Sonoma County.
Demo Garden - Marin Art and Garden Center
Historic demonstration garden located in Ross. Open from sunset to sunrise.
Photo Galleries - California Native Gardens
Local Marin County garden galleries demonstrating the versatility of California native plants.
Demo Garden - Falkirk Cultural Center
Falkirk Cultural Center garden showcases sustainable landscaping practices.
By the Marin Master Gardeners
Demo Garden - Harvey's Garden at Blackie's Pasture
Demonstration garden in Tiburon featuring a variety of drought-tolerant plants.
By the Marin Master Gardeners
Water-Smart Plants
Whether you choose native plants or imports, make sure you select plants that are compatible with Marin's Mediterranean climate. Mediterranean plants require warm, dry summers, and receive most of their moisture during the winters. These resources provide guidance on the right fit for your property!
Water use classification of landscape species
Find out the water use needs of almost any plant (Marin is in region 1)
By UC Davis
Invasive Plant List - Marin Water
List of invasive plants to avoid when considering adding to your garden.
By Marin Water
WaterSmart Plant Picker
Plant list for Sonoma and Marin counties that contains mostly native species.
Marin Master Gardener Recommendations
Marin Master Gardener plant recommendations organized by category.
By the Marin Master Gardeners
Bloom!
A Collection of native plants curated by Bloom of California Native Plant Society.
Arboretum All-Stars
Search the Arboretum All-Star plant database to find the plant perfect plant.
By UC Davis
Fire-Safe and Fire-Prone Plants
Fire Safe Marin's list of plants to keep your yard safe from fire dangers.
Irrigation Tips and Tools
Not sure how much water your garden needs? The biggest water savings that can be made in our daily life can be found outdoors. Make sure you are maximizing your outdoor water-savings while still ensuring plant health with these resources.
Weekly Watering Schedule - Marin Water
Scheduling your irrigation system with info tailored to the weather in Marin County.
By Marin Water
Irrigation Scheduling Tool - Sonoma Marin Water-Saving Partnership
Create an irrigation watering schedule that is customized to your landscape.
Fire Safe Landscaping
When selecting plants, there are many factors that should be considered in addition to water conservation, including avoiding invasive plants and reducing the chance of a brush fire. Invasive plants introduced into local landscapes often end up invading surrounding natural areas, choking out natural plant communities and sometimes creating fire hazards. This guidance will help you make the right plant choices to mitigate these hazards and better protect your property.
Fire Resistant Mulch
Information about the combustibility of different types of mulch.
Firescaping
Learn about fire-resistant landscape design materials from Fire Safe Marin.
Plant and Tree Spacing
Information about plant spacing with respect to fire safety.
How to Create a Fire-smart Landscape
Marin Master Gardeners fire-smart landscaping resources.
By the Marin Master Gardeners
Sustainable Defensible Space & Resilient Landscapes
Great article with lots of visuals focused on defensible space zones.
Hiring a Professional Landscaper
Maintaining or designing a water-wise landscape is not always a DIY endeavor and may sometimes requires the support of a professional landscaper. Use these resources for help with selecting a qualified contractor for your project.
Qualified Water Efficient Landscapers (QWEL)
Search this database to find a qualified water-efficient landscaper (QWEL) in your area to ensure there is a focus on maximizing water-saving strategies when implementing your project.
Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD)
Directory of members of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers.
California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA)
Professionals that are certified to install landscape projects.
ReScape
ReScape provides a regenerative, whole systems foundation to landscaping education, workforce development and policy, addressing climate change earthscape and land use issues.
Resources for Landscape Professionals
Add value to your services by providing clients with information on the most up-to-date water cons ervation practices and technologies through these training opportunities and other resources.
Qualified Water Efficient Landscapers (QWEL)
The Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) program is an extension of the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership and provides a WaterSense certification in irrigation systems auditing.
ReScape - Regenerative Landscape Training
ReScape provides a regenerative, whole systems foundation to landscaping education, workforce development and policy, addressing climate change earthscape and land use issues.
Fire Safe Marin - Wildfire Education
The program includes a basic introduction to wildfire science and recommendations for creating fire-smart landscapes. The program can be conducted in person or online.
Irrigation Association (IA)
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The Irrigation Association (IA) is dedicated to promoting efficient irrigation technologies, products, and services.
American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA)
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ARCSA is an international nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable rainwater harvesting practices and provides training and certification opportunities for professionals.
Graywater & Rainwater Harvesting
Graywater is household water from showers, bathtubs, bathroom sinks and washing machines. Rainwater harvesting is the practice of collecting rainwater from rooftops and storing it for later use. Learn more about the different types systems, and which might be right for you.
Graywater Systems
About Graywater Systems
An overview of graywater systems and how to install them.
By the County of Marin
Laundry-to-Landscape Graywater System Example
Gain greater understanding of how the systems works through a detailed diagram and descriptions.
Graywater Stub-Outs
Learn more about greywater-harvesting stub-outs, which are built-in plumbing connections that allow for easy future access to a home’s drain-water stream.
Graywater Rebates
Marin Water partners with the Urban Farmer Store to offer $125 discounts on the purchase of a graywater kit.
By Marin Water
Rainwater Harvesting
Chapter 16 of the 2019 California Plumbing Code
Current state requirements for installation of non-potable rainwater catchment systems.
Rainwater Capture and Management
Minimize stormwater impacts on the surrounding area through a natural system approach.
Rainwater Harvesting Manual
A technical guide for residential rainwater harvesting.
Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond
Guidance to help you better collaborate with, and contribute to, many living systems that spark and regenerate life for all.
Rain Barrels and Cisterns Rebates
Marin Water offers up to 50 cents per gallon of storage, not to exceed actual cost.
By Marin Water
