Four Water-wise Plants to get Now
Water-wise plants can add beauty and color to our gardens while blending in with existing landscapes. Consider the following water-wise plants that should do well in sun and heat and thrive in our clay soil here in Santa Clarita: Noellii Grevillea, Lavender, Mexican Sage and Rosemary. Make sure you plant these plants in full sun and provide regular water until they become established, which generally takes a year. These plants should be able to survive and thrive with a deep soaking once a week to once every two weeks after that. You can fertilize these beauties once in spring and again in early summer with a fertilizer called Growpower Plus. The Lavender and Rosemary only require occasional pruning to keep in shape. The Mexican sage requires pruning once per year in spring.
Green Thumb International 259-1071

The 30 Best Plants for SCV's Climate
SCV Water has taken the guess work out of landscaping! Visit yourscvwater.com to see the top 30 plants that look beautiful and grow well in the SCV. Their "Thrifty Thirty" lists 30 perennials, trees, shrubs and groundcover that will live and thrive through our hottest summer days, coldest winter nights - and don't mind clay soil. They have been chosen for their attractiveness, availability, drought-tolerance once established, ease of maintenance and long-term viability in the SCV. While you're there, sign up for their free class, "Caring for the Top 30 Plants for the SCV," held Thursday, May 17 at 6:30 pm.

Saturday | May 12
SCV Water Hosts Annual Open House
Held from 9am to 2pm in Central Park and at the conservation garden and patio above, this free family-friendly event provides information and tips on water-saving tools and practices.
yourscvwater.com

Go with a Pool that Wastes Less Water
Less water, more fun! It can be done when you start with a leak-free operation, minimize evaporation from water-feature aeration, utilize automatic covers and floating solar blankets to trap and conserve heat and practically eliminate evaporation, plus install automatic water levelers to prevent overfilling. Swimming pools and the surrounding concrete decking save on average equal to around 1,000 square feet or more of water-requiring lawn or plants. With proper coverage, a swimming pool can require an amount of water similar to drought tolerant plants! Thomas Pools is locally owned and operated - just another reason why they're proud to be the low-water use experts!
Thomas Pools 441-3411

Straighten Up this Spring
Got outdoor clutter? When they are not being used, an age old question is, "Where am I going to store all these water play toys, slip and slides, goggles, floaties, rafts and more?" Look no further than a quality outdoor weather-proof storage bin. They come in wood, wicker and aluminum. In addition to these accessories, there are beautiful trash receptacles, baker's racks and lazy susans to help you achieve the goal of "a place for everything, and everything in its place."
Oasis Garden & Patio 255-9909