Soquel High School receives Water-wise Garden Grant

Soquel Creek Water District has awarded Soquel High School and the agriculture and natural resources program a water-wise garden grant of $2000. The grant money funds converting part of the turf area around the flag at the entrance of the High school into a colorful drought tolerant, low maintenance Monterey Bay Friendly Landscape that will provide a lasting demonstration garden for the community.

The landscape re-vamping project was done in partnership with the agriculture and natural resources classes taught by Mr. Tom Bentley and completed through a free hands-on community workshop held on May 12, led Ecology Action. Nicole Douglas of Douglas Landscape Design did the design. This workshop was also a community service project.

Participants gained the practical hands-on experience they’ll need to tackle their own Monterey-Bay Friendly Landscape retrofit project at home. All workshop participants received FREE landscape design templates with plant lists and a FREE water-wise plant to get their project jump-started!

They learned how to:

• Easily transform turf grass and weedy areas into new planting zones with sheet mulching;
• Convert existing sprinkler system to efficient, drip-irrigation;
• Select low-water use plants for a unique site;
• Create permeable patios and pathways with low-cost materials
• Integrate rainwater harvesting into landscape plans

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Soquel Creek Water District, the Santa Cruz County Water Conservation Coalition, and the Soquel High School Agriculture and Natural Resources Program through Careers and Technical Training Program sponsored the workshop.