Tag: Landscaping

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2022 “Best Landscaper” South-Jordan City: “Steve-N-Son Landscaping” Receives Blue-Ribbon Yard-Care Award | Draper Utah

Steve-N-Sons premier Landscaping service is “Big enough to serve your every need; small enough to care about all the details.

When it comes to the highest-quality landscaping in Utah & being recognized as BEST-of-STATE, Steve N Sons Landscaping is always in the discussion.””

— Better Business Bureau A Rating

COTTONWOOD , UTAH, UNITED STATES, September 15, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Steve-N-Sons Landscaping (SNS) Motto: “Big enough to serve you, small enough to care.”

Steve-N-Sons Landscaping (SNS) started in 1993 with two mowers and a vision to help people create and maintain beautiful landscapes. The goal then was to create unique, professional landscapes our clients would be proud to talk with their neighbors about, and to provide the kind of professional lawn care that those neighbors would be compelled to ask about. It worked, and SNS have been growing in Utah ever since. Since then SNS has grown into multiple, specialized crews, each complimenting the other with professional quality lawn care and outstanding creative landscaping. SNS is proud to say they have

created some of the most breathtaking commercial and residential landscapes on the Wasatch front, and they are excited to outdo themselves on every next project. SNS hopes it’ll be your project.

(801) 523-8888

Steve(AT)steve-n-son.com

1998 W Nicholas Farm Rd, South Jordan

AWARD WINNING DESIGN: Steve-N-Sons Landscaping (SNS) has won multiple “Landscaper of the Year” awards as well as “Best of Show” in local the notable “Utah Parade of Homes.” Builders who need landscaping that matches their level of craftsmanship have used Steve-N-Son repeatedly. It’s not just contractors appreciating the exemplary landscape work that SNS does. Homeowners across nearly all review outlets have consistently rated Steve-N-Sons Landscape’s service as outstanding. https://www.steptap.com/How-To-Tell-If-Steve-N-Soncom-Is-The-Best-Option-For-Your-South-Jordan-Utah-Yard-3

Steve-N-Sons Landscaping (SNS) is 5-Star Rated on Manta.com

https://www.manta.com/c/mm6s9t5/steve-n-son-landscaping-inc

About Manta: Manta.com’s mission is to empower small businesses to achieve success. Manta is one of the largest online resources dedicated to helping small businesses grow. Their mission is to empower small businesses to achieve their full potential and reach new customers by claiming their business online, implementing effective SEO, and by building and strengthening anyone’s brand. Manta delivers products, services, and educational opportunities that are effective, easy to understand, and geared to help small business owners become more competitive in their respective industries. Millions of unique visitors search our Manta directory every month to find their local business needs through our comprehensive database for individual businesses, industry verticals, and geographic-specific listings.

With Manta, business owners can claim and customize their profile page to improve online visibility and marketability. And Manta does so much more by offering a full digital suite, helping businesses to grow and gain more customers, sales and revenue, no matter where they are along their digital journey. The Manta team works hard to deliver articles, resources, and tools for small businesses to utilize for growth. For more than 20 years, Manta has championed the small business by not only helping customers find them, but by helping businesses better connect with their customers.

What Is Manta? In the big-money ecommerce world, any tool or solution worth its salt gets reviewed, hyped, and discussed extensively on all the relevant platforms. Manta is a local business directory, where you can search for businesses by category, list a business for free, or run an ad. As early as 2004, Google was prioritizing geographic queries to make it easier for people to find things near them. Benefits of Manta: To some Manta is redundant, but it still offers some major benefits for your brand. First of all, it’s free. There’s no reason not to list your business for free on the off chance that someone new will find it there. Successful businesses tend to show up in as many places online as possible. Manta also may help legitimize local businesses that don’t have websites. In fact, at one point, 40 percent of businesses on Manta didn’t have a site of their own. There will always be some small businesses that lack websites, but need a legitimate online space to list basic business information. Manta can help.

Steve-N-Sons Landscaping (SNS) is 5-Star Rated on YP.com

https://www.yellowpages.com/south-jordan-ut/mip/steve-n-sons-landscaping-15057698

Yellowpages.com is a United States-based web site operated by Thryv that provides listings for local businesses. In 2013, it was re-branded as YP.com or simply “YP”. It currently offers a broad range of marketing tools including online presence, local search, display ads and direct marketing. It was previously a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T. YP’s consumer brands include the YP mobile app and yp.com, which are used by nearly 80 million consumers each month in the U.S. and The Real Yellow Pages directory. In May 2016, YP entered into a partnership with the Better Business Bureau, displaying ratings for listings of businesses that have earned an A or A+ rating or BBB accreditation. What is the purpose of Yellow Pages? Yellow Pages is a book that contains advertisements and phone numbers for businesses and organizations in a particular area, grouped according to the type of business they do.

Steve-N-Sons Landscaping (SNS) and The Utah Valley Parade of Homes:

( .cbutah.com/central-bank/about-us/ )

The 2022 Home Show is one of the most anticipated events of the year. Take advantage of the highest-rated annual showcase of new, high-end and designer, homes. Located throughout Utah Valley, this self-guided tour features the work, design, and craftsmanship of Utah County’s finest builders, subcontractors, developers, and remodelers. It’s also an opportunity for homeowners and enthusiasts to view innovative ideas and the newest trends in home decorating.

Utah Valley Parade of Homes Sponsor: Central Bank (CB) has been serving Utah County for over 130 years and is proud of the history of sustained growth and security. Since the economy began to falter in 2008, CB has relied on their own reserves by not taking any “bailout” or TARP money—evidence that they have remained strong, safe, and secure since 1891. Central Bank (CB) believes the continuing progress is a direct result of dedication to caring for the individual needs of the people and communities served. Prime for Over a Century: On October 17, 1891, Milan Packard (great-great-grandfather of president, Mark Packard) helped establish the Springville Banking Company. The bank expanded gradually until 1924 when the community-focused officers and directors were instrumental in attracting the Columbia Steel Mill to the site between Provo and Springville. From this point, the bank enjoyed steady and substantial growth, and it was one of few banks that did not require Government Debenture Capital during the Great Depression. Progressive and ably managed, Springville Banking Company was the first bank in Utah to qualify for FDIC insurance on deposits.

University Avenue in Provo, Utah, where Central Bank’s Provo Office now resides. The State Bank of Provo was organized in 1902 by 16 men of incredibly diverse backgrounds—sheep farmer, plumber, attorney, you name it—who all wanted to find a safe, stable place to save and borrow money. From its founding, the State Bank of Provo grew steadily and the officers and board members were proud to be part of the bank that knew every customer as a friend. On July 1, 1966, the Springville Banking Company and the State Bank of Provo merged under the new name of Central Bank and Trust. This was not simply a union of the two oldest banks in Utah County, but a consolidation of strength that would provide greater lending power, more financial stability, and superior services. Central Bank opened its doors in Spanish Fork in 1969, followed shortly by offices in the Provo Riverside Plaza in 1971 and Mapleton in 1972. Continued expansion brought offices to Payson in 1980, Orem in 1982, American Fork in 1996, Lehi in 2003, Pleasant Grove in 2008, and Traverse Mountain in 2018. These new facilities demonstrate Central Bank’s commitment to serving Utah County and the people who call it “home.”

Central Bank (CB) is committed to offering all modern banking services and conveniences—mobile banking, online bill pay, advanced technology ATM’s, and online financial management through Money Management—without letting go of the personal, friendly touch. Aside from providing exceptional banking services, Central Bank makes valuable contributions that strengthen our communities. Central Bank (CB) employees spend many hours each year participating in local programs, and the bank donates to many educational and civic organizations throughout Utah County.

Steve-N-Sons
Steve-N-Sons Landscaping
+1 (801) 523-8888
steve@steve-n-son.com
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K & R Lawn & Landscaping Creates Beautiful & Functional Landscape in Hamilton

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K & R Garden & Landscaping is a full-service contractor that specializes in landscape design, installation, and upkeep for household and industrial properties.

I could not be happier with K & R Landscaping! Kevin and his workforce are the most enjoyable and experienced men and women to function with. Sarah is very helpful and pleasant!”

— Elizabeth Wright

HAMILTION, OHIO, UNITED STATES, September 17, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Landscaping is the artwork and science of generating the front of a home beautiful and providing it a character. Numerous Ohio enterprises and residences have lush-eco-friendly shrubs and shady trees, improving the property’s elegance and appeal.

Having said that, with out the know-how of indigenous vegetation and appropriate routine maintenance, it won’t just take time for a stunning lawn to switch into one thing undesirable. In addition, weather things, vegetation development, and surface area-feeding insects can ruin the garden or landscaping. As a consequence, a lot of Ohio people in Cincinnati and West Chester utilize experienced landscaping contractors like K & R Lawn & Landscaping to keep, treatment for, and enhance their property.

There are numerous elements to look at when designing or setting up to do a makeover of a garden or landscape. For case in point, the dimensions of the house, front area, tree collection, lights, and drainage method are crucial factors for a landscape design. People with smaller sized out of doors parts would benefit from planting trees with a lot less cover place and vegetation that can maintain climate 12 months all over.

Younger couples want to develop a landscape with house for a BBQ and constructed-in fireplaces to host weekend get-togethers. An expert contractor understands that anyone is diverse, so do their landscaping prerequisites. For occasion, lots of inhabitants in Ohio work with K & R Landscaping Hamilton to style a spectacular and functional landscape renovation, such as perennial gardens and lawn set up.

“I could not be happier with K & R Landscaping! Kevin and his group are the most pleasant and specialist people to operate with. Sarah is very beneficial and enjoyable! I experienced lights mounted in my landscaping these days, and it is simply gorgeous. It took me a extended time to obtain a competent corporation for all of my landscaping requirements, but it was nicely value the hold out. I will be with these fellas for the relaxation of my existence. Westchester landscaping at its finest.” – Elizabeth Wright

A home with a well-built outdoor dwelling location provides a spot for family members and good friends to socialize, entertain company, and enjoy the outdoors with out worrying about their basic safety. The latest landscaping layouts in West Chester suggest a choice for geometrical types, pollinator-helpful gardens, and visually appealing landscapes. People also want to make their lawns attractive and functional.

In accordance to K & R Landscaping West Chester, a person of Cincinnati’s Premier Landscaping Organization, homeowners and businesses like a structure that accommodates walkways and patios to sunrooms, walls, fire pits, and water walls that increase the control charm of a house. Offered that landscaping style and design can raise the home value, present a lovely place for distress, and increase psychological health and fitness, numerous have started to go beyond the cookie-butter layout to generate an outside house to have entertaining, loosen up, and love the outdoor.

About K & R Lawn & Landscaping

K & R Landscaping has been a dependable company for different landscaping solutions for residences and businesses due to the fact 2007. Positioned in Hamilton, OH, K & R Landscaping offers detailed landscaping and hardscaping expert services for residential and commercial houses in Hamilton, West Chester, and Cincinnati, Ohio.

Kevin Marino and Rick Hotchkiss
K & R Landscaping
+1 513-409-9517
email us here
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Salt Lake City eyes landscaping regulation changes amid ongoing confusion, drought

Darin Mano claims he is aware of how complicated Salt Lake City’s landscaping ordinance can be even as a member of the Salt Lake City Council.

There are a good deal of policies in position, that now seemingly contradict modern attempts to preserve drinking water, within a huge document that isn’t effortless to read.

“It is complex to know accurately what you might be permitted to do,” he stated.

This — together with just one of the worst droughts in Salt Lake City’s background — is why town leaders are now taking into consideration new amendments to simplify and overhaul landscaping rules for residents and business house owners in Utah’s money. Metropolis civil enforcement, community utilities workers and planners a short while ago collaborated on a report that assessments achievable changes to landscaping codes, specially policies with regards to park strips.

Michaela Oktay, the deputy director for the Salt Lake Metropolis Scheduling Division, offered the report to members of the council through a do the job session on Tuesday. The improvements, she reported, would support the city align its aims and laws, which could possibly not be aligned ideal now and could be a source of some confusion.

Should really park strips continue to be or go?

Park strips — the space involving a avenue and sidewalk in entrance of houses, corporations and governing administration buildings generally crammed with grass — are a person of the biggest landscaping matters that Salt Lake Metropolis seeks to handle. The document highlights means to amend the city’s park strip procedures or even remove sections of it.

The town at this time needs that vegetation, these as turf grass, addresses at minimum 33{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} of all park strips that are 36 inches or larger. A tree is also demanded in some situation but a tree canopy isn’t going to count towards the 33{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} rule, Oktay provides.

As noted by the doc, the vegetation aids the metropolis meet up with regulatory and environmental stormwater runoff high-quality needs by slowing runoff flows and even filtering air pollution prior to it operates off into storm drains and in the long run the Jordan River and the Terrific Salt Lake. Oktay mentioned the vegetation, particularly trees, can also aid reduce city heat island result.

Grass park strips also eat a lot of drinking water, although. The Utah Division of H2o Sources estimates that homeowners, on regular, shell out 5,000 to 8,000 gallons of drinking water on park strips every yr. Lots of inhabitants have switched to xeriscaping to lessen h2o intake as a result of an ongoing drought — the West’s worst 20-12 months span in 1,200 decades.

As residents started to flip their strip, the vegetation rule turned a person of the much more “commonly violated” city codes, the Scheduling Division report states.

“One of the most important worries with the code is that we are obtaining people just aren’t aware of what is required,” Oktay mentioned. “It could be partly to do with the 200-in addition some restrictions we have in the code. And it really is incredibly time-consuming to administer, very time-consuming.”

The stability among the code and the city’s calls for water conservation could be a different resource of confusion. Stan Holmes is just one of the a lot of Salt Lake Town house owners caught up in this confusion in excess of the past several many years. In a movie presentation to the East Liberty Park Group Corporation in April, Holmes spoke about his family’s choice to xeriscape the property outdoors of their Capitol Hill residence 6 many years ago in an work to conserve water, cut down the air pollution from mowing their lawn and because they chosen the aesthetic.

The family members eradicated all the sod surrounding their dwelling, although they held a several trees. They also changed their total water process with drip traces and sprinklers for the tall grass and other h2o-effective shrubs planted in position of the sod. To best it off, they taken off their park strip land and replaced it with gravel with no plants, which meant no drinking water was needed for the park strips.

He hardly ever listened to everything about it until past yr, when he acquired a see from the Salt Lake Town Department of Local community and Neighborhoods warning him that the family’s landscaping did not meet up with town code simply because vegetation didn’t protect at the very least one-third of the park strip. Holmes was puzzled for the reason that it arrived as town officers emphasised the relevance of drinking water conservation at the exact same time he acquired notices about the vegetation code.

“So in essence we observed out we had been in violation of a code that was written more than 20 a long time ago. … So I guess the concern then is, what do you do about this 20-year-aged ordinance, that was written before the drought got genuinely serious?” he questioned, at the time. “It will not even point out xeriscaping in it.”

Rachel Simeon, one more Salt Lake City resident, experienced a identical working experience final yr. She explained that she was told she could deal with everyday fines if she didn’t comply with the vegetation rule.

Rachel Simeon and her daughters are photographed on their Salt Lake City property on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Simeon says she was dumbfounded when she got a letter from Salt Lake City code enforcement, in the midst of Utah's historic drought, that she needed to add more vegetation to her park strip, which would require more water.

Rachel Simeon and her daughters are photographed on their Salt Lake Metropolis property on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Simeon claims she was dumbfounded when she received a letter from Salt Lake City code enforcement, in the midst of Utah&#39s historic drought, that she needed to add a lot more vegetation to her park strip, which would call for much more water.

Laura Seitz, Deseret Information

Oktay pointed to a photo of a sod-filled park strip projected on a display screen subsequent to the council all through Tuesday’s meeting. This, she stated, is thought of the normal by the metropolis code definition, but it also clashes with the city’s new initiatives to cut back again on drinking water waste, as Holmes said.

“With this sort of landscaping, is that suitable provided our climate, the availability of drinking water and the threat of rising temperatures linked with weather alter?” Oktay questioned rhetorically, as it can be a query the council users will have to response by themselves.

The doc outlines a handful of solutions for the Metropolis Council to take into account, these as generating a new vegetation prerequisite calculation for every single style of park strip, allowing tree canopy to rely toward the 33{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} rule or just doing away with the rule entirely. But doing away with the rule would “very likely final result in a hotter atmosphere and maximize storm runoff into the stormwater program,” the report warns.

The doc provides that there are other landscaping guidelines that the metropolis could rethink, these types of as its synthetic turf ban in park strips, needed landscaped yards or as some thing that counts towards the city’s vegetation protection rule.

The town started a short term enforcement pause on some of these landscaping procedures whilst it figures out what to do with the present-day approach.

Defining priorities

Tuesday’s presentation was purely informational prior to the council can take up any code modifications. However, customers of the City Council acknowledged that any adjustments to the city code might in the end be identified by the position of metropolis priorities and trade-offs — if they do vote to modify the code.

Simply just place, the city may well have to take into consideration if lowering water intake is a lot more critical than city warmth island outcome or stormwater improvement or vice versa.

Thinking out loud, Mano reported the city would not have to do away with all a few from staying thought of but would prefer if the city invested extra in drinking water conservation than it at this time does, irrespective of whether by way of incentives or new polices. This could incorporate a “supplies blacklist” that bars sure vegetation or supplies from currently being made use of in lawns or park strips, Salt Lake Metropolis Councilwoman Victoria Petro-Eschler instructed.

“We don’t have to reinvent the wheel,” added Salt Lake City Councilwoman Ana Valdemoros, recommending that Salt Lake City critique what is operating in other cities working with drought issues.

Clearing up the regulation confusion must also be a main town priority, many users of the council reported Tuesday.

“Actually, it can be ridiculous proper now. As a law firm, as a council member, I am not self-confident I can do this to my house devoid of support from anyone else in this city,” explained Salt Lake City Councilman Chris Wharton. “That is type of an indictment of the full method appropriate now.”

The council will have the remaining say on the matter, though no timetable has been established up for general public comment on the make a difference or a vote. The city’s target is to have a prepare ready for general public review and likely a vote ahead of spring 2023.

Metropolis officials added that they will keep on the enforcement pause as they investigate new code solutions.

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Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Landscaping Damage?

Home owners insurance policies is designed to defend you economically if your property is weakened or wrecked. But does householders insurance policy go over landscaping? Will an insurance coverage firm spend to substitute your lawn, garden, trees, shrubs, and other outdoor features of your property? The answer is sure, as extended as the damage is owing to a included peril. Below, we will break down what constitutes a included peril, tell you how much insurance coverage you can count on to pay back out, and enable you know about coverage solutions obtainable if your landscaping is unusually ornate.

When does home owners insurance plan cover landscaping and yard damage?

A conventional house owners insurance plan coverage addresses hurt to landscaping when it really is brought on by a coated peril. Lined perils consist of issues like:

  • Lightning
  • Fire
  • Vandalism
  • Theft
  • Explosion
  • Problems to the landscaping caused by an individual else’s motor vehicle

Let’s say a person steals quite a few bushes or drives their automobile by means of your entrance property and brings about injury. Commonly, homeowners insurance protection will guard against all those losses. In actuality, many of the perils you have secured your house towards — like hearth, lightning, and vandalism — extend to your garden.

The major exception is weather conditions-similar destruction. Landscaping losses prompted by wind, hail, freezing, the fat of snow, ice, and flooding are typically not covered. The very same is accurate for destruction caused by pests, bugs, or diseases. Of these exceptions, you can strategy for flooding by buying a individual flood insurance policies policy.

How a great deal landscaping problems is lined by owners insurance?

When injury to landscaping is thanks to a protected peril, the insurer bases the sum it will pay back on the dwelling restrict. Let us say you have a household with a dwelling limit of $300,000. That is how considerably the insurance policy organization will deal with if the residence is ruined and requirements to be rebuilt.

Most insurance insurance policies deal with landscaping destruction up to 5{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} of the total dwelling restrict. In the situation of a home with a dwelling limit of $300,000, an insurance provider would pay up to $15,000 towards landscaping losses ($300,000 x .05 = $15,000).

Coverage restrictions for landscaping and yard destruction

An insurance enterprise won’t just write a examine for 5{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} of the complete dwelling restrict, while. Most insurers have caps on what they’ll spend. For example, a company may well cap the sum they’re going to shell out for a tree or shrub to be eradicated at $500 or $1,000. Each individual component of the landscaping has yet another cap, so the house owner might not conclude up with 100{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} of the revenue they require to get their garden again to wherever it was.

The specific coverage restrictions and caps differ by insurance provider, earning it primarily vital for those with very well-landscaped yards to examine the details of their plan ahead of peril strikes. It can also pay out to check out the ordinary neighborhood charge for a variety of landscaping positions. For example, you may perhaps find that the value of tree removal is significantly much more highly-priced than your present-day policy will address or that insurance policies coverage is insufficient to swap the countless numbers of pounds you’ve expended on plants and bouquets.

It truly is also critical to remember that you can have to fork out your deductible right before the insurance provider kicks in to pay back the remainder of the invoice and to weigh whether or not creating a assert is value it in the extended operate. Let us say you have $10,000 well worth of problems with a $500 deductible. In that situation, producing a assert is an quick decision. On the other hand, if the repairs are going to cost $1,000 and you have a $500 deductible, you might want to pay back out of pocket alternatively than file a claim. The less statements a homeowner has on file, the lessen their yearly premiums.

Additional coverage selections for yards and gardens

Property owners who have poured countless numbers into generating spectacular, intricate landscaping have the selection of growing the protection stage of their homeowners policy. It is really referred to as a “garden and backyard garden endorsement.” Whilst a yard and yard endorsement does not modify the full amount an insurance provider will shell out to maintenance or change broken landscaping, it does raise the caps put in area by the insurance provider.

Let’s say a neighbor’s home catches on fire, and the fire spreads to your property. By the time the fire is extinguished, trees, bushes, flowers, and landscaping components are wrecked. If your plan caps the substitute charge of just about every tree and bush at $500, a lawn and yard endorsement would raise that total to $1,000.

An endorsement does far more than maximize protection caps on crops. It also extends coverage of landscaping applications and equipment on the home. That way, if points like lawnmowers, leaf blowers, or other applications are broken, there’s much more coverage offered to change these merchandise.

Techniques to take

If you’re involved about what would come about if your landscaping is ruined, the subsequent ways can be certain that you have the degree of safety you’re most snug with:

  • Verify your existing policy to make certain landscaping is protected. If it is covered, look at for matters your dwelling insurance policies may possibly not include, like pre-present issues.
  • Establish how significantly coverage you have and make your mind up no matter if it is really more than enough to switch your landscaping.
  • Call your insurance company to find out if they provide a garden and backyard garden endorsement.
  • If your present-day insurance provider does not offer you this endorsement or if the volume of coverage supplied is not enough to repair service or replace the landscaping, shop close to for an insurance plan enterprise that delivers additional.
  • If you are capable to invest in an endorsement, be expecting to pay out an more $50 to $100 a year for the added protection.

Supplied that the typical home owner spends between $100 and $200 a month on landscaping, it would make sense to insure that investment just as they insure their homes.

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Drought-Tolerant Landscaping Saves Money and Water

Alameda is getting an eco-friendly makeover one drought-tolerant yard at a time

Take a walk around your neighborhood and see how many front lawns are now dry and patchy, turned into yellow straw or dirt. This is no accident, nor are residents too lazy to take care of their yards. Most of them are conserving water. Living in extreme drought has prompted many Alamedans to make major changes in water usage, including converting lawns to drought-tolerant gardens and using drip irrigation systems. Lawns simply have to go in order to plant new landscaping. The initial transition may not always be lovely to look at, but the result can be lush and beautiful—and highly successful at conserving water.

Alameda Post - A Traditional Lawn Alameda Post - Lawn after conversion to draught-tolerant landscaping

Lawn before and after drought-tolerant landscaping. Photos courtesy EBMUD.

Here in the Bay Area, we have reduced our water consumption far more than the average Californian, according to state leaders and Bay Area water agencies gathered this week at the Quarry Lakes Demonstration Garden in Fremont. During the first six months of 2022, we reduced water use to an average of 60 gallons per person per day compared to the state average of 82 gallons, according to East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). Multiply that by EBMUD’s 1.4 million users and you get a picture of how much we saved by changing our water habits and habitats—at least 72 million gallons a day. “EBMUD customers are phenomenal at conserving water,” EBMUD general manager Clifford Chan said.

Get up to $2000 for making the switch

Transitioning from lawns to drought-tolerant landscaping not only saves water, it also saves money. Less water usage means lower water bills each month. And on top of that, EBMUD issues rebates for lawn conversions of up to $2.50 per square foot, with a maximum of $2,000 for single-family and small multi-family homes, or $15,000 for commercial, municipal, and large multi-family properties. There also are rebates for switching to efficient irrigation systems, using flow meters, and using gray water from indoor sources for outdoor landscaping. Visit the EBMUD website for information about the rebate program and instructions on how to apply.

A lot of Alamedans have already received those rebates. During the past eight years, EBMUD has processed more than 250 lawn conversion rebates, representing more than 380,000 square feet of conversions from lawn to drought-tolerant landscaping within the City of Alameda, according to Nelsy Rodriguez, the water agency’s public information representative. “We’ve also processed approximately 180 rebates for conversion from spray to drip irrigation,” she noted.

Alameda Post - A Lush Drought-tolerant Landscape at Otis Terrace
Otis Terrace Apartments transformed their sidewalk median into a lush drought-tolerant garden. Photo Google image capture.

It’s not just individual homeowners or renters who are making the switch. Many apartment complexes around town already have converted their lawns to beautiful drought-tolerant gardens. Most of the apartments that line Otis Drive across from the South Shore Center now have drought-tolerant landscaping on their medians between the sidewalk and the street. And the City of Alameda is conserving water as well, not just with City Hall’s new lawn conversion but also with city-owned properties such as Independence Plaza, an apartment complex for people aged 62 and older, which has drought-tolerant, bay-friendly habitat throughout the grounds.

Alameda Post - A Garden with a fountain, rocks, and plants
Independence Plaza’s senior apartment complex features drought-tolerant landscaping. Photo Alameda Housing Authority.

Getting started with a drought-tolerant garden is fairly simple

Ready to convert your yard to a drought-tolerant garden? The first step is to get rid of your lawn in the area you want to re-landscape. The easiest and cheapest way to get started is sheet mulching (see video below).

Start by gathering cardboard boxes, often available from your neighborhood grocery store. Open the boxes out flat, cover your entire lawn with the cardboard, and then cover that with wood chip mulch, or bark. Many tree service companies will deliver free wood chips, and EBMUD will give you coupons for free mulch and compost at nearby nurseries.

Then just wait three to six months to let the cardboard and mulch break down into the soil. The best time to do this is summer or fall, but you can start whenever it is most convenient for you. The key ingredient is patience.

Check out free garden plans

For those of us who aren’t gardening experts, there’s a wealth of information online. The Harbor Bay Isle Homeowners Association (Bay Farm Island) offers free downloadable drought-tolerant landscape plans and lawn conversion guidelines with detailed plans for a variety of different gardens. Take a look at the fully customizable California Native Plant Society garden planner to see plants that are native to Alameda and suit your goals as well as your preferred garden aesthetic.

Alameda Post - A birds-eye view of a plan for converting a lawn to a drought-tolerant landscape. The plan includes a map of where all the plants will be placed.
Harbor Bay Isle provides free lawn conversion plans online. Photo HarborBay.org.
Alameda Post - A rendered photo of what a lawn could look like before and after replacing the lawn with a drought-resistant landscape
A rendering of a the lawn transformation using the above plans. Photo HarborBay.org.

Garden Center resources for drought-tolerant plants

And by all means, visit our local nurseries and ask questions. Encinal Nursery (2057 Encinal Ave., open seven days a week) is family-owned and operated and has been here in Alameda since 1946. Their huge variety of beautiful plants is second to none here on the island, and the staff is very helpful. Their greenhouse is filled with cacti and succulents.

Alameda Post - A wall of different plants available for sale
Encinal Nursery has a wide selection of cacti and succulents. Photo @encinalnursery.

Ploughshares Nursery (2107 Main St., open Wednesday through Sunday), specializes in California native, drought-tolerant, and edible plants. Part of Alameda Point Collaborative (APC), the full-scale nursery has its own demonstration garden and offers hands-on workshops on sustainable landscaping and garden design. Sales from the nursery generate revenue for APC’s supportive housing for the formerly homeless, and the business provides job training to APC residents as well.

Alameda Post -Ploughshares manager Jordan Taylor smiling and holding a plant
Ploughshares manager Jordan Taylor is happy to help Alamedans with drought-tolerant garden planning. Photo Liz Barrett.

“Many people who come here are looking for heat-lovers and native plants that eventually will take care of themselves as far as water-wise gardening,” said Ploughshares manager Jordan Taylor. “Also, a lot of native plants have natural defenses against pests, so you can avoid using pesticides.”  Walking through the nursery, she noted that although succulents and cacti are beautiful and very popular in drought-tolerant gardens, they’re certainly not the only options. “Native milkweed is amazing,” Jordan said. “Monarch butterflies love milkweed. Echinacea is very popular. And people love passionflower vines. They’re not necessarily native, but they are once established, they are definitely drought-tolerant and very much love the heat. Salvia and most lavender also will be great for your drought-tolerant garden.”  Taylor and her staff are available during business hours and are happy to share advice on garden planning.

Liz Barrett is the Copy Editor of the Alameda Post and writes about the community. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Liz-Barrett.

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City advisory board fails to deliver recommendations on new Monument Avenue landscaping

A town advisory board was not ready to meet as prepared on Thursday, preventing it from creating tips on a proposal for short-term landscaping at the former web site of the Robert E. Lee Monument.

The Urban Layout Committee did not have a quorum, the least range of men and women to carry out formal business, following a member experienced an emergency, stopping the human body from building suggestions on the proposal submitted by VHB, an outside the house engineering organization. As at present envisioned, mulch paths would minimize via beds of small-routine maintenance crops, which could be eradicated effortlessly once a far more lasting redesign for the targeted traffic circle is understood.  

The speedbump in the procedure delays community dialogue — and doable suggestions from the UDC — on how the landscaping could impact the premier roundabout on Monument Avenue becoming employed as a gathering space in the upcoming. 

“The Lee circle was reclaimed by folks and applied by men and women the way they wished it to be employed. It definitely grew to become a self-created metropolis asset. And now that that is been taken absent, and the city’s putting programs in area, individuals need to have to be quite energetic in speaking what they want from that room,” stated UDC member Jessie Gemmer in an job interview Wednesday.

The region all-around the statue was dubbed “Marcus-David Peters Circle” by protestors in 2020, following a Richmond person who was killed by police in 2018. On June 4, 2020, previous Gov. Ralph Northam requested the removal of the Lee statue, which was on point out land. About two weeks later, concrete limitations went up all around the circle, and then in January 2021, the point out fenced in the circle, closing it to the general public.  

“Public areas exist on a continuum of buy and management,” stated Beth Meyer, a professor at the University of Virginia who’s an professional on landscaping and general public area. “I’m an idealist when it will come to public space, wondering that I would give up a very little bit of the order and management because I want to be in a location that feels like it is open to everyone, so that I really don’t see individuals just like me.”

Todd Woodson, a different committee member, mentioned in an job interview Wednesday that he favored the latest prepare.

“I search at this as the commencing of a healing system, the continuation of what’s gone on there. You will find really practically nothing additional therapeutic than mother nature,” he mentioned. “I would like to see some seating.”

The proposal garnered 10 pieces of penned public remark. Some feedback identified as for the house to encourage discussions highlighted in the course of the 2020 protests, though two self-explained Monument Avenue people wrote that opening up the circle to pedestrians would bring in “an element wishing to start out issues.” 

Site visitors security was also among the the worries published about. 

Kevin Vonck, scheduling director for the city, advised associates existing at the meeting that he would check with the planning fee chairperson to set the proposal on the frequent agenda and look at referring it back again to the UDC for recommendations in advance of a fee vote. 

“In the interest of timeliness for some of our [design] applicants, I want them to go on on by way of the process,” Vonck reported. 

He told the committee that the products would be on the preparing commission meeting scheduled for Sept. 19 the scheduling fee has the last say on whether or not the proposal is accredited. 

The state’s Division of Common Providers owns boundaries and fencing about the circle, a spokesperson from the section mentioned in an e-mail. The town is to deliver them to the condition at no charge to the office when they are eliminated. The land was conveyed to the town just before Northam remaining workplace earlier this calendar year. 

The transfer from the condition to the town intended that The Virginia Museum of Wonderful Artwork, which experienced been given tax revenue to make new, long-lasting models for Monument Avenue and the locations occupied by Confederate monuments, would no longer be concerned.   

Meyer, the professor at UVA, mentioned thoughtfulness is completely essential in creating new areas soon after the removing of monuments.  

“All the general public spaces that have had statues eliminated is an astounding prospect for the group to produce spots that are meaningful and not spots that are only fairly,” Meyer reported. “These jobs you should not need a landscaping proposal. They require a design and style proposal, due to the fact landscape structure, public-area structure is not the exact as shoving a thing up and filling it with flowers. It’s about producing areas that are significant.”