Stop! Put down the 10-10-10 fertilizer and park your mowers. There’s a new way to be green and earn a few bucks doing it – the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s (SCVWD) Landscape Water Rebate Program. SCVWD is offering rebates up to $3,000 to homeowners ($30,000 to business owners) who convert turf areas to low water gardens. Each square foot of converted turf is worth $.75; $1.50 per square foot in cost sharing cities (currently Palo Alto and Morgan Hill). On top of that, SCVWD offers rebates on select irrigation equipment, everything from rotary nozzles to smart controllers. To qualify for the program, residents must schedule a pre-inspection survey with the SCVWD (call 1-800-548-1882) prior to beginning work.
Once qualified, you’ll be on your way towards earning rebates and conserving water. Even better, you’ll have a new garden to enjoy. There are a variety of beautiful low water plants to choose from. A mix of Lavenders and Salvias will brighten up any border and smell good too. Add Mimulus aurantiacus, a California native whose funnel shaped flowers attract hummingbirds. Don’t forget our succulent friends either: Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ explodes with clusters of pink flowers that age to coppery pink in the fall.
Whichever plants you choose, remember to have fun, be creative, and don’t worry about spending a little bit more at the nursery. The rebates you receive from the SCVWD’s Landscape Water Rebate Program can help. For more information and a list of approved plants, visit the SCVWD website or click here:
http://www.valleywater.org/Programs/LandscapeRebateProgram.aspx
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