Water World: Saving water in San Diego

Company: LandscapesUSA
Location: San Diego

Tanabe Research Center, a commercial science laboratory campus, worked with LandscapesUSA on overhauling its irrigation system and renovating its existing landscaping. The primary aim was to gain a more efficient irrigation system, so it could limit water use and lower its water bill.

“Everyone is very water conscious, but being in San Diego, they’re still used to a tropical landscape and turf,” says Stacey Sturnot, executive operations manager at LandscapesUSA. In installing drip irrigation and a variety of drought-tolerant plants on the property, the client saved on water and maintenance labor since the drip irrigation provided underground watering to plants, and LandscapesUSA, which also provided maintenance on the property after the renovation was complete, did not have to overhead water plants.

LandscapesUSA worked with Jain Irrigation to install the new Jain drip irrigation system quickly and efficiently. Technicians dug out old rotors from the clay soils, capped the lateral line and ensured that the new drip system was installed properly and watering correctly. The company used hand tools, Bobcat skid-steers and a John Deere front end loader for the renovation.

The company aimed for easy-to-maintain colorful plant varieties and drought-tolerant groundcover, and the client now uses half the water it once did. “The previous landscape was uninspiring. Now, it’s beautiful, utilizing some natives, and we’ve had great feedback from the company’s owners,” Sturnot says.

Photo: Michael Derewenko, Jain Irrigation

Tanabe Research Laboratories is located on a serene campus in San Diego.

Photo: Michael Derewenko, Jain Irrigation

LandscapesUSA technicians installed a brand-new drip irrigation system with the assistance of Jain Irrigation.

Photo: Michael Derewenko, Jain Irrigation

A variety of carefully selected plants, including Cercis Forest Pansy, shows that landscapes can be colorful and water saving.

Photo: Michael Derewenko, Jain Irrigation

Orange blooms of leonotis planted among furcraea foetida mediopicta alba.

Photo: Michael Derewenko, Jain Irrigation

Cordyline in full bloom at the entry island of the property.

Photo: Michael Derewenko, Jain Irrigation

New plants included variegated dianella, leonotis, agave and hesperaloe parviflora, which provide texture, color and height to the landscape.