Water Conservation

At Home

This page contains links to multiple resources that can help with your effort to save water, create your own low-water landscape and more!

• Rebates

• Davis

  • City of Davis Conservation Rebates

  
  Sacramento

  • River Friendly Landscape Program

  • Business rebates

  • Indoor rebates

  • Sacramento County Water Agency - Rebate Programs

  
  Other regional water rebates

• Where to shop
• In addition to the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden Plant Sales, members are encouraged to shop at these nurseries. They are our partner nurseries and they offer discounts to our members.
  
  Learn more about becoming a member.
• What to buy

• UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars
  Thinking about removing your lawn to save water? The horticultural staff of the UC Davis Arboretum have identified 100 tough, reliable plants that have been tested in the Arboretum, are easy to grow, don’t need a lot of water, have few problems with pests or diseases, and have outstanding qualities in the garden. These plants are called the UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars. Learn more and SEARCH the Arboretum All-Star database.

  UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden Plant Lists
  On this page you will find links to plant lists incorporating Arboretum All-Stars and other region-appropriate, low-to-medium water plants.

  You can also find other low-water use plants by searching the
  WUCOLS Database (Water Use Classification of Landscape Species)

• Tree care

• • Save water, but also save trees during drought

  • Tree Ring Irrigation Contraption (TRIC)

  • Save Trees during Drought with New Tree Right Irrigation Contraption (TRIC)

  • Tips for watering your trees (Sacramento Tree Foundation)

• Edible gardening

• • Food Gardening with Less Water (Sonoma County Master Gardeners)

  • Drought-resistant Crops and Varieties (Sonoma County Master Gardeners)

  • How much water does my food garden need? (Sonoma County Master Gardeners)

  • A more in-depth look at food gardening with less water (Sonoma County Master Gardeners)

  • 10 tips for vegetable gardening during a drought (UC Agriculture and Natural Resources)

• Design your landscape

• Get started by using one of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden Planting Plans
  
  Additional design resources

  • Six Simple Steps to a Water-wise Garden(Save Our Water)

  • Water-wise Gardens of California (Bureau of Reclamation, scroll down to see the list)

  • Water-Efficient Landscapes (California Department of Water Resources)

  • Water-Efficient Landscape Gardens in the Sacramento Region

  • Reading List for Designing a Woodland Landscape (WRAC)

• Hire help

• PLEASE NOTE: The resources we’ve listed below are not endorsed by the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, but are websites you might find helpful as you start your search.

  • California Landscape Contractors Association

  • Irrigation Association Certified Professionals

  • Rescape Qualified Professionals Directory

• Waterwise gardening

• • UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden Sustainable Gardening Toolkit

  • Keeping Plantings Alive Under Drought or Water Restrictions (California Center for Urban Horticulture)

  • Guidelines for Managing Drought in the Urban Landscape (Sonoma County Master Gardeners)

  • Gardening with Limited Water (UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County)

  • Rules of Thumb for Waterwise Gardening (Regional Water Authority)

  • Water Efficiency Brochure (Regional Water Authority)

  • Water Conservation Around the Yard (SaveOurWater.com)

  • Right Plant, Right Place Link List (Yolo County Master Gardeners)

• Websites

• UC Davis

  • UC Davis Arboretum

  • California Center for Urban Horticulture

  • California Institute for Water Resources

  Other

  • California Department of Water Resources

  • Northern California Regional Water Authority

  • Be Water Smart (Regional Water Authority)