Water Smart

What it means to be “water smart” in your landscaping continues to evolve, and it changes region by region

In arid climates, like California and West Texas, to be water smart doesn’t just mean planting drought-tolerant plants and swapping out your lawn, it also means creating permeable surfaces for water to absorb into below-ground aquifers. Many cities offer rebates to ensure that your yard makes the best use of water.

In regions like Southeast Texas, high levels of precipitation lead to frequent flooding, so to be water smart is to focus on drainage and permeability. In many cities throughout Texas, municipalities require that a property is at least 20% landscape, specifically plants and permeable hardscape, to ensure proper drainage.

Climate change is affecting water patterns the world over, but one thing is clear: water is top of mind for nearly everyone when approaching an outdoor renovation project.

By the Yardzen numbers

More than 87% of Yardzen clients say being water smart is important to them when thinking about their outdoor space.


Santa Monica Case Study

For this Santa Monica project, our staff Horticulturalist, Zolene Quindoy, who holds a degree in Horticulture from UC Davis, designed a yard that meets all of the lawn replacement rebate requirements for the local municipality. The whole yard is permeable—pavers count as a permeable material as long as gravel surrounds them. Also, the plants, including Echeveria, Agave, Yarrow, and climate-adapted grasses, are all low-water.

This Santa Monica front yard meets all of the city’s requirements for a “water smart” yard

This Santa Monica front yard meets all of the city’s requirements for a “water smart” yard