This spring, learn how beautiful water conservation can be.
Spring shows up in all the little ways; brighter mornings, blooming shrubs, and that unmistakable urge to finally tackle the yard. Before you know it, the gloves are on, the shovel’s out, and your landscape is ready for a seasonal glow-up. Water – Plant It Wisely is your handy resource to provide landscaping guidance, advice, and ideas on what to plant. Because what you plant affects more than your yard. It helps create a more sustainable future. By selecting low-water-use plants, you help conserve our precious water supply for generations to come. Turns out saving water can be a pretty good look. Learn more at WaterPlantItWisely.com.
Dig into the benefits of low-water-use plants.
Flowers that smell sweet, trees that provide shade, and pollinators that make your yard their playground. Beauty and conservation really can go hand in hand. The sheer number of heat and drought-resistant species native to our southwest deserts or from arid climates around the world may surprise you. Desert flora doesn’t require much water to thrive and adds a variety of colors, sizes, functions, and yes, even lush greenery to your landscaping.
You will love how your yard looks and how your water bills look. With each low-water-use plant you place in your landscape, you can save up to 550 gallons a year. Considering up to 70% of water use is outdoors, you can brag to your neighbors that your beautiful landscape is not only conserving water but is easy to take care of, too.
Quick facts on the benefits of low-water-use landscapes.
- Use up to 75% less water than grass or traditional landscapes
- Save water, a precious resource in the desert
- Provide many functions (shade, attracting birds, add color)
- Easier to maintain requiring less fertilizer, pesticides, and care
Water – Use It Wisely Plant of the Month Feature
Bring your Arizona garden to life with our featured plants in our PLANT-OF-THE-MONTH listing!
Healthy plants, healthy savings with low-water-use landscaping.
A lush, vibrant garden does more than please the eye – it soothes the soul. As you relax in the shade, admire your spring blooms, and take a deep breath, you can feel good knowing the air around you is cleaner. Just one tree can remove more than 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide over its lifetime, the equivalent of driving 1,300 miles.
Your low-water-use garden can also benefit your wallet. Beyond lowering your water bill, a beautiful landscape can boost your home’s value by up to 15 percent and even speed up a sale by five to six weeks. (Not that you’ll want to sell – your garden deserves your full attention first!)
Landscaping with water conservation in mind brings a mix of personal, environmental, and financial rewards. And that’s just the beginning…
Where to begin? Right here, at WATERPLANTITWISELY.COM!
Water – Plant It Wisely is our special microsite from Water – Use It Wisely, bringing together our best landscaping resources in one easy place. You’ll find practical guidance, inspiration, and plant ideas, including:
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The newly updated Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert
- How to transition your yard to Xeriscape
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Tips for inviting birds, pollinators, and wildlife into your landscape
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Artificial turf: water savings and important drawbacks to consider
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Local demonstration gardens to spark ideas
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Specialty plant sales across the Valley
Now, let’s go gardening!
Donna DiFrancesco is a Conservation Coordinator with the City of Mesa, AZ, one of 23 Water– Use It Wisely partners to offer water-saving advice and programs.