In light of incentive programs that encourage homeowners to use less water in their yards by growing more drought-tolerant plants, keeping the garden green these days has taken on a whole new meaning. But many city codes have not caught up with the eco-conscious times, and residents planning on “greening” their garden can face clashes with city officials, neighbors and homeowners associations.

This was the case for one San Jose couple in October 2007 when they decided to “green” their yard by removing 2,000 square feet of lawn and replacing it with drought-tolerant plants. They consulted a landscape specialist and were told that they needed to let their lawn die completely before the new planting plan could begin. The project would take six to nine months to complete. Just six weeks into it, though, a San Jose code enforcement officer, responding to a neighbor’s complaint that the dying lawn was “ugly,” informed the couple they were in violation of City Ordinance 26710, Section 17.72.530, which states that all San Jose yards must be landscaped with grass, plants or decorative rocks. The couple then received notice in January 2008 that if they did not plant their yard within 30 days, they would be fined $250.

Despite programs such as San Jose Beautiful (www.sjbeautiful.org), which provides community improvement awards for environmentally friendly changes to homes and yards, and the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s water-wise program (www.valleywater.org), which offers rebates worth up to $1,000 for replacing grass with drought-resistant landscaping options, some city landscaping ordinances remain out of step.

“There is the image of the cottage English garden, with manicured lawns and flower beds,” says John Russell of Watersprout Landscape Design and Construction in Oakland (www.watersprout.org). “Many of our communities are built to emulate this look and it was seen as something to strive for. It’s really become an old school of thought, but still holds a lot of sway. The clash seems to happen even more in gated communities where there are extremely strict homeowner association standards regarding any changes to the home.”

Landscaper Leah Drake of Sanctuary Land Design in Los Gatos (www.sanctuaryland.com) emphasizes that education is the key to moving towards a more conservation-oriented mindset, both for public officials and homeowners. “I have customers who are fighting to keep every square inch of lawn that they have. On the other hand, when I receive a referral from the California Native Plant Professionals List (www.landscapestandards.com), I find that those are the clients who are already informed – and who want to do a completely sustainable, native garden.”

According to Drake, every 1,000 square feet of lawn requires 23,000 gallons of water per year, and Drake and Russell agree that moving off the water grid is the next step to sustainable, water-efficient yards. “We assess a site to see what water is available through rain cisterns, gray-water systems, etc. and then design the landscape to fit the water on site,” Russell says. “The truth is that we Californians are in a drought state and we have to come to terms with it.”

Thankfully, the story of the San Jose couple has a happy ending: Working with city code enforcement officials, all fines (which had reached $750) were ultimately waived, and their project was finished in mid 2008. They now have a beautiful native garden that uses a fraction of the water their lawn did, which thrills their three kids by attracting hummingbirds, butterflies and other beneficial visitors to their property.

For more information on planting a drought tolerant landscape, visit the local chapter of the California Native Plant Society at www.cnps-scv.org.

To see the original article in Wave Magazine, click here.

Maintain taller blades of grass. Taller blades expose more surface area to the sun, making for increased photosynthesis, resulting in healthier roots that absorb more water and nutrients and thus require less watering. Set your mower to maximum, so it will cut grass to 2.5 inches to 3 inches high.

Keep grass clippings on the lawn after you mow. Decomposing clippings add nitrogen, a major nutrient for grass, to the soil. Some homeowners worry that this practice will lead to thatch, dying grass parts that form a matted layer, keeping moisture and oxygen from the roots. The opposite is true – the clippings will attract earthworms, which break down thatch and keep the lawn healthier.

Spread a layer of compost on top of the soil. Composting two or three times a year is safe and organic, and allows you to avoid using chemical-based fertilizers. Compost provides important nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and often has trace elements not found in commercial fertilizers. Compost will also help the soil retain more water, allowing for even less frequent watering (approximately once per week).

When it comes to water, less is best. Infrequent watering actually helps your grass, forcing roots to go deep into the soil – deeper than most weed roots will go. Water early in the day; waiting until evening can cause insufficient evaporation, and lead to fungus growth.

Heidi Livingston Eisips is the founder of Korala Consulting (www.koralaconsulting.com), specializing in marketing and strategy for sustainable businesses. She is also a founder and instructor at the Green Tech Academy (www.greentechacademy.org), which provides workforce training for professionals interested in the clean tech and green tech industries.