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The Foundation, in partnership with Sacramento Suburban Water District and
Carmichael Water District, created a native demonstration garden .
Created in 2007, the garden consists of plants all native to the American
River Parkway. In fact, all of the plants were harvested from seeds
captured along the parkway.
(Click here for slide
show)
Located at
5700 Arden Way
in Carmichael, the garden is adjacent to the American River Parkway
Foundation office. For more information, call the AFPF at (916) 486-2773.
Click here to
see an interactive map of the garden.
Why Have a Demonstration Garden?
Years ago as settlers migrated west, they continued to plant lush
landscapes with large lawns, trees and flower that were foreign to the
western U.S. While these landscapes worked well in the eastern and southern
parts of the United States where humidity runs high and rain is common
during spring and summer months, settlers didn’t compensate for the west’s
long, hot, dry summers. When developing their landscape in states like
Arizona, Nevada and California, people relied heavily on domestic water –
not Mother Nature – to help keep lawns looking green and lush during the
summer. Hundreds of years later, Californians in particular, find themselves
in a water crisis. One of the many ways California is dealing with the
crisis is by reducing the amount of water used outdoors.
In this region of California, more than half of the water used in and
around the home is used outdoors. Of that, nearly one-third goes to waste.
By planting low water use plants – especially those that are native to
California or do well in a Mediterranean-type climate, it’s possible to have
a beautiful, colorful landscape that requires minimal water. A demonstration
garden is designed to illustrate the many possibilities of a water efficient
landscape.
Why Water Conservation Matters?
It’s easy to imagine how life might be if we didn’t have fuel for our
cars or electricity in our homes. But have you ever imagined life without
water? From drinking it, using it to grow our food to putting out fires,
simply put, life could not exist without water. And in California, where
large portion of the nations produce is grown, we need water for the
economic stability of our state.
The garden is maintained by a local Sacramento company
called English
Garden Care.
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