Westminster resident Tricia Arellano loves planting season and is counting down the days until she can be back in her garden. “Notice I didn’t say spring because Colorado doesn’t have a spring. We have winter, late winter, summer, and fall,” says Arellano, with a laugh. Just a couple of summers ago Arellano replaced her front lawn with a “waterwise yard” and now she looks forward to adding more plants, watching them grow—and her water bill shrink.
According to Resource Central — a non-profit dedicated to helping people save water, reduce waste, and conserve energy — many lawns, especially ornamental front yards, serve little functional purpose, yet make up half of a household’s water consumption. Colorado is facing a long-term water shortage and a low-water or “waterwise” yard can help save water, create a pollinator habitat, and even make our neighborhoods more beautiful.
The City of Westminster is working with Resource Central again this year to offer several waterwise programs, including the Garden in a Box, Lawn Replacement, and Slow the Flow sprinkler evaluations. The City has also partnered with Resource Central to provide free webinars hosted by a Colorado waterwise landscape professional. Many attendees walk away from these webinars armed with water and money saving ideas, along with a list of waterwise plants suitable for Colorado’s climate, and do-it-yourself tips and tricks on how to go from grass to garden.
Arellano is definitely a believer. She has documented her waterwise journey from start to finish on her Instagram page. “The first year when they said the plants “sleep” — they definitely do,” said Arellano. “Last year they were supposed to “creep” but my yard was “leaping!” “I can’t wait to see what year three brings. It was a bit of work at first, but so worth it. I have found plants I never knew about and now love!”
You can find more information on the Garden in a Box Program, Lawn Replacement Program, Waterwise Webinars and more on Resource Central’s website: Home – Resource Central
And you can view Arellano’s progress on her Instagram page at: https://www.instagram.com/jelliscape/