WaterSmart Demonstration Garden at the Helix Water District Administrative Office

Positioned on University Boulevard in La Mesa, CA, the project aimed to transform the administrative offices’ surrounding landscape into an inspirational garden that would draw attention and invite users to learn about water wise options. The main goal was to give customers a resource that could effectively demonstrate achievable design elements of water conservation.

That meant deploying elements of successful water-wise landscapes. These are the pillars that informed the design in the early concept stage:

1. Limit turf to areas needed for practical purposes / programmed spaces – therefore limiting water usage

2. Rainwater as a resource – consider rainwater harvesting and bio-filtration

3. Climate appropriate plant selection – use native and low-water-use plants

4. Hydro zones – group plants according to their water needs

5. Readily available plant material – selections were made of material easily accessible for the public at the local nurseries

Visitors maximize their experience by learning more about the plant material through individual QR codes located on plant tags throughout the garden.