Many Longmonters have embraced so-called “water-wise landscapes” or at least those who shop at The Flower Bin Garden Center and Nursery, said BilleJo Tosse.
Tosse is the perennial nursing manager at The Flower Bin and she has seen a steady hike in the number of people who want plants that flourish without needing a whole lot of water. “There is definitely a lot more xeric gardening going on,” Tosse said. “People are looking for grasses or more native plants that need less water.”
Xeric is a type of plant that grows and generally thrives in dry conditions, Tosse said. Those include certain plants and grasses and most are available at the 50-year-old Flower Bin.
“It really depends on what kind of plant you need,” she said, warning that some HomeOwners Associations don’t allow xeric landscapes.
“You really need to check first,” Tosse said.
Statewide, a move is underway to convince homeowners and others to replace irrigated turf with water-wise landscaping. A new bill — HB22-1151 — creates a program in the Department of Natural Resources to assist with the replacement of nonessential irrigated turf on residential, commercial, institutional or industrial properties, according to a state legislative fiscal note.
The bill defines water-wise landscaping as a water-and-plant-management practice that emphasizes using plants with lower water needs, according to the legislation.
The bill earned the unanimous backing of the Longmont City Council this week as it matches the city’s push to encourage more water conservation, Assistant City Manager Sandi Seader said this week.
“This is a well thought out voluntary program that is a true turf replacement program not simply turf removal,” Seader said in her legislative report to the council. “It recognizes the benefits of irrigated turf in certain places and focuses on the importance of organic ground cover and soil health in the transition process.”
The bill also provides incentives for water conservation and takes into account water quality impacts, she said.
Although turf replacement is not currently part of the city’s Water Efficiency Master Plan, it is something that city staff members are currently exploring by replacing non-essential turf at parks, Seader said.
The turf replacement is expected to decrease mowing and water consumption by half, she said.
The bill is currently in the State House Appropriations Committee.
