Your Villa Magazine - Desert Cities - April - May 2024

In the Desert, Spring is an opportune time to improve the health of your landscape. The key: Go native and save water. Redesign your water-heavy garden and lawn and install native plants. They have a very large impact on water usage when used in place of lawns and other high-water use plants and take less maintenance. Native plants create a more natural looking garden and are more drought tolerant. They can support populations of pollinators and birds and build resilience to a changing Desert climate. So, what’s a native plant? A California native plant evolved in a California area before humans or their animals arrived. In the Desert, a native plant might classify as drought tolerant, meaning it can survive a few weeks to a month without water. Or, it might classify as drought resistant and survive a few weeks to a month without water. Cahuilla Indian lore identifies these top ten most common Coachella Valley native plants: • Blue palo verde • Brittlebush • California barrel cactus • California fan palm • Chuparosa You can find them at these area nurseries that specialize in plants native to the Coachella Valley: • Cactus Mart, Morongo Valley • GDNC Cactus & Desert Plant Nursery, Desert Hot Springs • Mariscal Cactus & Succulents, Desert Hot Springs • Mojave Desert Land Trust, Joshua Tree • Moller’s Garden Center, Palm Desert • Moon Valley Nurseries, Coachella • Randy G. Meyers & Nurseries, Desert Hot Springs By the way, Spring is an excellent time to plant native plants, although, hold off until late Spring or early Summer to add palms to your landscape. For more ideas: CVWD.org/Conservation D E S I G N + B U I L D Why you should go native • Creosote • Desert Willow • Jojoba • Ocotillo • Rush milkweed 20 | Your Villa Magazine Your Water is our promise. | CVWD.org | (760) 391-9600 SAVINGS for your water your wallet FLUME SMART HOME WATER MONITOR CVWD has partnered with Flume Water to bring exclusive savings on the Flume 2 Smart Home Water Monitor! This device monitors your home 24/7 and notifies you instantly if it detects a leak. Don’t fear hidden leaks and skyrocketing water bills; with Flume monitoring your indoor and outdoor water use, you can save money, conserve water, and protect your home from costly leaks. While supplies last, CVWD customers can get a Flume Smart Home Water Monitor for only $85 (regularly $199) after a discount and rebate. Devices must be purchased online through the manufacturer. Visit: flumewater.com/partners/coachellavalleywd CVWD offers customers several rebate programs designed to reduce water use. Visit CVWD.org/rebates for current programs, eligibility requirements, or to apply. &