Water Efficient Plants Guide

During the summer months water usage in our area increases 2 – 3 times from the amount of water we use in the winter.  This is primarily due to landscape and landscape watering practices.  The need to conserve water, however, does not mean that we have to abandon our beautiful landscapes.  The notion that water efficient landscapes have to be barren and dry is slowly changing as people realize that they can have the best of both worlds when it comes to water conservation and landscaping.  With proper irrigation design and management, and with proper plant selection and placement, responsible water users can enjoy a full range of landscape styles.

The Water Efficient Plants for the Willamette Valley guide was created by horticulture and conservation experts as a tool to assist the general gardener in making decisions about how to use water more efficiently in their landscapes. In this guide you will discover trees, shrubs, bulbs, perennials, ground covers and ornamental grasses that are suited to the Mediterranean-type climate of Western Oregon.  In addition to the water savings you will see there are a number of other benefits that come with water efficient landscaping.  They include reduced fertilizer and chemical use, less weed growth, less energy use, less water runoff, and reduced maintenance.

This on-line Plant Guide has been made available through the partnership between the Clackamas Community College Horticulture Department, South Fork Water Board, Regional Water Providers Consortium, OSU Extension, the City of Corvallis, and EWEB with the goal of moving towards a more water efficient community through water efficient landscaping.

For a hard copy of the guide please call the Public Outreach & Education Coordinator at (503) 723-3511.  Copies of the guide are also distributed at the various events that the Clackamas River Water Providers attend.