The trend toward landscaping with Native and California Friendly plants is increasing and a regional advertising campaign is boosting the aesthetic and environmental advantages of native and California Friendly plants.

An informative source for water efficient gardening is www.bewaterwise.com, a resource for checking the current watering index for efficient irrigation, reviewing the photos and descriptions of 1,000 California native and friendly plants, designing and maintaining water-efficient gardens and yards, and much more.

Water usage outdoors can account for as much as 70 percent of total water usage in Southern California homes. By cutting back on outdoor irrigation, Southern Californians can save the region up to 12 percent of its water supplies—water that can be put into storage for use at another date.