In this workshop we will demonstrate our favorite approaches to setting up and maintaining cost-conscious DIY waterwise water features and habitat-providing bird baths for home landscapes. It truly is “if you build it, they will come.”
If you choose to create a recirculating water feature, the sound of that water will also help mask the background urban noise in your outdoor space while providing a sense of psychological cooling in a low-water garden!
We will also show you how to keep each feature clean and how to ensure they do not become habitat for mosquitoes.
Participants will see how we make and maintain:
· Bubbling rock water features
· Fountain-in-a-pot water features
· Water trough aquatic garden water features
· Ceramic dish bird baths
Each participant will be able to select a native wildflower seed packet of their choice to take home.
After the workshop concludes, for those who wish to stay, we will be offering a raffle give-away of some of our favorite waterwise California native plants. We will also tell you a bit about each one, why it is one of our favorites, and the garden situations in which it is likely thrive. Our Waterwise Community Nursery will also be open for shopping from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Our instructors for this workshop will be Ashley Alfaro and Scott Kleinrock.
Ashley Alfaro is the Conservation Landscaper at Chino Basin Water Conservation District and the Waterwise Community Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in plant science and is a QWEL-certified irrigation professional. Ashley has professional experience in plant production and horticulture and with a focus on California native plants. As a science communicator, she equips the community with the knowledge and confidence to implement waterwise plants into their landscapes through workshops and educational content on platforms such as Instagram and YouTube.
Scott is the Conservation Programs Manager at Chino Basin Water Conservation District and the Waterwise Community Center. Scott has been working in horticulture for 20 years, focused on both the design and ongoing care of sustainable native or edible landscapes in Southern California at the residential and public garden scales. He has a master’s degree in landscape architecture for Cal Poly Pomona and was previously the Landscape Design and Planning Coordinator at the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens.
