Plant Features - Storage Made Easy

Perfect Park-Strips
Weber Basin Water Conservancy District
David Rice
Conservation Programs Manager

Why Water-Wise Landscaping
• Water resources are limited.
• Population growth.
• New water projects are difficult and expensive.
• In Utah, landscape water makes up about 60-
65% of the average residential water use.
• Changes need to be implemented which allow
us to have attractive, appealing landscapes
while maintaining sufficient water supplies for
future use.

Water-wise or Low-Water-Use
Landscaping Basics
• Plan and design
• Know your types of soil
• Plant Selection
• Efficient irrigation
• Create practical turf areas
• Use of mulches / hard-scape
• Regular maintenance

Plan and Design
• Probably one of the most important parts of
water-wise landscaping.
• Consider the uses and expectations (function).
• Consider slope, aspect, shade, etc.
(microclimate)
• Hydro-zoning for plant
water requirements
• Soil types
• Hard-scaping
• Irrigation (where, and how).

Know Your Soils
Bottle
Self Test
• Compacted soils need aeration, which will
increase oxygen and break up soil layers.
• If poor in nutrient, then chose plants that are
adapted ( thrive in what you have and use less
fertilizer and amendment).
• USU has a soil lab that can test nutrient levels
and help you determine what may be needed.
• Organic matter will increase the water and
nutrient holding capacity of both sand and clay
soils.
• Clay or sand will determine what you want to
plant and how to water efficiently.
• Some plants prefer rocky, sandy soils with little
nutrient while others may prefer clay. Most
plants are somewhat adaptable and tolerate
different types of soils.

Soil Water Movement
Any change in texture or density can
impede water percolation through soil
Clay layer
A clay, or
compacted
layer creates
saturated or
perched water
layer
Sand layer
A sand layer
impedes water
movement until
overlying layer
is saturated

Plant Selection
• Use plants adapted to
your local climate
(possibly natives).
• The native or adapted
plants will require less
water and less
maintenance.
• Plants need to be chosen
for the design based on
similar water needs
(hydro-zoning)

Use Mulches
• Mulches aid in moisture retention and
surface shading.
• Mulches discourage weed growth
• Can provide nutrients over time (depends on
material)
• Materials can include:
Bark, wood chips, pine straw, nut shells,
gravel, crushed stone, or grass clippings.

Irrigate Efficiently
• Proper irrigation saves water and results in
healthier more drought resistant plants.
• Apply the proper amount and only when
needed
• Understand different water requirements for
different areas of the landscape
• Program the system in response to changing
seasonal variations in temperature and rain.
• Monitor your sprinkler system and make
adjustments as needed to get a good uniform
application.

Regular Maintenance
• All landscapes need maintenance to look
good and stay healthy.
• Trim and prune plants regularly
• Control weeds early.
• Minimize fertilizer use to avoid overgrowth
and increased water needs
• Get out in your landscape and enjoy it
while you care for it.

So Why Park-Strips
Small spaces with little
functional value
• Challenges with
soils
• Difficult to water
efficiently
• City utility easements.
• Parade route

Park Strips: Before You Start!
• Check local city codes for restrictions.
• Have a design in mind. What do you
want to achieve Will you cause
neighborhood anxiety
• Are there resources to make it easier
and cheaper Examples, discounts, etc.
• Call Blue Stakes 3 days before you dig
so you don’t hit anything you don’t want
to hit .

Park Strip Specific
• Steps to re-landscape your strip.
1. Start with a plan.
2. Make sure the existing is dead.
3. Removal of Turf/ prep for new design
4. Plan proper irrigation for chosen planting
5. Make this space usable or tie in to yard.
• Follow city ordinances and codes

Dig it up!!

Turf Removal
• Spray turf with Round-Up or other grass killer.
or
• Cover grass with plastic or layers of newspaper
for 3-4 weeks. or
• Remove turf with a sod cutter. then
• Till the area and rake out any debris or large
rocks-unless rocks are what is desired.
• Under some conditions, soil amendments may
be desired.

Proper Irrigation
• Right products for the space
• Drip irrigation, bubblers, micro sprays
• Hydrozoning:- choose plants with a similar
water need. For park strips plants should
be adapted for heat, salt, and low water.
• Irrigation scheduling.

Don’t Flood it!!!

Proper and Efficient Irrigation

Examples of Park Strips
Look for design, plant
selection, potential for
efficient irrigation,
maintenance, and possible
violations of known city
codes.

•

• IMAGE008.JPG

Jordan Valley Water Park Strip on 1300 West

Plant Selection
• Choose plants that are low water and
suitable for the site.
• Some park strips may have trees/shade
• Heat tolerant, salt tolerant
• Not too tall, nor too wide
• Choose a plant palette that
provides seasonal interest,
or functionality.

Atlas Daisy- Anacyclus depressus

Basket of Gold- Aurinia saxitile

Blanket Flower
Gaillardia x grandiflora
Plant Features:
-Prefers full sun
-1 to 2 ft high
-Yellow to orange petals with red
center, or all burgundy.
-Very tolerant of dry conditions. Will
tolerate more or less water.
-Deadhead for extended flowering
-Zones 4 to 8

Blue Flax- Linum perenne

Butterfly Weed- Asclepias tuberosa

Candytuft
Iberis sempervirens
Plant Features:
-Half-shrubby, dwarf,
spreading, semievergreen.
-April to May its neat
tufts of dark green
change into masses of
snowy white.
-Zone 4-9
-Nice border plant or
rock garden plant.

Catmint- Nepeta faassenii

Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
Plant Features:
-Chocolate scented
-12 in. tall
-Very drought tolerant
-Flowers all summer
-Full sun to light shade
-Low maintenance,
clean up in spring
-Requires no water
once established.
-Zone 5-9

Curry Plant- Helichrysum trianschanicum

Daylily- Hemerocallis species

Desert Marigold
Baileya Multiradiata
Plant Features:
-Short lived perennial
-Desert plant 12 in. tall
-Full sun
-Flowers all summer
-No water once established
-Once yearly cleanup
-Zones 7-10 all zones as annual
But can reseed and grow in
zones 5-6.

Garden Sage –Salvia officinalis

Gooseberry Globemallow
Sphaeralcea grossulariafolia
Plant Features:
-Grows 4 in. to 3 ft. tall.
-Silvery green foliage.
-Blooms late spring to
summer.
-Full sun.
-One of few native orange
flowering species.
-No water if established
-No real maintenance
-Zones 4-8

-Full sun to partial shade, medium to low
water requirement
-Fast growth, great ground cover for dry
shaded areas. Humming birds love it.
Hummingbird Flower
Zauschneria latifolia Plant Features
-Perennial to 12 in.
-Foliage dark green
-Flowers scarlet
-Flowers midsummer
through frost
-No water needed once
established.
-Once per year cleanup is
all that is needed.
-Zone 4-10

Sunset Hyssop
Agastache rupestris
Plant Features:
-Height 20-24 in.
-Width 18 in.
-Blooms late summer
through frost
-Orange to pink blossoms
-Very fragrant (root beer)
-Full sun to part shade
-Water every 7-14 days
-Only maintenance is
one time yearly cleanup.
-Zones 4-10 up to 7000 ft.

Mesa Verde Iceplant
Delosperma ‘Kelaidis’
Plant Features:
-Low growing to 3 in.
-Flowers spring to Fall
-Very nice rock garden
plant.
-Dense mat forming
-Zones 5-9

Hardy Iceplant
Delosperma nubigenum
Plant Features:
-Creeping, mat forming
succulent perennial
-Brilliant yellow flower in
mid spring
-Full sun
-Zones 5-9

English Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’
Plant Features:
-Full Sun
-Late spring-summer
bloomer
-Used as herb for oils,
fragrance, kitchen,
crafts, etc.
-1 to 2 ft tall and wide
-Dead head and cut
back yearly for best look
-Water once per week.
-Zones 5-8

Missouri Primrose- Oenothera missouriensis

Desert Four O’clock
Mirabilis multiflora
Plant Features:
-Perennial to 2’ tall from a tuber
-Comes from base in late spring
-Lush, dark green leaves
-Flowers midsummer to frost
-Breaks off at base after frost for
easy fall or spring clean up.
-From 2300-7500 ft
-Full Sun, good drainage, low water
requirement, no water once established
-Fast growing, flowers first year from seed
-Requires a lot of room (8 ft. wide)

Paperflower- Psilostrophe backeri

Penstemon Species

Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Plant Features:
-Perennial, low water use
-2 to 3 ft tall and wide
-Spring blooming (May)
-Full sun
-Cut back when flowering
has finished.
-Water every 7-10 days.
-Zone 3-8

Bridge’s Penstemon
Penstemon rostriflorus
Plant Features:
-Full sun
-2 to 3 ft tall and wide.
-Mid-summer bloomer,
blooms last a long time.
-Very drought tolerant.
-Moderate water while in
bloom, none thereafter.
-Yearly cut back for
maintenance.
-Zones 3-9

Pineleaf Penstemon
Penstemon pinifolius sp.
Plant Features:
-Full sun
-Mid summer bloomer
-Yellow or red
-12 to 15 in tall, 18 wide
-No water once established
-Once yearly cleanup
-Zones 4-9

Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
Plant Features:
-Early spring bloom
-Beautiful red
-1 to 3 ft tall and wide
-Prefers poor nutrient soils,
will rot with organic
mulches.
-No water once established
-Dead head spent flowers
for nice foliage through
summer.
-Zones 4-9

Red Rocks Penstemon
Penstemon x mexicali ‘Red Rocks’
Plant Features:
-Full sun to part shade
-2 ft tall 2 ft wide
-Bright flowers all summer
when dead headed
-Moderate water for lasting
blooms.
-Water every 7-14 days
-Zones 4-8

Palmer’s Penstemon
Penstemon palmeri
Plant Features:
-Perennial 4-5 ft tall
-White to pink flower
-Blooms spring and
early summer
-Very fragrant, bee attractor
-Semi evergreen
-Prefers sandy soil
-Will grow in clay with no
additional water
-Cut spent blooms for
attractive summer foliage
-Zones 3-10

Pink Pussy Toes- Antennaria rosea

Red Valerian or Jupiter’s Beard
Centranthus ruber
Plant Features:
-Full sun to part shade
-2 to 3 ft tall
-Summer bloomer
-Also a white variety
-Will tolerate lower
water use but not in
extended heat spells.
-Zones 5-9

May Knight Sage
Salvia nemorosa ‘May Knight’
Plant Features:
-Full sun to part shade
-18-24 in tall and wide
-Blooms mid summer
-Continued bloom when
cut back
-Water every 7-10 days
-Zone 5-9

Sun Rose –Helianthemum nummularium

Creeping Thyme
Thymus species
Plant Features:
-Low growing mat
forming
-Flowers spring-early
summer
-Full sun
-Zones 4-9

Coral Canyon Twinspur
Diascia integerrima
Plant Features:
-Summer blooming
-12 in. tall
-Pink to purplish
blooms
-Full sun
-Blooms longer with a
little extra water. Once
per week watering
-Zones 5-9

Mulches
Benefits:
-No water
-Color and texture
differences
-Aesthetic appeal
and variation
-Many materials can
be used:
Nut shells
Grass clippings
Rock
Bark

Why
• Water is a precious resource
• Park strips are difficult to water efficiently.
• There is no functional use for turf in this
space. (except parade routes-once a year)
• They can be done very attractively, meet
city codes and save water, while reducing
maintenance.
• It makes your yard unique!! (Unless
you prefer a nice paint color for your
home)

Resources
• “Rip your strip”- Program by Utah Rivers
Council
• Water District Gardens for examples
• Internet
• USU extension