Help us build the Ocean Friendly Gardens program in Santa Cruz County!
What parts of this program would you like to see develop? Want to participate in gardenscaping days? Workshops? Contact our volunteer resources at chair@santacruz.surfrider.org to get started and make an impact in our community!
Love our ocean, gardening and a healthy local ecosystem? Save some green (money wise and garden wise) and keep your landscape every shade of the rainbow with healthy, interesting, native and diverse plants for your garden. Follow the three principles of ocean friendly gardening to save water and other resources and help prevent dry and wet-weather runoff from your property that would end up in the ocean:
Conservation
Reduce (1) water use (2) fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide use (3) energy use and (4) air pollution by mulching and composting and by choosing the appropriate plants and watering schedules.
Visit Santa Cruz County’s Water Smart website: to learn more about the local rebate programs, local events on how to be water smart and find gardening tips.
Find links to other water wise garden resources in the Garden Resources
Permeability
Reduce runoff by increasing the permeability of our hardscapes.
Allow percolation with good choices for materials for walkways, driveways and patios. Increase the space between pavers and plant instead of mortaring.
Retention
Let water seep back into our gardens, communities and aquifers.
Build retention ponds, bioswales, dry creek beds and dry wells. Use rain barrels and graywater. Look for rebates from your water district for some of these water saving ideas.
Simple Steps
Don’t water during the heat of the day! Only water before 10am and after 4pm
Mulch! Compost!
Harvest rainwater and re-use graywater
Next time you plant, choose a native or low water use variety.
