Water efficiency is the Santa Rosa way of life! More than half of our water is used outside, so reduce your water use, improve plant health, and create a beautiful, vibrant low water use garden.

WaterSmart Yard is your resource for helpful watering recommendations, understanding your irrigation system, finding a landscape professional to help you create your dream garden, and choosing your plants. We also have inspiring low water use garden resources, rebate information to help offset the cost of your new garden, and information about how to maintain your garden and help it thrive (link to subpage).

The steps to starting your beautiful garden transformation:

1. Schedule your pre-inspection if you are interested in the Cash for Grass rebate. A pre-inspection is required before starting any work.
2. Find a Landscape Professional or do it yourself.
3. Choose plants that qualify for the Cash for Grass program.
4. Complete your project!
   1. We encourage sheet mulching. (PDF and video)
   2. Install new low water use plants.
   3. Convert your sprinkler system to drip irrigation or choose to water by hand (follow program requirements for existing irrigation systems).
   4. Apply mulch.
5. Schedule a post-inspection 120 days from your pre-inspection for the Cash for Grass rebate.
6. Maintain and enjoy your garden.