Sustainable Rain-Harvesting Ecosystem In Temecula, California

This is our front yard as of late November of 2015, just after we had this installed:




This is what things are looking like now:

The work was done by Matt King of Monarch Sustainable Landscaping in Hemet, California.

The riverbed is actually a functional bio-swale. It extends under the fence well into the side yard, and also supports three small citrus trees and two small plum trees.

The whole right-hand side of the roof drains into the swale via French tiles on the downspouts.

There is an 1/8" line with spike emitter to each and every plant tied to the old yard irrigation system. I haven't had to run artificial irrigation in the front since mid=-December of 2015.

The citrus trees are requiring some irrigation, but about half of what they did before this installation.

The mulch cover is a grey decomposed granite, and the swale is filled with Arizona river rock. Matt could answer best what most of the plants are, but we have a couple of rose bushes and a pindo palm in the mix. The pindo is the larger palm front and a bit right. It should grow to 20-30 feet, but is relatively slow-growing. It will eventually grow fruit that is traditionally made into a jam.

This is saving a lot of water in the face of the Southern California drought. If only more would follow...

Dan