Xeriscape seminar series & Garden In A Box program launch March 6

For Immediate Release

BOULDER – 3/6/2017 – Local residents with water-wasting lawns – or those who just want to lower their water bills – are invited to attend one of the free upcoming Water-Wise Landscape Seminars in Boulder County. The nonprofit Center for ReSource Conservation, based in Boulder, is offering the educational sessions in collaboration with local water providers to support regional conservation efforts and the nonprofit’s goal to conserve one billion gallons of water by 2020.

The Water-Wise Seminar topics include: how to transform your lawn into a xeriscape garden, landscaping for the future, creating a pollinator friendly landscape, and how to build a rain garden. Sessions begin March 6 in Lafayette and are scheduled for Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Erie, and other locations around metro Denver.

The nonprofit’s popular Garden In A Box program also launches on March 6. Gardens include an assortment of drought-tolerant plants that can reduce outdoor water use by up to 60%. To encourage local residents to participate, twenty water providers throughout Boulder County and the surrounding region are offering $25 discounts.

“We wanted to make it easier to replace thirsty lawns,” said Neal Lurie, president of the Center for ReSource Conservation. “And with the mild winter this year people need to jumpstart their landscaping planning earlier than in the past. So we’re providing everything a beginner needs to get started, from water-wise tips to a plant by number guide, so it’s simple to build a beautiful, water-saving yard.”

The Garden In A Box program has nearly tripled in size during the past four years. One of the largest programs of its kind in the United States, Garden In A Box has helped families in Boulder County and across Colorado to plant more than 1 million square feet of these gardens since the program started in 1997, saving more than 80 million gallons of water. An increasing focus is also on “turf removal” to help homeowners remove water-wasting grasses quickly and efficiently.

Last year, the Center for ReSource Conservation partnered with the City of Lafayette to launch a Turf Removal and Replacement Program that incentivizes turf replacement.

“Conserving natural resources is important to our community members,” noted Doug Short, Lafayette’s public works director. “These programs help to ensure local residents have the tools they need to make smart landscape choices that require less water.”

Recently, the nonprofit has seen growing interest in edible gardens that are well suited for the Colorado climate. Plus, they’re a good way to entice kids to eat their veggies.

“Xeriscaping is a great family activity,” added Natalie Antonucci, who manages the Water-Wise Seminar and Garden In A Box programs for the Center for ReSource Conservation. “We hear it from parent after parent – when it comes to conserving water, there’s something transformative about digging in the dirt.”

Water-Wise Seminars are free and open to the public, though with limited space, preference is given to residents within the community hosting the event. See the full calendar of seminars and locations at: resourcecentral.org/seminars. Learn more about the Garden In A Box program at: resourcecentral.org/gardens. All gardens are Colorado-grown, pollinator-friendly, and available for pickup starting in May.

 

Note to the Editors: Visuals of gardens can be found at the links below, and more are available upon request.

Contact:
Natalie Antonucci, Center for ReSource Conservation

nantonucci@resourcecentral.org

 

About Center for ReSource Conservation:

Founded in 1976, the Center for ReSource Conservation (CRC) is a 501c3 nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to putting conservation into action.  Its programs serve more than 70,000 community members each year and make it easy to conserve water, energy and materials.  Learn more at resourcecentral.org.

 

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