California Drought A Chance To Re-imagine Your Yard

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — California's drought isn't the end of your yard, as experts say there are plenty of ways to have a beautiful landscape while still conserving water.

Many communities are instilling restrictions on water use, including Sacramento and Roseville which have 20 percent reductions in place.

Sacramento's restrictions go as far as limiting outdoor watering to one day a week, which must be on the weekend. That level of cut can leave a lawn feeling dry.

But Silverado Nursery guru Carly Smith says there are things you can do to beautify your yard.

"There's a lot of plants you can put in your landscape that take minimal water but will still give you the same effect of having lush green landscaping," she said.

One of those plants is the grevillea, which is a native of Australia and requires very low amounts of water. It's the opposite of the horsetail that thrives in water saturated areas.

Water fountains aren't something you'd think of adding in the middle of a drought, but Smith says it's a good addition, since the water recirculates.

She recommends trees, as they create a canopy that will reduce the amount of water that evaporates out of a yard.

And as far as a lawn goes, she says now might be a good time to shrink it and think about using synthetic turf.

"People tend to have a negative outlook on synthetic turf, because they have this memory of the 1970s," she said, adding that turf's come a long way and can save a lot of money in a drought.