MILLBRAE CITY HALL DEMONSTRATION GARDEN

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1 DEMONSTRATION GARDEN

2 EXISTING The Millbrae City Hall existing landscape at the intersection of Magnolia and Library Avenues consists of a Coast redwood surrounded by turf grass. While the tree provides focus and a seasonal holiday centerpiece, the turf with its overhead irrigation spray system uses far too much water, has little visual interest, and falls short of providing the community with a practical example of environmentally sensitive and aesthetic landscape solution. PROPOSED The proposed landscape preserves the moderate water-using tree and integrates a dry streambed and rain gardens to showcase the capture and use of rainwater in the landscape. A rich plant palette embellishes this concept, drawing 100% from California native plants. All plants are in the low water use category and provide yearround interest with multiple flowering periods, colorful foliage and require minimal maintenance after establishment. We like to think that the overall impression of the proposed planting is a direct reflection of the diversity and vibrancy of the Millbrae community. The planting sits in a surface of permeable decomposed granite paving, allowing rainwater to penetrate through to the root zone of the soil below, and provides a clean ground plane that can accommodate minor foot traffic. Planting areas are sloped inward to contain rainwater and prevent runoff across sidewalks. A new water-conserving irrigation system complements the new low water use garden that delivers water directly to the root zones of the plants in the most efficient method available - subsurface drip. The combination of rainwater capture, low water use, decorative plants and high efficiency irrigation system will exemplify real and exciting alternatives by which community home and business owners may model their own landscapes and water-use systems. DEMONSTRATION GARDEN DESIGN CONCEPT 2

3 DEMONSTRATION GARDEN

4 : EXISTING 4

5 : PROPOSED 5

6 DESIGN FEATURES MATERIALS RAINWATER CAPTURE FROM CITY HALL ROOF IS FILTERED IN THE LANDSCAPE AND PROVIDES WATER TO PLANTS PLANTING AREAS GRADED TO PREVENT WATER RUNOFF ONTO PAVING PERMEABLE DECOMPOSED GRANITE PAVING BOULDER DRY STREAM BED CAPTURES WATER AND DISCOURAGES MAJOR FOOT TRAFFIC PERMEABLE DECOMPOSED GRANITE PAVING ACCOMMODATES MINOR FOOT TRAFFIC AROUND PLANTINGS 2 X 4 LIN CREEK COBBLE 3 X 8 LIN CREEK COBBLE ALL PLANTS ARE LOW-WATER AND 100% CALIFORNIA NATIVE INTEREST CHANGES SEASONALLY AND IS YEAR-ROUND LOW-MAINTENANCE PLANTS REQUIRE LITTLE OR NO ATTENTION SUBSURFACE AND HIGH-EFFICIENCY DRIP IRRIGATION DRY STREAM BED DESIGN FEATURES & MATERIALS PALETTE 6

7 WESTERN RED BUD Cercis Occidentalis POD-LIKE PERSISTENT WINTER FRUIT DECIDUOUS TREE WITH SPRING BLOSSOMS NATIVE & DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTING PALATE: TREES 7

8 JOHN DOURLEY MANZANITA Arctostaphylos John Dourley THEODORE PAYNE BUCKWHEAT Eriogonum Theodore Payne EVERGREEN SPRING/SUMMER BLOOMING EVERGREEN WINTER/SPRING BLOOMING NATIVE & DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTING PALATE: SHRUBS & PERENNIALS 8

9 SKYLARK CALIFORNIA LILAC Ceanothus Skylark PACIFIC HYBRID IRIS Iris Pacific Hybrids SPRING BLOOMING EVERGREEN SPRING BLOOMING EVERGREEN NATIVE & DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTING PALATE: SHRUBS & PERENNIALS 9

10 APACHE PLUME Fallugia paradoxa FLEABANE Erigeron karvinskianus DECORATIVE LATE-SUMMER SEED HEADS, DECIDUOUS ALL-YEAR BLOOMING EVERGREEN WHITE CUP-SHAPED BLOSSOMS IN SPRING-SUMMER NATIVE & DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTING PALATE: SHRUBS & PERENNIALS 10

11 STICKY MONKEY-FLOWER Mimulus aurantiacus CALIFORNIA FUCHSIA Epilobium Orange Carpet SUMMER FLOWERS, ATTRACTS HUMMINGBIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES SPRING/SUMMER/FALL BLOOMING, CUT BACK IN JANUARY EVERGREEN SILVERY FOLIAGE NATIVE & DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTING PALATE: SHRUBS & PERENNIALS 11

12 BLUE-EYED GRASS Sisyrinchium bellum CALIFORNIA SEA LAVENDER Limonium californicum EVERGREEN WITH SPRING FLOWERS SUMMER/FALL BLOOMING EVERGREEN, DEADHEAD IN JANUARY ATTRACTS BUTTERFLIES NATIVE & DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTING PALATE: SHRUBS & PERENNIALS 12

13 BERKELEY SEDGE Carex tumulicola TUFTED HAIRGRASS Deschampia cespitosa SUMMER FLOWERS, SHEAR IN JANUARY EVERGREEN, BROWN FLOWERS NATIVE & DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTING PALATE: GRASSES 13

14 CALIFORNIA GREY RUSH Juncus patens CANYON PRINCE RYEGRASS Leymus Canyon Prince SPRING/SUMMER/FALL BLOOMING. DEADHEAD IN JANUARY GREY-BLUE EVERGREEN SUMMER BLOOMING EVERGREEN NATIVE & DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTING PALATE: GRASSES 14

15 THE MAXIMUM APPLIED WATER ALLOWANCE (MAWA) FOR THIS LANDSCAPE IS 37,203 GALLONS PER YEAR THE ESTIMATED TOTAL WATER USE (ETWU) FOR THE EXISTING TURF LANDSCAPE IS 76,595 GALLONS PER YEAR, 40,000 GALLONS OVER THE MAXIMUM ALLOWANCE THE ESTIMATED TOTAL WATER USE (ETWU) FOR THE PROPOSED DEMONSTRATION GARDEN IS 26,071 GALLONS PER YEAR, ABOUT 1/3 OF THE CURRENT USE 76,595 GALLONS PER YEAR 26,071 GALLONS PER YEAR, A 66% SAVINGS DEMONSTRATION GARDEN WATER SAVINGS 15