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| Barbara Tubbs admires the flowers in her grass-free yard in Zellwood, Fla. Amy Green |
In Florida, lukewarm welcome for drought-resistant landscaping
The lawn-free look conserves water, but takes some getting used to for those accustomed to manicured grass.
from the August 17, 2007 edition
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Xeriscaping – landscaping using drought-resistant and usually native plants and flowers – is catching on thanks to trailblazers like Tubbs. But it's still not mainstream in Florida. Proponents avoid using the term, because they say it's misconstrued as zero landscaping or landscaping with rocks and gravel.
Striking a balance between attractive, drought-resistant landscaping and landscaping that is unkempt is tricky, says Teresa Watkins, Central Florida yards and neighborhoods coordinator for the University of Florida. A dirt yard saves water, but it sure isn't pretty.
Very few Florida yards – perhaps fewer than 1 percent – are "Florida-friendly," says Ms. Watkins.
"We still see lawns everywhere," says Mr. Gleick. "It doesn't matter if you think you're in a state that gets a lot of water if you use it all."
In 2005, the Florida Legislature passed two laws, one requiring local governments to ensure water sources are available before approving new development and another allocating $60 million to localities to develop new water sources. Gleick warns that any real progress will have to come from local governments, because local agencies distribute water.
That's starting to happen in Florida. In Sarasota, the average household has reduced its number of gallons used daily to 90 through measures that limit the amount of sod allowed in a yard. Some residents, conscious of shortages, have asked for restrictions on water use to go even further, says Pat Haire, a Sarasota County spokeswoman.
Other municipalities are exploring ways to remove salt from sea water. In Orange County, home to Orlando, water managers are pushing for an attitude shift – starting with children, says Jacqueline Torbert of the Orange County Utilities' Water Division. They are visiting schools and promoting conservation on Radio Disney in programs broadcast throughout Central Florida. And they're encouraging home builders and homeowner's associations to landscape with less St. Augustine grass. Orange County is also developing water and landscaping ordinances.
Most golf courses in the Orlando area already use reclaimed water or reused waste water. And only about half of an average household's water is used outside, Ms. Torbert says. Though the issue gained urgency for the agency only about five years ago, time is of the essence: The agency expects the region's groundwater to reach a critical level by 2013.
Florida is unique because it is so dependent on its groundwater, says Gleick, but other parts of the country also over-pump their aquifers. He cites the Ogallala aquifer that spans Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas as one example.
Nationwide it's hard to know how much water landscaping like Tubbs's saves. Landscaping in different regions requires vastly different amounts of water. But Tubbs sees a difference in her water bill – down $10 to $20 a month since her new yard went in.
"I'm willing to be the first one," she says. "I can handle [the neighbors.]"
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