I’m back to reporting on the winners of the various San Diego County water authorities’ 2022 WaterSmart Landscape Contests. I love that there are individuals across the county who are committed to turning water glugging lawns into creative, colorful, drought-tolerant gardens—and that they are recognized for their efforts and successes.

My first story in this series focuses on Denee and Bryan Felber of Chula Vista, who won the 2022 WaterSmart Landscape Contest for the Otay Water District. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out their beautiful front yard, which includes statice, lavender, two types of lantana, Myrtle leaf milkwort, and a very cool senna shrub. There’s a dry river rock bed that helps direct rain runoff to the plants instead of into the street. And they even had room for a small “lawn” of drought-tolerant dymondia by the front entrance. The garden is filled with reds, yellows, purple, and green, so if you think drought-tolerant plants mean monotony in the garden, you’re very wrong.