Drought: UC Berkeley students create low-water templates for San Lorenzo yards

SAN LORENZO -- Catherine Kavasch knew she wanted to get rid of her lawn, she just wasn't sure what to grow in her yard instead.

But now she has four templates to guide her in what and where to plant, created by UC Berkeley landscape architecture students specifically for San Lorenzo yards. The four designs are the result of a partnership of the San Lorenzo Village Homes Association, StopWaste and the university.

"I'm excited," said Kavasch, whose plans to convert her yard into an herb garden are undergoing approval.

"The house came with the lawn; it's pretty common in San Lorenzo. It's not what we should be doing; watering lawns is one of the biggest waste of water there is. I'm trying to do my little part," said the homes association's former president.

Catherine Kavasch displays a drought-tolerant garden design from a UC Berkeley landscape architecture book in San Lorenzo on April 3, 2015. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Her actions are even more timely after Gov. Jerry Brown ordered mandatory water restrictions Wednesday as the state's drought worsens.

The UC Berkeley students compiled the four garden designs in a 134-page book containing color photographs, watercolor paintings and illustrations. The book has planting designs for sunny and shade lots, estimates of plant cost, expected water savings and detailed descriptions of the plants and their eventual size.

The four plans will be displayed April 25 at a landscape expo where StopWaste also will lead a "garden party" to convert a portion of the association office's yard into a California native garden. The association is holding an essay contest for San Lorenzo Village residents to win free installation of one of the four drought-tolerant yards.

"We have homeowners who want to convert their yards, and now we are giving them the tools," said Susan Kleebauer, homes association administrator.

The association requires residents to maintain their yards, but does not tell people what to grow, said board member Steven Kirk.

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Drought: UC Berkeley students create low-water templates for San Lorenzo yards