FREE Workshops 2025
The Water Conservation Garden is excited to collaborate once more with the County of San Diego’s, Watershed Protection Program, to offer educational programs for local residents. These free workshops aim to inspire sustainable practices at home, helping to preserve the beauty and cleanliness of San Diego.
All classes will be held indoors at the Sam Ciccati Education Center unless other wise posted.
How to Hire a Landscaper and Save Money! with Ms. Smarty-Plants™
Saturday, Jan 18th
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
She’s back! Learn practical tips, cost-saving strategies, and how to create a beautiful,
sustainable outdoor space that aligns with your vision. Ms. Smarty-Plants gives an informative, common-sense approach to hiring a landscape professional. You’ll learn which questions to ask, how to properly plan, and receive money-saving tips too!
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Contact [email protected] with any questions
Planting Slopes for Beauty, Stability and Resiliency with Master Gardener Debby Dunn
Saturday, Feb 8th
9:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Transform your garden into a lush, low-water pollinator haven with the right plants! Attendees will learn what to plant, where, and why, with a special emphasis on hillside planting. If your slopes are bare, beware—take care by planting easy-going, water-smart plants that will help stabilize your slope while adding beauty and improving air quality. Topics such as irrigation, healthy soil, and storm water runoff will also be discussed. Whether you’re doing the work yourself or hiring a professional, you’ll gain helpful and sustainable tips
THIS CLASS HAS SOLD OUT. PLEASE
JOIN THE NEXT CLASS ON MARCH 29TH!
Planting Soil, Growing Water! 101 with Eric Saline of Wild Made Design
Saturday, Feb 22nd
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Join Wild Made Design and learn the importance of creating healthy soil and keeping water in our landscapes. This class covers several water harvesting methods that provide a resource, reduce our impact on storm water infrastructure, and keep San Diego looking beautiful!
That’s Swale! 102 with Eric Saline
Saturday, Mar 8th
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Learn how to slow, spread, and sink water into your landscape through various earthwork applications like swales and basins with landscape professionals, Wild Made Designs. Water harvesting and efficiency starts at the ground – literally! Soil is the most efficient water storage you can have on your property, and building good healthy soil benefits every level of a garden ecosystem. Before you install plants, rain tanks, and grey water systems, be sure your landscape is designed to handle and harvest as much water as possible – passively.
This workshop will be held during our favorite event, Tomatomania! (March 7 & 8th).
Planting Slopes for Beauty, Stability and Resiliency with Master Gardener Debby Dunn
Saturday, Mar 29th
9:30am-11:00am
Missed the first class? Second chances are the best!
Transform your garden into a lush, low-water pollinator haven with the right plants! Attendees will learn what to plant, where, and why, with a special emphasis on hillside planting. If your slopes are bare, beware—take care by planting easy-going, water-smart plants that will help stabilize your slope while adding beauty and improving air quality. Topics such as irrigation, healthy soil, and storm water runoff will also be discussed. Whether you’re doing the work yourself or hiring a professional, you’ll gain helpful and sustainable tips
FREE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE
Living with Fire: Water-Wise Native Landscapes for Beauty & Practicality
with landscape architect Greg Rubin
Saturday, April 12th
10am-12:30pm
Based on real-world experience in nearly 2 dozen fire events, this presentation will cover the latest protocols for creating beautiful yet functional native landscapes in fire-prone areas. Filled with lots of practical, useable information, abundant case-history photos and analysis, this workshop is significant for its breadth and depth of information. Many myths
surrounding these beautiful, ecological landscapes will evaporate. Surprisingly, you will discover that a fire-resistant native landscape is NOT an oxymoron!
Water Wisely: A Beginner’s Guide to Irrigation Systems
with Mike Madewell of Hunter Industries
Wednesday, April 23
11:00AM-12:00PM
Lunch and Learn!
Join us to learn the basics of irrigation systems, including sprinklers, drip systems, and smart controllers, along with installation tips for both drip and spray systems. Perfect for homeowners new to irrigation!
Native Landscape Myths and Legends: Debunking Myths About Landscaping with California Native Plants
with landscape architect Greg Rubin
Saturday, May 17th
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Despite long-held beliefs to the contrary, much of the conventional wisdom about landscaping with California native plants is fundamentally incorrect. Many of these assumptions stem from ornamental horticultural practices rather than approaches that emulate California’s unique native ecology. Moreover, they fail to account for significant — yet often overlooked — threats posed by suburban pests and pathogens. This workshop will debunk many of these misconceptions while sharing proven protocols developed over 30 years and 800+ successful landscape installations. Join us to discover the secrets to creating easy-care, beautiful California native landscapes.
Fix, Program, and Perfect: Advanced Irrigation Skills
with Mike Madewell of Hunter Industries
Wednesday, May 21
11:00AM-12:00PM
Lunch and Learn!
Learn how to troubleshoot and repair leaking valves, fix PVC pipe leaks, calculate sprinkler run times, and install Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled controllers. Ideal for those looking to enhance their irrigation skills!
