Garden Design and More

CCWD’s interactive web page has again been updated. It is now available to help you create a wonderful, water-wise garden.  Based on the climate in Contra Costa County along with other factors specific to our region, this site helps you design your landscape by offering vivid color photographs, a searchable plant database, water-saving tips and much, much, more!

The Contra Costa County Water Wise Gardening and Landscaping interactive web site is a guide for water conservation in the home landscape. This site offers many sample water-efficient gardens to view as well as the ability to identify and learn more about the plants within these gardens

The Contra Costa County Water Wise Gardening and Landscaping web site is a guide for water conservation in the home landscape. This site offers many sample water-efficient gardens to view as well as the ability to identify and learn more about the plants within these gardens.

Gardening in Contra Costa County Logo

The following is a quick overview of what each of the sections can do. For a video of how the program works click here.

  • Garden Tours - From the main screen you can visit outstanding gardens found here locally. Click on photos to expand them and to reveal clickable hot links to individual plant information windows.
  • Garden Gallery - Landscape photos grouped into multiple categories, such as Front yards, Backyards, and Native Gardens. Photos expand with individual plant hot links.
  • Plants - Detailed descriptions (including water needs) for more than 600 plants can be found using Plant Lists (e.g. Lawn Substitutes, Clay Soil Plants), our guided Plant Search, or alphabetically in Plants by Name.
  • My List - Go plant shopping! Click the Add Plant button on any of the plant information windows to save the plant. On the main screen, click My List to see the contents of your saved plants and to print reports to bring to your local nursery.
  • Resources – Information on garden design and monthly maintenance tips.  This page also provides a detailed guide to using Gardening in Contra Costa County.
  • Watering Guide - Ever wonder how much to water your plants? Click here to get specific information about watering the plants in your home landscape.