San Miguel Demo Garden Final Report

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. . SAN MIGUEL COUNTY XERISCAPE PROJECT FINAL REPORT I. Project Description San Miguel County ("County") received an $8,000 grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board for a demonstration xeriscape project to encourage high-elevation, minimal- water-use landscaping for residential lots. The project was composed of three parts: xeriscaping two residential lots, xeriscaping a bus turnaround in a residential subdivision to serve as a demonstration site, and producing an educational booklet to inform homeowners about high-elevation xeriscape methods. Until recently, xeriscaping had not been promoted in the Telluride Region, where elevations range from 8,500 to 10,000 feet above sea level and the growing season is severely limited. However, a 1994 Town of Telluride ordinance and the covenants of one local subdivision limit irrigation for landscaping and encourage native species. These regulations, along with increased education, are encouraging local businesses and landscape companies to offer xeriscaping and native plants. Also, because exotic plants and non-native vegetation often do not thrive in the harsh climate of the Telluride Region, the benefits of native landscaping are apparent. II. Project Time Line Year One (1994) (1) County contracts with landscape consultant Elisabeth Gick ("consultant"); (2) County chooses lots for residential demonstration gardens; (3) consultant, in consultation with homeowner participants, designs two residential gardens and the Lawson Hill bus turnaround demonstration garden; and (4) consultant drafts "Gardening and Landscaping at High Altitude," and donations are solicited from local landscaping companies and plant and seed suppliers. Year Two (19951 (1) 500 copies of the Gardening and Landscaping brochure, printed on Kenaf fiber, are distributed to County and Town offices, local homeowner associations, local plant stores and landscapers; (2) financial donations and in-kind support totalling $4,100 are solicited to fund the Gardening and Landscaping brochure and the bus turnaround landscaping; (3) the residential and bus turnaround gardens are planted;