Argia Designs 2012 Year in Review

Last year was another busy year here at Argia Designs!  We designed and saw installed lots of new gardens all over the county (and in LA too!), had a great year volunteering with the Surfrider Foundation's Ocean Friendly Garden program, and we're looking forward to even more fun in 2013!!

Here are some photos of a few highlights of 2012:

Our Aluminum Agave sculpture went on display at Southwest Boulder & Stone in Pacific Beach.   The sculpture was hand hammered, cut, and riveted by Morgan in 2009 from salvaged aluminum rain gutters.

Great Egret in Fallbrook Meadow garden.  We got lots of great shots from clients of wildlife visiting their gardens!

Foster the Future, brainchild of the band Foster the People, help install a school garden in Imperial Beach.

Argia Designs owner and head designer Morgan with Mark and Cubby of Foster the People.  We all had a great time installing veggie beds, native plants, and a birdbath for the new garden and lots of neighborhood volunteers showed up to help and donate items!

Surfrider Foundation OFG Garden Installation at the Del Mar Fair.   Such a fun project with lots of volunteer help!  We took home 3 awards!

Goldfinch or Warbler?  Who can ID this friendly little guy enjoying a clients garden?

Lots and lots of new gardens!!

Reclaimed redwood and iron sheet sculpture donated to the Southwestern College Native Plant Garden.  

Talking Teak

As you know we are big into using reclaimed and sustainable materials.  So when we got to take a tour through IndoTeak Designs warehouse early this week we were floored (sorry, I just had to) at the possibilities that were presented to us with the products they have available.

For someone that loves the rich color of natural woods this place is heaven.  Reclaimed teak paneling in every size reaches up the the ceiling but that is not even the best part.  Reclaimed teak boatwood panels with beautiful muted hues of blue, teal, grey, even pink are a gorgeous and sustainable way to bring some color in while still honoring the raw reclaimed look.

Prefer the look of stone?  What about petrified wood tiles?  Or reclaimed bluestone or marble from old European colonies?

Best of all IndoTeak is a SurfAid sponser AND all of their products are FCS Certified and meet all LEED standards for the greenest rating.

Doesn't get better.

Rain Barrel Rebate Program Now Underway!

The City of San Diego now has a great rebate program for homeowners who choose to install rain barrels or cisterns!  Go to their website here to apply for the rebates or learn more about the program.

Bushman Systems Slimline Rain Tank

"Landscapes can soak up more than 50% of the water used at a typical San Diego home. Capturing rain from your roof is a quick way to conserve water and help prevent pollution by reducing the amount of runoff entering our storm drain system. City of San Diego (City) Public Utilities residential customers that are served by an individual water meter can receive a cash-back rebate when purchasing and installing a rain barrel and connecting it to the home’s rain gutter downspout. Read below to understand the program requirements and application process. Rebates will be distributed on a first-come, first served basis and funding is limited, so be sure to check this website regularly to determine funding availability. Read through the guidelines (PDF) prior to filling out an application (PDF)."

Rain barrels, cisterns, retention basins and other rainwater retention practices help to reduce water pollution and in some instances flooding by reducing the amount of rainwater that enters the stormwater system during a rain event.  They also provide our gardens with much needed natural rainfall that is much healthier for plants than our highly saline imported water (plus it's free!).

New OFG in Oceanside!!

So excited about our newest Ocean Friendly Garden that we are designing with the Surfrider Foundation's San Diego Ocean Friendly Gardens Program!  The OFG program seeks to educate homeowners and professionals alike how to design and install sustainable gardens that reduce runoff pollution, reduce our need for fossil fuels through reduced maintenance and pesticide and fertilizer use, and reduce water use among other great benefits.

This property is a 5 unit rental which makes it the first San Diego OFG on a multi-unit residential property!  How cool are these property owners??

The GAP day installation is slated for Saturday December 3rd.  If you are free head on over and help our volunteers transform this old boring lawn into a gorgeous and sustainable Ocean Friendly Garden!

Here are the details below (check out the San Diego Ocean Friendly Garden facebook page for updates and more info and please RSVP for the address and other details!)

As the final part of our three part series, we will be transforming what was once a plot of grass into a beautiful Ocean Friendly Garden with our own hands! This is a great hands on way to learn some OFG techniques you can implement in your own garden! 

All are welcome, even those that were unable to attend our first two events. Lunch will be provided for participants. 

Please RSVP to ofg@surfridersd.org so we know approximately how much food to order. When you RSVP we will provide you with the street location.

Hope to see you there!

Planning for Climate Change

Just found this informative (and somewhat unnerving!) website by the Calfornia Energy Commission that tracks the projected effects of climate change on local climates and how this influences how we plan our cities.  There was also a recent NPR show about Climate Action Plans in cities around the world: Preparing for a Warmer Planet.  Many of their recommendations include the same sustainable practices we recommend:  using permeable pavement, climate appropriate and drought tolerant plantings, and rainwater harvesting. 

Check out the website, lots of interactive maps, articles, and other info!

Measured and Projected San Diego Temperatures

Digging DIG!

My new favorite garden resource!!  DIG Gardens in Santa Cruz has such great, creative ways to use reclaimed materials.  Now if only they were a bit closer.....

Ah Spring!

Just watered my in my new spring plantings with my Rain Vessel!! Squash, strawberries, and herbs!  Loving that recycled rainwater and especially loving that I have an attractive way to save it!

Visit Rain Vessels Blog for more info and to get one for your yard!!   Also check out our website for more info on why saving rainwater is so important!!