Garden-Friendly Plant Fair Series Kicks of in Lemon Grove Today

Home Depot and the San Diego County Water Authority plan to launch a series of garden-friendly plant fairs, with the first one today at the Lemon Grove store.

The fair kicks off at 8 a.m. at 7530 Broadway. Subsequent fairs are planned in March and April around the county, according to a news release.

During the fairs, Home Depot will mark down the price of low-water-use plants such as lavender, lantana, agave, and rosemary at select locations.  Besides the price cuts, water industry experts will offer advice about water-efficient irrigation supplies and how to select and grow low-water-use plants, water authority officials said.

Home Depot certified nursery consultants plan to host how-to workshops and staff from partnering agencies will be at the stores to provide the public with information on water conservation programs and services.

The purpose of the fairs is to get residents to adopt WaterSmart landscapes appropriate for the region’s semi-arid climate, officials said.  Besides the fairs, the water authority recently launched a program to encourage residents and business owners to replace turf grass with water-efficient plants.

“Rethinking your landscape is one of the smartest things you can do to save water,” said Jeff Stephenson, a principal water resources specialist at the water authority.  “By buying discounted low-water-use plants you not only save money today, but you can have an attractive yard for years.”

Participating member agencies at the fairs include the city of Carlsbad, the city of Escondido, Helix Water District, the city of Oceanside, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, Otay Water District, Rainbow Municipal Water District, Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District, the city of San Diego, San Dieguito Water District, and Valley Center Municipal Water District.

For more information about plant fairs, turf grass replacement rebates and outdoor water conservation tips, go to www.sdcwa.org/conservation.

Plant Fairs are 8 a.m. to noon at these locations of The Home Depot:

Feb. 23: 7530 Broadway, Lemon Grove
Feb. 23: 5755 Mission Ave., Oceanside
March 2: 4255 Genesee Ave., San Diego
March 2: 1320 Eastlake Pkwy, Chula Vista
March 9: 1001 El Camino Real, Encinitas
March 9: 12185 Carmel Mountain Road, San Diego
March 23: 298 Fletcher Pkwy, El Cajon
March 23: 10604 Westview Pkwy, San Diego
April 20: 1475 E. Valley Pkwy, Escondido