| 1. Start with RIGHT PLANT, RIGHT PLACE. Find the plants that grow where your garden is, without the need for extra water. Lots of "Mediterranean" climate plants (from the Basin, from Australia, from Chile, from the Cape of So. Africa and from California. 2. Reduce or eliminate the garden water-guzzlers (traditional roses, birches, liquidambar, weeping willow, poplars, magnolia, bamboos, citrus, avocados) 3. Design your garden to be functional. First. And then embellish for beauty. 4. Get rid of the lawn. Completely. No if's, and's or but's. 5. Choose an effective irrigation system. One that trains plants to be drought-tolerant. Drip ain't it. 6. Turn off the computerized irrigation controller most of the time and use your own brain -- and finger. 7. Set up your sprinkler system or hose to avoid watering hard surfaces such as driveways and patios. 8. Regularly check your hose or irrigation equipment for leaks or blockages. 9. Hydrozone -- Group plants with similar water needs to make watering more efficient 10. Plant at the right time. Take advantage of cool fall weather and winter rains by planting in October-November for most Med. Plants. 11. Contrary to popular -- almost universal -- belief, adding organic matter to the soil ("amendment") does not lead to a drought-tolerant garden. 12. Water newly-planted plants WELL. Starting with soaking the planting hole THOROUGHLY before putting the plant in. 13. Cover the ground -- with hardscape or plants. ALL the ground. 14. Mulch newly-planted plants. But NOT the whole landscape. 15. Mulch intense garden working areas: orchards, vegetable gardens. 16. Manage weeds. (do NOT pull them.) 17. Reduce fertilizing. Where you MUST fertilize, use an organic fertilizer. 18 Prune trees and other woody plants only when necessary. Pruning stimulates shoot growth, which increases the need for water. 19. Plant windbreaks where wind is a factor in growing plants (as well as in being comfortable outside). 20. Collect and use rainwater. And design your garden to channel what does hit the ground during the rainy season. 21. Do some homework on gray water usage. What's legal in your area? 22. RIGHT PLANT, RIGHT PLACE. Again. Joe | 
