At workshops and events hosted by Valley Water and our partners, both professional landscapers and residential customers can find resources for designing and developing sustainable landscapes and gardens. You'll find resources for:
- Comprehensive sustainable landscaping resources and events from South Bay Green Gardens
- Garden viewing events
- Our annual Landscape Summit for professional landscapers
South Bay Green Gardens
Valley Water is proud to be part of the South Bay Green Gardens team.
The South Bay Green Gardens website provides one-stop-shop for sustainable landscaping. You can find a variety of Events, Garden Galleries, Landscape Design Ideas, Compost and Mulching Tips, and much more.
Garden Viewing Events
Going Native Garden Tour
Each spring, the Going Native Garden Tour showcases California native plants.
Mountain View Green Garden Showcase Program
The Mountain View Green Garden Showcase Program highlights environmentally-friendly gardens inside Mountain View to be used as examples and inspiration for the community.
Landscape Summit
The Landscape Summit is an annual event developed through the Santa Clara Valley Water District's Landscape Committee.
It is a forum for professional landscapers to learn about water issues in the county and California as a whole, and how water relates to the landscaping industry. It's also an opportunity for Valley Water to get valuable feedback from landscape professionals, and for attendees to collaborate and exchange ideas.
2024 Landscape Summit
View videos and presentation materials from the 2024 event:
- Agenda
- Slides and Timestamped Videos
- Welcome and opening remarks - Shelkie Tao, Landscape Committee Chair (00:00)
- Board of Directors welcome - Vice Chair Richard Santos (04:45)
- State of the Valley's Water - Assistant Officer Kirsten Struve (13:30) / Slides
- Valley Water Programs: Overview and Updates - Senior Water Conservation Specialist Ashley Shannon (29:07)
- Let's Talk about Native Plants - Moderator Shelkie Tao (46:25)
- How are we dealing with Non-Functional Turf? - Moderator, Brian Boyers, Superintendent, Cinnabar Hills Golf Club (01:21:08)
- Philip Dolan, Water Conservation Specialist, Valley Water (01:32:0) / Slides
- Loren McIrvin, CEO, Allied Landscape (01:42:30) / Slides
- Shannon Rossow, Environmental Programs Coordinator, City of Morgan Hill (01:51:13) / Slides
- Kyla Phillips, Account Manager, Newpath Landscape (02:03:00) / Slides
- What are Climate-Ready Trees? Natalie van Doorn, Research Urban Ecologist, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (02:19:41)
- Summit wrap and closing - Shelkie Tao (02:46:27)
- Full presentation video
2023 Landscape Summit
View videos and presentation materials from the 2023 event:
- Agenda
- Slides and Timestamped Videos
- Reuse: Strategies for Using Less Water in the Landscape - Lori Palmquist, Irrigation Designer, Consultant and Educator (00:00)
- Reuse: Integrating Advanced Greywater Systems into Landscape Installation Projects - Alan Hackler, Bay Maples: Wild California Gardens (37:22)
- Replenish: Green Storm Water Infrastructure Design and Maintenance: Replenishing the Urban Landscape - Peter Schultze-Allen, EOA Inc. (01:10:00)
- Summit wrap and closing (01:42:40)
- State of the Valley's Water - Melanie Richardson, P.E., Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Integrated Water Management, Valley Water
- Valley Water Programs: Overviews & Updates - Ashley Shannon, Senior Water Conservation Specialist, Water Supply Planning & Conservation, Valley Water
- Laws and Landscape: What's New - Linda Vo, Program Manager, California Water Efficiency Partnership
- Full presentation video
2022 Landscape Summit
View videos and presentation materials from the 2022 event:
- Agenda
- Slides and Timestamped Videos
- Brian Boyer - Welcome and Opening Remarks (00:00)
- Board of Director's Welcome, Director Richard Santos (07:05)
- State of the Valley's Water, Asst. CEO Melanie Richardson (10:10)
- Question and Answer Session, Asst. Officer Kirsten Struve (23:12)
- Valley Water Programs, Senior Water Conservation Specialist Ashley Shannon (30:55)
- Keynote: Building a Resilient Silicon Valley, Erica Spotswood, Urban Nature Lab (49:13)
- Poetry Interlude: Lorenz Dumuk (1:13:25)
- How New State Laws will Impact the Landscape Community: Lisa Cuellar (1:21:20)
- Introducing the Bloom! Campaign from the California Native Plant Society: Ann-Marie Benz (1:44:10)
- Ask an Expert: Tips and Tricks for Native Plant Maintenance: Emmanuel Gomez (2:05:39)
- Summit Wrap and Closing (2:24:28)
- Full Presentation Video
2021 Landscape Summit
View videos and presentation materials from the 2021 event:
- Agenda
- Slides
- Welcome from Valley Water Board Director Richard Santos (0:00)
- State of the Valley's Water by Kirsten Struve (1:22)
- Our City Forest - Community Nursery and Lawn Busters Program by Gabby Fitts (11:49)
- Water Conservation Programs by Ashley Shannon (48:38)
- Smart Yards Education - Building Community through Hands-on Permaculture Education by Liliana Castañeda Rossmann & Elizabeth Sarmiento (1:10:50)
- Save Our Water and Our Trees by Gabrielle Trudeau (1:43:05)
- Presentation Videos
2020 Landscape Summit
View videos and presentation materials from the 2020 event:
- Agenda
- Slides
- Welcome, Dedication, and Water Supply Update
- Climate Reality - Regeneration of the Landscape: Presentation not available for distribution upon request of the presenters, however the following plan details and resources have been provided by Studio Petrichor as a supplement to the recorded Climate Reality - Regeneration of the Landscape presentation by Shawn Maestretti and Leigh Adams.
- Calfire Guideline Specifications for Selecting, Planting, and Early Care of Young Trees
- Tree Crown Observation and Correction Detail (PDF) (for a DWG file, contact [email protected])
- Tree Rootball Inspection and Circling Root Correction
- Climate Positive Design by Kate Lenahan.
- Presentation Videos
2019 Landscape Summit
View videos and presentation materials from the 2019 event:
2019 Landscape Summit Speakers
The ReScape California Rated Landscape Program by Sarah Sutton, Landscape Architect and Board President, ReScape California.
Sarah Carolyn Sutton is a licensed Landscape Architect with over 35 years’ experience in sustainable landscape design and construction, from public parks, commercial development, and streetscapes, to open space and riparian corridor restoration. In addition, she is an active ReScape Rater and has been closely involved in the development and implementation of the Rating system and guidelines for over 10 years. Sarah is also the author of The New American Front Yard: Kiss Your Grass Goodbye!, an award-winning and well-illustrated guide to transforming lawn-centric front yards and communities to beautiful, eco-friendly, low maintenance gardens that conserve water, protect our watersheds, and enhance habitat values.
Maintenance and Design of Bioretention and Other Green Stormwater Infrastructure by Nicholas Ajluni, Senior Environmental Inspector, City of San Jose.
Nick Ajluni has worked for the City of San Jose Environmental Services Department for 8 years in various positions related to water resources management. Over the last 4 years, Nick has developed the Green Stormwater Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance Inspection Program for the City of San Jose. Nick holds both a Bachelor and Master of Science degree in Environmental Studies from San Jose State University, as well as certifications as a Certified Erosion, Sediment, and Stormwater Inspector (CESSWI), Qualified SWPPP Practitioner (QSP) and is a Bay-Friendly Qualified Professional.
Sustainable Landscaping Success Through a Partnership Between Design, Installation, and Maintenance by Jenn Simmons, Operations & Senior Garden Manager, and Amy Palmer, VP Estate Garden Management of Ruskin Gardens
Amy joined her mother in the family business as a landscape design apprentice in 2000. She started the maintenance side of the business in 2001 after seeing so many of her mother’s gardens falling apart from a lack of care. Amy is a licensed landscape contractor, certified irrigation manager, has a B.S. in Physics from UCLA, and is fluent in Spanish. Her background in business systems and software development gives the business a technical edge.
Jenn, is a third-generation, San Jose, CA native. Growing up amongst the orchards of Santa Clara Valley, in a family that loved gardening. Her personal passion was inevitable and cultivated. Jenn enrolled at and graduated from Foothill College in 2013 with an AS in Environmental Horticulture. Jenn began at Ruskin Gardens as an intern in 2011 and is the Operations Manager and Senior Garden Manager. Amongst her talents are designing colorful containers, plant border design, and maintenance, pruning, control of plant pests and disease, managing the crews and expert client communication. With almost 20 years of experience, Jenn has transformed Ruskin Gardens Estate Garden Maintenance with Amy and Debbie for over 6 years.
Design and Maintenance Considerations for Fire-Safe Landscaping by BC Dwight Good, Fire Marshal, City of Morgan Hill.
Dwight Good, a Battalion Chief and Fire Marshal for the City of Morgan Hill, South Santa Clara County Fire Protection District, and CAL Fire Santa Clara Unit jurisdictions has received an AA, BS, and MS degrees and completed the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. Dwight is the Co-Chair of Northern California Fire Prevention Officers Wildland Urban Interface Standards and has published research, including work on Determining ignitability in organic groundcover materials. Dwight Good, a 2016 recipient of the Blue and Gold Award, moved to Morgan Hill two years ago with his wife, a resource specialist in the Gilroy School District, and his daughter and has three lovely grandchildren.