News: City of Los Angeles Offers Free Recycled Water for (Garden) Irrigation

This makes me wish I had a 300 gallon water tank on a trailer — or at least a few rain barrels. This isn’t terribly convenient, but if you are looking to reduce your household water consumption — maybe for a patio or balcony garden — this could certainly help.

I would love to see this program expanded out to local neighborhoods so I could quickly swing by and fill up whenever I needed instead of having to do it on their schedule.

News: City of Los Angeles Offers Free Recycled Water for Irrigation

City of Los Angeles Offers Free Recycled Water for Irrigation

LOS ANGELES—The Honorable Councilmember David Ryu of the 4th District, along with officials from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation (LA SAN), and the Los Angeles Zoo (LA Zoo) announced the opening of the City of Los Angeles’ Recycled Water Fill Station at the LA Zoo on Friday, June 17th, 2016. Every Tuesday beginning June 21st, the fill station will be open to all eligible Los Angeles residents and business owners who want to pick up free disinfected tertiary recycled water for approved, non-drinking uses like watering trees, shrubs and lawns. The City of Los Angeles’ Recycled Water Fill Station pilot program helps “Save the Drop” by offering recycled water to offset demand for drinking water as Los Angeles continues to weather through drought.

The fill station is located on the northernmost side of the LA Zoo parking lot at 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, and will be open every Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. starting June 21. Qualifying customers can receive up to 300 gallons of disinfected tertiary recycled water for each day that the fill station is open. To avail of the recycled water, Angelenos must present their LADWP bill and undergo a training session to learn about the approved uses and proper handling of recycled water. Program participants must bring their own water-tight containers and sign a user agreement before filling up.

Councilmember David Ryu said, “Due to existing efforts, LA is using just as much water today as we did 45 years ago, despite having a million more people. Everyone is doing their part to conserve water and our efforts are admirable, but we need to come together to do even more.” He added, “Nearly 90 percent of the city’s water is imported from hundreds of miles away. In order to lessen our reliance on imported water, the city is expanding and building its local water supply. This is being done through the expansion of stormwater capture, groundwater, and recycled water. The Recycled Water Fill Station at the Los Angeles Zoo will only help further our city’s conservation efforts.”

Read the entire press release

Discovered via Nextdoor.com post by neighborhood council member, Kristin Sales

Tomatomania 2016 Dates Announced!

Tomatomania announced their 2016 dates and it promises to be just as amazing as previous years.

Our local event here in the San Fernando Valley will be March 18-20 at Tapia Bros Farm Stand in the Sepulvedaa Basin once again. I usually make a point of stopping by at least once during the weekend to check out the amazing variety of tomato plants available.

 

 

 

From Tomatomania.com…

Welcome to Tomatomania!, not only a must-have link to hundreds of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes, but a huge community of enthusiastic fellow tomato lovers and the world’s largest (and most fun) tomato seedling sale! It’s what the New York Times called, “the tomato freaks’ Woodstock,” and if you’re crazy about tomatoes, this is the event for you!

Started in the early 90s at Hortus, a trend-setting nursery in Pasadena, California, today Tomatomania! includes classes, sales events, tomato tastings, and impromptu social gatherings at popular nurseries and gardening hotspots from coast to coast.

Leading the team of tomatomaniacs is Scott Daigre, owner of Powerplant Garden Design based in Ojai, California. A dedicated home gardener, Scott shares his love of digging in the dirt through event appearances, speaking engagements, books, and videos that offer tools and tips for amateur and veteran gardeners alike.

Tomatomania! events are each unique, with the largest and longest running California sale welcoming thousands of tomato lovers to a three-day extravaganza showcasing more than 300 heirloom and hybrid tomato varieties. Featuring everything from pots and fertilizer to stakes and enthusiastic expert advice, our events are the one-stop shop for growing great-tasting tomatoes in your own backyard. It’s a crazy celebration of America’s favorite garden vegetable.

Read more at Tomatomania.com

You can get Scott’s great book on growing Tomatos from your local bookseller or directly from Amazon.com

Tomatomania

View an album of photos from Tomatomania 2011.

 

Unique Christmas and Holiday Gifts Now Available Exclusively from Douglas E. Welch

Unique Christmas and Holiday Gifts Now Available Exclusively from Douglas E. Welch

This year I am offering a selection of unique Holiday Gifts created from the photographs I have taken over the years. These gifts are available exclusively from me using the services of RedBubble.

Great Gifts for Friends and Family!

These include items for the home such as pillows, tote bags, mugs, photographic prints and posters.

Yellow flower pillowRiver rose mugMex bird tote

Also available are technology items like smartphone covers, iPad covers, and Laptop Skins and Sleeves

Mex bird iphonePink dahlia laptopRoses sleeve

Finally, you can purchase cards and postcards, stickers, spiral-bound notebooks and hardcover journals.

Pink dahlia cardsMex bird notebookCup tea journal

Check out my entire portfolio of photos and products

Unique Christmas Cards Now Available Exclusively from Douglas E. Welch

Unique Christmas Cards Now Available Exclusively from Douglas E. Welch

Not to start the holiday season too early, but if you send Christmas Cards, you need to get them early so you can be sure they get to your friends and family on time.

This year I am offering a selection of unique Christmas Cards created from the photographs I have taken over the years. These cards are available exclusively from me using the services of RedBubble.

24 Different Christmas Cards Designs

  • 300gsm card with a satin finish
  • Supplied with envelopes
  • Discount of 30% on every order of 8+ cards

Dew cards 1

Dew cards 2

Great Gifts for Friends and Family, too!

I also have a host of great gift ideas for Friends and Family created from my photos.

These include items for the home such as pillows, tote bags, mugs, photographic prints and posters.

Yellow flower pillowRiver rose mugMex bird tote

Also available are technology items like smartphone covers, iPad covers, and Laptop Skins and Sleeves

Mex bird iphonePink dahlia laptopRoses sleeve

Finally, you can purchase cards and postcards, stickers, spiral-bound notebooks and hardcover journals.

Pink dahlia cardsMex bird notebookCup tea journal

Check out my entire portfolio of photos and products

California Native Plant Society LA/SMM Native Plant Sale – October 24 & 25, 2015

photo 1-2

NATIVE PLANT SALE
OCT 24 & 25 Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 3pm at Sepulveda Garden Center, 16633 Magnolia Blvd., Encino.
Member pre-sale 9:30am-10am Saturday only.
All CNPS members get 10% discount on plants and books (must show current CNPS ID card).
Featuring free native plant gardening talks at noon:

Sat talk is “Native Groundcovers”; Sun is “Revitalize Your Yard with Natives”.

Autumn, Fall and Thanksgiving Products for your home, office, friends and family!

Autumn has arrived in many places in the Northern Hemisphere and here are a few scenes from my own part of the world, taken over the years. Please share these products with your friend and family!

Available as Stickers, iPhone Cases, Samsung Galaxy Cases, Posters, Home Decors, Tote Bags, Pouches, Prints, Cards, Pencil Skirts, iPad Cases, Laptop Skins, Drawstring Bags, Laptop Sleeves, and Stationeries

Click to see all available products for each photo

Autumn wreath

Autumn harvest Autumn harvest 2

Oak leaves

Wisteria Elm leaves fall Autumn leaves

Liquidambar leaves Red leaves

Some example products

Autumn harvest tote    Oak leaves pillowAutumn leaves mug

Wisteria drawstringElm leaves notebook   Autumn harvet 2 iphone

Autumn wreath cards Red leaves 2 sleeveRed leaves skin

See my entire portfolio of over 80 design on RedBubble

 

 

For Sale Now: Zinnia in Watercolor cards and stickers

Zinnia cards

from Douglas E. Welch and A Gardener’s Notebook via RedBubble.

Professionally printed cards and stickers direct to you!

Buy yours today!

Check out my entire portfolio and many other types of products including tote bags, mugs, smartphone covers and more on RedBubbleRecent redbubble

Winner of Parrot Flower Power – Linda J from Los Angeles, CA

It randomly happened that one of the winners of our Parrot Flower Power giveaway was right here in Los Angeles. Linda stopped by to pick up her Flower Power today and was going to put it to use at her new house right here in the San Fernando Valley! Congratulations to Linda. I hope you have a great experience with the Flower Power.

Winner of Parrot Flower Power - Linda J from Los Angeles, CA

Didn’t win this giveaway? You can pick up a Parrot Flower Power of your very own via Amazon.com

Win a Parrot Flower Power – An incredible sensor that assesses your plants’ needs and sends alerts to your smartphone

(See the end of this post for information on how to enter to win today) Get your garden started right this year with a Parrot Flower Power sensor!

Parrot has been very gracious and sent me Flower Power garden sensors to give away to 2 lucky readers/viewers of A Gardener’s Notebook. I have been using my own Flower Power to monitor plants in my garden and found it to be an amazing device.

fp-small-en

Parrot Flower Power: An incredible sensor that assesses your plants’ needs and sends alerts to your smartphone

Flower Powercommunicates to your smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth and reports on:

  • Moisture levels
  • Fertilizer levels
  • Temperature
  • Sunlight

You can tell the Flower Power which specific plant you  are monitoring and whether it is growing in your garden soil or in a container, and it will make intelligent recommendation and provide alerts when the conditions are not optimal. The built-in Plant Database contains thousands of plants to choose from.

Read more in the Parrot Web Site More information on Flower Power from Amazon.com  

You can see my first look of the Flower Power in this video

Enter to win a a Parrot Flower Power

Want to win a Parrot Flower Power of your very own?! There are 3 ways to enter!

  1. Send me an email at agn@welchwrite.com with the Subject Line: I Want a Parrot Flower Power!
  2. Tweet: Win a Parrot Flower Power for your Garden! #iwantflowerpower
  3. Use the form below to enter

  • Please Note
    • Contest ends June 15, 2016
    • US/Canada Only
    • Please enter only once
    • Winners chosen randomly from all entries

Event: Los Angeles Cactus & Succulent Society Annual Drought Tolerant Plant Festival – May 30 & 31, 2015, Encino

Los Angeles Cactus & Succulent Society Annual Drought Tolerant Plant Festival

Lacactus

Sepulveda Garden Center

16633 Magnolia Boulevard
Encino, CA 91316
http://www.lacactus.com/
lacss.contact@gmail.com

Saturday, May 30th, 2015 9am to 5pm
(Workshops start at 10:00am)

Sunday, May 31st, 2015 9am to 4pm  
(Kids’ events start at 10:30am)
(Workshops start at 10:30am)

Learn how landscaping with drought tolerant plants can save money and water.

The festival will include:

  • Interior Educational Displays 
  • The San Fernando Valley Bromeliad Society Displays
  • Exterior Demonstration Gardens
  • Drawings
  • Silent Auction 
  • Plants, Pottery and Crafts Sales

Speakers will include:

  • Lily Singer on Natives and Succulents: The Perfect L.A. Garden
  • Sandy Chase “on Re-potting Plants
  • Matt Maggio  on Soils and Plant Nutrition for Succulents

Additional activities for kids on Sunday:

  • Games and Crafts 
  • Pot -A -Plant  
  • Kids’ Displays
  • Turtle and Tortoise Club
  • The Future Rock Rockhounds of America

Vendors will be selling the plants used in the exhibits at the festival in addition to many other plants,books, pottery, top dressing, rocks.