Residential Services | Gas | Water | Home | Contact Us |
 |
 |
|
6.15.07 M.U.D. partners with UNL Extension Service and Village Pointe to build water conservation garden A flower-lined path leads visitors into a 3,000 square-foot garden at west Omaha's Village Pointe Mall. Signs help identify the trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals, all newly planted, all with water conservation in mind. University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension planted the water conservation demonstration garden to help people learn how to save water in their own gardens. The Village Pointe garden is aesthetically pleasing yet low maintenance, said John Fech, extension educator based in Omaha. The garden is on the southeast side of the mall and contains a mix of trees, perennials, evergreens, ornamental grasses and annual flowers. Plants were selected for drought tolerance and need watering only every three to four weeks, Fech said. Extension also plans for the garden to help teach people how to better manage natural resources at home. Signs posted in the garden explain what plants were used and how to conserve water when developing a conservation garden. Volunteers in extension's Master Gardener program are at the garden during certain times to answer questions from the public. "We're educating people about proper sustainability gardening techniques so they don't just go to a big box store, buy plants on impulse and stick them in the ground," Fech said. "That leads to a wasting of water and fertilizer. It's bad horticulture." Fech got the idea for a water conservation garden in Omaha after visiting about 10 similar gardens across the United States during a recent sabbatical. The visits helped him learn ways to develop a garden using conservation techniques, he said. Extension partnered with Village Pointe, which donated a grassy patch on its property for the garden, and the Metropolitan Utilities District (M.U.D.), which donated money for plants and equipment needed to develop the garden. The garden is placed so that people who attend the mall's summer concert events will walk right by. It also is near the site of a weekend farmer's market, said Kim Jones, marketing director at Village Pointe. "Many know Village Pointe is known for its beautiful landscaping. We're proud to partner with extension to present another view of landscaping," Jones said. "We consider this a community offering and we love being a part of something that is so beneficial." Mari Matulka, director of Corporate Communications for M.U.D., said the utility was excited to partner with extension on the project. "Since water conservation is such an important factor during the lawn-watering season, this display gives consumers an excellent idea of how gardens can be beautiful and yet easy on the water budget," Matulka said. John Fech can be contacted at 402.444.7804. |
|
