ESCONDIDO (CBS 8) - It is possible to have a garden and afford to water it too. All it takes is a trip to the Oasis.
"We are in the north end of Escondido, at the end of the canyon on North Broadway," Carmen Contreras said.
Perched in a tidy little half-acre, Oasis Water Efficient Gardens is the perfect location for someone who wants a green landscape without spending a lot of green to maintain it.
"We are specializing in water-efficient plants, so we cover anything from cactus and succulents to perennials," Carmen said.
Carmen can tell you that you don't have to give up beauty to save water.
"You have colors from reds to blues and green and anything in between. It's a really remarkable product class to work with," she said.
At Oasis, you can spy before you buy.
"We also have demonstration gardens which makes it really nice, so people can actually come out and see what the plant material looks like planted in the ground as it matures," Carmen said.
Now, water-efficient plants aren't exactly maintenance-free.
"They do require a little bit of care, especially during the first couple of years when the plants are getting established," Carmen said.
But in the long run, you will save money on your water bill.
"Once the plants are established, you're looking at watering maybe in the summertime and depending upon the plant material, of course. You're going to be cutting your water back to three times a month," Carmen explained.
And Oasis has the stock to keep your garden budding.
"We have plants from Australia, plants from South Africa, so you're going to get plants that are blooming all year long," Carmen said.
All it takes is a game plan.
"We're not designers, but we try to get (customers) the right plant for the right situation so that they are successful gardeners," Carmen said.
So don't let water rates flush your garden. Just turn your landscape into an oasis.
"Once you get the first couple of plants going, it's really unlimited where you can go with it," Carmen said.
Going green has never made more sense or saved more cents.
Oasis Water Efficient Gardens
10816 Reidy Canyon Trail
Escondido, CA 92026
(760) 277-0214