WaterWise Demonstration Garden
2012-2013 Fiscal Year Chairs: Sue Trevor-SCMG, Connie Walsh-SCMG, Charlene Spiegel-RRTS
Meeting Location: Water Wise Garden 950 Pine Tree Road between RR Post Office & Esther Bone Library
Number of Volunteers Needed & Meeting Times: 6-8 volunteers for the Irrigation Project-scheduled for April 2013. Weekly volunteers are needed on Thursdays March through October- 8am to 11am. Winter Hours are 1st & 3rd Thursdays- 9am to 11am.
Current Project Descriptions:
1. Finish path at Land's End Garden
2. Continue plant labeling
3. Check and improve irrigation system work with Rio Rancho Park personnel to accomplish this task.
4. Plant Nadina and flowers in the Entry Garden to the Park.
5. Remove the following plants:
- Pinyon Pine & Sumac near the entry to the garden.
- 2 volunteer locust as there are broken branches.
- Dead Baby Pine Tree near the Mediterranean Garden.
These trees are dying or dead and photos are available as proof of condition & location.
Main Education/Training Tasks:
1. Design a teacher friendly resource booklet to be available for download, providing a
classroom experience.
2. Provide an Earth Day or Arbor Day Event at the Garden for the public to attend
3. Master Gardener volunteers receive hands on training and education about the plants
and trees located in this garden. In 2013 Master Gardeners will receive hands on experience
locating and fixing the irrigation system. Master Gardeners can provide tours for groups.
Beneficiaries of the Project: Sandoval County Master Gardeners, Rio Rancho Tree Stewards, all citizens of Rio Rancho and the surrounding area.
List Any Restrictions or Special Requirements: Uneven walking surfaces throughout the garden. In addition the City of Rio Rancho does not allow dogs, smoking or alcoholic beverages in the Garden.
Contacts: Sue Trevor or Connie Walsh
The Garden Design Demonstrates
The Rio Rancho WaterWise Demonstration Garden (WWG) in Rio Rancho, New Mexico is a cooperative effort with the City of Rio Rancho, the Sandoval County Master Gardeners, partnering with the Rio Grande Basin Initiative, Local businesses and Community Volunteers. The WaterWise Garden encompasses approximately an acre divided into different gardening templates easy to replicate in the homeowner's landscape.
The Garden originated in 2001 with award winning updates and expansions 2006-2008. SCMG volunteers began an Olla Garden Project in 2009 as part of a water harvesting/water saving experiment with New Mexico State University and the City of Rio Rancho.
The Garden illustrates over an acre of the following features:
- Drip, sprinkle, spray and bubble irrigation systems
- An Olla demonstration project in works
- Bark, pecan, wood chip, crusher fine and gravel mulches
- Water harvesting techniques: dry creek beds, swales, berms and drain ways to catchment areas
- Slope planting techniques
- Paths connecting gardens illustrating various material choices
Gardening by the Yard hosted by Paul James aired a filming of the gardens in 2009!
WaterWise Demonstration Garden Award
Rio Rancho WaterWise Demonstration Garden is awarded:
Search for Excellence is the recognition program of Master Gardener volunteer work throughout the United States and Canada. Search for Excellence has seven categories in which Master Gardeners can demonstrate their outstanding contributions to their communities. All SFE applications must show that significant learning took place, whether by the Master Gardeners or the general public they were involved with. All volunteer projects done by Master Gardeners are significant to their communities, but not all are Search for Excellence projects. The Search for Excellence is designed to recognize outstanding group projects, not an individual who does outstanding work.
For more information click IMG Search for Excellence
The IMG,SFE Award is for efforts in the WaterWise Garden from 2006-2008.
Volunteers include: Peter Colton, Janell Dunn, Elisa Flecha, Warren Gillett, Brooke Grant, Rebecca Hunter, Donnye Meinz, Loren Meinz, Russ Nagel, Charles Poe, Linda Poe, Jae Riebe, Otto Stangl, Anne Tellez, Georg Vedeler, Margaret Vedeler, Nancy Wade, Janet Wilder, Holly Wilkenfeld, Charlotte Wilson and Tom Wilson.