New law frees Californians to garden to conserve water

maggie.bekes/Flickr CC

Cactus are considered by many the perfect drought tolerant plant to garden.

If a “xeriscape” garden is your dream, next year could be your year to plant it. A new law will make it easier for some homeowners to install drought-tolerant landscaping.

A third of California homeowners live in what are called “common interest developments.” They’re condominiums, apartments and timeshares governed by homeowners associations.

For years, those associations had the right to restrict property owners from using water-saving irrigation techniques or from planting drought-tolerant plants. They could also fine homeowners who broke those landscaping rules.

The new law sponsored by Democratic Assemblyman Ted Lieu of Torrance will free property owners in “common interest developments” to garden in any way that saves water. That includes planting indigenous grasses and water-saving succulents — better known as cactus.

The new law prohibits homeowners associations from fining or charging a fee to anyone who decides to “xeriscape” their landscape.