Ready to replace your lawn but not sure where to start? EBMUD's Pilot Landscape Design Assistance Program rebates a two-hour visit with a landscape designer.
What is it?
A 2-hour session with a professional landscape designer to receive recommendations on plant choice, layout, and/or irrigation ideas for your landscape project. You will pay the designer a $200 fee at the time of service and then be reimbursed by EBMUD upon successful completion of your landscape transformation.
Eligibility
Participants must:
- Receieve EBMUD approval before contacting a landscape designer.
- Use an EBMUD approved Landscape Designer, listed below.
- Install a minimum 200 sq. ft. waterwise garden.
- Projects may not include: artificial turf, plants that need moderate to frequent watering, invasive plants, landscape fabric, non-permeable paths and patios. See application for full requirements.
Process
- Submit Design Assistance application to EBMUD, usually in conjunction with lawn or drip conversion rebate application. Wait for approval before contacting an approved designer.
- Review the list of approved EBMUD Professional Landscape Designers below and choose one that meets your needs.
- Schedule a two-hour landscape design consultation. We recommend completing the Landscape Design Questionnaire in advance to get the most out of the consultation.
- Pay the Landscape Designer the $200 fee at time of service and obtain a receipt.
- Complete landscape transformation to waterwise garden using low water use plants and ensuring efficient irrigation.
- Submit photos of completed project and receipt from consultation to EBMUD.
- EBMUD will rebate the $200 design fee as a credit on your water bill. Rebate is contingent upon successful completion of landscape project.
Approved landscape designers
Click here to download list of approved designers. See map for details on area(s).
Please submit application and wait for approval before contacting a designer.
| Landscape Design Company | Contact Information | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Backyard Permaculture Guild |
Dylan Gearhearth |
• Rain gardens |
| Beauty and the Feast | Miri L. Malmquist mirileore@yahoo.com |
• Native plants |
| Bohemian Roots |
Martina Ladova |
• Low water plantings • Efficient irrigation • Site specific design solutions |
| Etta Studio | Danielle Opatovsky hello@ettastudiosf.com |
• Pollinator gardens • Irrigation • Hardscaping |
| Garden Enlightenment | Dave Phelps dave@gardenenlightenment.com |
• Planting • Irrigation • Hardscape |
|
Gary Gragg |
• Waterwise subtropical plantings |
|
| Green Thumb Works | Sandra Nevala-Lee greenthumbworks@hey.com 510-502-0992 |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Mediterranean gardens |
| Maple Garden Design | Chris Erickson chris@maplegardendesign.com 925-595-5692 |
• Low maintenance • Native plants • Succulents |
| Round the Block Landscaping | Casey Massman casey.massman@ roundtheblocklandscaping.com |
• Drought tolerant landscapes • Aesthetic edible gardens • Native plants |
| Water Efficient Gardens | Shelkie Tao project@waterefficientgardens.com 669-232-3798 |
• Native plants • Rain gardens • Pollinator gardens |
| Wild Things Garden Design | Laura Kukulski laura@wildthingsgardendesign.com |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Rain gardens |
| Landscape Design Company | Contact Information | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Bohemian Roots |
Martina Ladova bohemianroots@yahoo.com |
• Low water plantings |
| Cummings Landscape Architecture | Ryan Cummings ryan@buenoluna.com 510-282-3521 |
• Native plants |
| Etta Studio | Danielle Opatovsky hello@ettastudiosf.com |
• Pollinator gardens • Irrigation • Hardscaping |
| Garden Enlightenment | Dave Phelps dave@gardenenlightenment.com |
• Planting • Irrigation • Hardscape |
| Garden Designs by Marlene Deel | Marlene Deel marlenedeel@gmail.com |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Best practices |
| Golden Gate Palms Nursery | Gary Gragg info@goldengatepalms.com |
• Waterwise subtropical plantings • Succulents, citrus, avocado • Creative site planning |
| Green Thumb Works | Sandra Nevala-Lee greenthumbworks@hey.com 510-502-0992 |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Mediterranean gardens |
| Magnifica Designs | Sarah V. Lee themagnificadesigns@gmail.com |
• Succulents • Low water plants • Pollinator gardens |
| Maple Garden Design | Chris Erickson chris@maplegardendesign.com 925-595-5692 |
• Low maintenance • Native plants • Succulents |
| Muir Creek Design | Molly Weden molly@muircreekdesign.com | • Pollinator & bird gardens • Succulents • Family-friendly gardens |
| Ruth Bancroft Garden |
Ruth Bancroft Garden Designers |
• Low water lush • Succulents • Australian/South African/California natives |
| Susan Friedman Landscape Architecture | Susan Friedman info@susanfriedmanlandscape.com 925-806-0643 |
• Native plants • Wildlife friendly varietals • Low water use planting |
| Terralinda Design | Linda Middleton linda@terralindadesigns.com | • Climate appropriate & CA native plants • Strong design skills • Horticultural knowledge |
| Water Efficient Gardens | Shelkie Tao project@waterefficientgardens.com 669-232-3798 |
• Native plants • Rain gardens • Pollinator gardens |
| Landscape Design Company | Contact Information | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Backyard Permaculture Guild |
Dylan Gearhearth landrecipe@gmail.com |
• Rain gardens • Native ecological plants • Medicinal edible plants |
| Beauty and the Feast | Miri L. Malmquist mirileore@yahoo.com |
• Native plants • Edible gardens |
| Etta Studio | Danielle Opatovsky hello@ettastudiosf.com |
• Pollinator gardens • Irrigation • Hardscaping |
| Garden Enlightenment | Dave Phelps dave@gardenenlightenment.com |
• Planting • Irrigation • Hardscape |
| Golden Gate Palms Nursery | Gary Gragg info@goldengatepalms.com |
• Waterwise subtropical plantings • Succulents, citrus, avocado • Creative site planning |
| Green Thumb Works | Sandra Nevala-Lee greenthumbworks@hey.com 510-502-0992 |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Mediterranean gardens |
| Magnifica Designs | Sarah V. Lee themagnificadesigns@gmail.com |
• Succulents • Low water plants • Pollinator gardens |
| Maple Garden Design | Chris Erickson chris@maplegardendesign.com 925-595-5692 |
• Low maintenance • Native plants • Succulents |
| Water Efficient Gardens | Shelkie Tao project@waterefficientgardens.com 669-232-3798 |
• Native plants • Rain gardens • Pollinator gardens |
| Wild Things Garden Design | Laura Kukulski laura@wildthingsgardendesign.com |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Rain gardens |
| Landscape Design Company | Contact Information | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Bohemian Roots |
Martina Ladova |
• Low water plantings • Efficient irrigation • Site specific design solutions |
| Beauty and the Feast | Miri L. Malmquist mirileore@yahoo.com |
• Native plants • Edible gardens |
| Cummings Landscape Architecture | Ryan Cummings ryan@buenoluna.com 510-282-3521 |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Fire-safe gardens |
| Etta Studio | Danielle Opatovsky hello@ettastudiosf.com |
• Pollinator gardens • Irrigation • Hardscaping |
| Field Collective, Inc. | Alexandra Harker & Nicki Copley field-collective.land/contact-us |
• Native plants • Biodiversity enhancement • Ecologically functional planting |
| Garden Enlightenment | Dave Phelps dave@gardenenlightenment.com |
• Planting • Irrigation • Hardscape |
| Garden Designs by Marlene Deel | Marlene Deel marlenedeel@gmail.com |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Best practices |
| Golden Gate Palms Nursery | Gary Gragg info@goldengatepalms.com |
• Waterwise subtropical plantings • Succulents, citrus, avocado • Creative site planning |
| Green Thumb Works | Sandra Nevala-Lee greenthumbworks@hey.com 510-502-0992 |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Mediterranean gardens |
| Magnifica Designs | Sarah V. Lee themagnificadesigns@gmail.com |
• Succulents • Low water plants • Pollinator gardens |
| Maple Garden Design | Chris Erickson chris@maplegardendesign.com 925-595-5692 |
• Low maintenance • Native plants • Succulents |
| Round the Block Landscaping | Casey Massman casey.massman@ roundtheblocklandscaping.com |
• Drought tolerant landscapes • Aesthetic edible gardens • Native plants |
| Ruth Bancroft Garden | Ruth Bancroft Garden Designers landscapedesign@ruthbancroft garden.org |
• Low water lush • Succulents • Australian/South African/California natives |
| Water Efficient Gardens | Shelkie Tao project@waterefficientgardens.com 669-232-3798 |
• Native plants • Rain gardens • Pollinator gardens |
| Wild Things Garden Design | Laura Kukulski laura@wildthingsgardendesign.com |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Rain gardens |
| Landscape Design Company | Contact Information | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Bohemian Roots |
Martina Ladova |
• Low water plantings • Efficient irrigation • Site specific design solutions |
| Beauty and the Feast | Miri L. Malmquist mirileore@yahoo.com |
• Native plants • Edible gardens |
| Cummings Landscape Architecture | Ryan Cummings ryan@buenoluna.com 510-282-3521 |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Fire-safe gardens |
| Etta Studio | Danielle Opatovsky hello@ettastudiosf.com |
• Pollinator gardens • Irrigation • Hardscaping |
| Garden Enlightenment | Dave Phelps dave@gardenenlightenment.com |
• Planting • Irrigation • Hardscape |
| Garden Designs by Marlene Deel | Marlene Deel marlenedeel@gmail.com |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Best practices |
| Golden Gate Palms Nursery | Gary Gragg info@goldengatepalms.com |
• Waterwise subtropical plantings • Succulents, citrus, avocado • Creative site planning |
| Green Thumb Works | Sandra Nevala-Lee greenthumbworks@hey.com 510-502-0992 |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Mediterranean gardens |
| Magnifica Designs | Sarah V. Lee themagnificadesigns@gmail.com |
• Succulents • Low water plants • Pollinator gardens |
| Maple Garden Design | Chris Erickson chris@maplegardendesign.com 925-595-5692 |
• Low maintenance • Native plants • Succulents |
| Round the Block Landscaping | Casey Massman casey.massman@ roundtheblocklandscaping.com |
• Drought tolerant landscapes • Aesthetic edible gardens • Native plants |
| Ruth Bancroft Garden | Ruth Bancroft Garden Designers landscapedesign@ruthbancroft garden.org |
• Low water lush • Succulents • Australian/South African/California natives |
| Susan Friedman Landscape Architecture | Susan Friedman info@susanfriedmanlandscape.com 925-806-0643 |
• Native plants • Wildlife friendly varietals • Low water use planting |
| Terralinda Design | Linda Middleton linda@terralindadesigns.com | • Climate appropriate & CA native plants • Strong design skills • Horticultural knowledge |
| Water Efficient Gardens | Shelkie Tao project@waterefficientgardens.com 669-232-3798 |
• Native plants • Rain gardens • Pollinator gardens |
| Wild Things Garden Design | Laura Kukulski laura@wildthingsgardendesign.com |
• Native plants • Pollinator gardens • Rain gardens |
Frequently asked questions
The design assistance visit will likely cover basic recommendations on plant choice, plant layout, and irrigation ideas for your site.
The visit will be tailored to your needs and your site. We cannot guarentee specific deliverables, rather the designer will work with you to provide the best support within the 2-hour time frame.
The designer is not expected to draw a detailed landscape plan, but should give you ideas to get started with your landscape rebate project.
We recommend completing the Landscape Design Questionnaire, found in the “resources” section below and sharing it with your designer.
Your designer may also request that you sketch a base map of your project area (see "how to draw a base map" below for instructions).
At minimum, think about garden styles you like and desired elements for your new garden. Gather images of gardens you like to show your designer. Also, be ready to discuss your budget and how you plan to complete the project (DIY vs. hiring professionals).
No. The design assistance reimbursement is contingent upon the successful completion of the approved landscape transformation project. If you do not complete the project and install a waterwise garden following rebate requirements, you will not receive reimbursement.
Yes. You are welcome to contract additional services with LDAP approved designers beyond the scope of the EBMUD program if mutually agreeable.
However, any services outside of the 2-hour design assistance are wholly seperate from the EBMUD program. Rates, scope, and terms must be decided between you and the designer directly. No reimbursement will be provided for such additional services.
A waterwise garden is a landscape with low-water-use plants that is irrigated efficiently. Low water use plants only need ocassional (max 1x per week) watering, even during the summer.
To be eligible for the Design Assistance rebate, projects must not include the following:
Resources
| Document | Type | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape Rebate Application (combined) Jul-Dec 2023 | 3.9 MB | |
| Design Assistance Application Jul-Dec 2023 | 3.1 MB | |
| LDAP Approved Landscape Designers List | <1 MB | |
| Landscape Design Questionnaire | <1 MB | |
| How To Draw A Base Map | <1 MB |
Interested in joining as a landscape designer?
Please complete the Designer Application and Agreement and submit via email to waterconservation@ebmud.com. We will review new applications on a rolling basis and will add new designers to the approved list periodically. Please reach out with any questions.