2025 Contest Winner

Homeowner	Sinead and Lance G
Location	El Cajon
Yard	Front

Project

Helix Water District has named Sinead and Lance G. as its 2025 WaterSmart Landscape Contest winners for transforming their Fletcher Hills front yard in El Cajon. The couple replaced over 1,200 square feet of dying lawn with a water-efficient, wildlife-friendly design, spending more than a year clearing grass by hand with family help before planting. “Our motivation was centered around doing our part to support the local ecosystem—bees, birds, butterflies, moths and plants with adaptations to survive on low water,” Sinead said.

The design features hand-sketched river rock gardens, a Desert Museum Palo Verde tree, and native plants like Cleveland Sage, Desert Mallow, and Milkweed that support local wildlife. Sinead waters by hand rather than installing irrigation, and the couple built two rain gardens to capture and reuse rainwater on-site. Now established, the landscape needs minimal water—about once every two weeks in summer and little to none the rest of the year.

Plants Used

Ceanothus Concha Lilac, White Sage, Mexican Sage, Milkweed, Desert Museum Palo Verde, Spanish Lavender, Jerusalem Sage, Cleveland Sage, Trailing Lantana