A record of what we’ve
grown
together
Alongside our landscape design and install work, we partner with our nonprofit sister organization, Beyond Gardens Education, to run hands-on workshops across Santa Clara County on permaculture, greywater reuse, and water-wise gardening. Here’s a look back at what we’ve taught, and what’s coming up next.
Two-Part ‘Laundry to Landscape’ Workshop
Part 1: Sept 27, 10 AM–12 PM · Part 2: Dec 6, 10 AM–2:30 PM
Learn to design and install a code-compliant Laundry-to-Landscape greywater system. Part 1 covers greywater basics; Part 2 is hands-on installation, from plumbing to irrigation. Turn washing-machine wastewater into free irrigation and save thousands of gallons a year. Held in Santa Clara County; exact location shared on registration. Limited to 15 participants.
Offered free thanks to Valley Water, A Slice of New York, Human Agenda, Capitol Wholesale Nursery, Oasis Home Design, The Forge Garden, Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, and Lopez Remodeling and Construction — hosted by Beyond Gardens Education.
Past Workshops
January 20, 2024 · 10 AM–2 PM
November 19, 2023 · 9:30–11:30 AM
DIY Aquaponics Workshop
Fall 4 Natives
An introduction to sustainable gardening through aquaponics — how to grow fresh produce while conserving water. DIY kits were available for participants to take home.
An exploration of California’s indigenous plant communities — supporting pollinators, growing native medicine and food, storing carbon in the soil, and building drought-tolerant gardens rooted in the state’s ecological history.
October 28, 2023 · 9:30 AM–12 PM
February–May 2023
“Air Bee N’ Bee”
“How to Grow Water”
A hands-on look at honeybees vs. native bees and their role in the wider ecosystem, with participants crafting garden-material bee habitats to take home.
In collaboration with The Forge of Santa Clara University
A full-immersion, hands-on training in installing water conservation systems and eco-gardens using permaculture principles — open to landscapers, students, property owners, and residents across Santa Clara County.
In partnership with Valley Water and Vital Cycles of Santa Cruz
September 10, 2022 · 9 AM–12 PM
May 21, 2022 · 9 AM–2 PM
Introduction to Aquaponics
Laundry to Landscape (L2L)
A tour of a working residential aquaponics food farm, covering the basics of installing and maintaining a system, with an open discussion on maximizing its efficiency.
A 5-hour, hands-on greywater workshop at a San José home covering what greywater is, its benefits, how to design and install an L2L system, and how to use Valley Water’s L2L rebate program.
October 23, 2021 · 9 AM–12 PM
October 17 & 24, 2020
Water, Soil, Plants and Climate
Lawn Conversion: Habitat & Rain Garden
A talk on the connections between water, soil, plants, and climate, and how mismanagement of the water cycle drives the rising temperatures and extreme weather communities face today.
With Lydia Neilsen and Anne Freiwald of Vital Cycles
A hands-on conversion of a lawn into a climate-appropriate, water-wise garden featuring California native plants and rain-capture installation to recharge local groundwater.
With Smart Yards Co-op (now Beyond Gardens), Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley, Razing the Bar, and Valley Water
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Yes. The two-part Laundry to Landscape workshop is offered free thanks to Valley Water and local sponsors: A Slice of New York, Human Agenda, Capitol Wholesale Nursery, Oasis Home Design, The Forge Garden, Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, and Lopez Remodeling and Construction. It is hosted by Beyond Gardens Education, our nonprofit sister organization.
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You will learn to design and install a code-compliant Laundry to Landscape greywater system that turns washing machine wastewater into free irrigation. Part 1 covers greywater basics. Part 2 is a hands-on installation, from plumbing to irrigation, so you practice each step on a real system. A working system can save thousands of gallons of water a year.
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Workshops take place across Santa Clara County, often at real homes and gardens where participants can work on actual systems. For the Laundry to Landscape workshop, the exact location is shared when you register. Past sessions have included a hands-on greywater workshop at a San José home and a tour of a working residential aquaponics food farm.
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Past workshops have covered DIY aquaponics, California native plant communities, honeybees versus native bees, lawn conversion with a habitat and rain garden, Laundry to Landscape greywater, and the links between water, soil, plants and climate. The "How to Grow Water" program was a full-immersion training in installing water conservation systems and eco-gardens using permaculture principles.