(Mission Times Courier, San Diego, CA) -  The City of San Diego Water Department invites you to showcase your water-wise landscaping in the San Diego County's Sixth Annual California-Friendly Landscape Contest. The contest offers each regional winner a $500 gift certificate to an area nursery, an honorary paver at the Water Conservation Garden, and recognition in agency websites and newsletters.

"We are thrilled to be part of this contest with other water agencies and we highly encourage homeowners and customers of the City of San Diego Water Department to enter," said JoEllen Jacoby, Supervising Landscape Conservation Designer for the City's Water Conservation Program. "Studies have shown that more than half of the water people use goes towards irrigating landscapes, which is why our program continues to encourage San Diegans to use California-Friendly plants as a way of conserving water."

The deadline to enter is April 6, 2009. Each water-wise landscaping entry will be judged for overall attractiveness, appropriate plant selection, design, appropriate maintenance, and efficient methods of irrigation. For official contest rules and an application form, please contact Jana Vierola at               (619) 533-4202        or JoEllen Jacoby at               (619) 533-7548       . More contest information can also be found at: http://www.landscapecontest.com/.

For ideas, expert advice, exhibits and classes, visit the Water Conservation Garden located at 12122 Cuyamaca College Drive in El Cajon, or go to www.thegarden.org.

The Water Conservation Program reduces water demand through promoting or providing incentives for the installation of hardware that provides permanent water savings, and by providing services and information to help San Diegans make better decisions about water use. For more info about Water Conservation, visit www.sandiego.gov/water  or call               (619) 570-1999       .