Malibu to Unveil Ocean Friendly Garden

The city of Malibu will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new "Ocean-Friendly" demonstration garden Wednesday.

The ceremony is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 20 at Bluffs Park, 24250 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.

"This garden will allow the public to witness ocean-friendly garden principles in action and empower individuals to implement them in their own yards," Mayor Lou La Monte said.

Ocean-friendly gardens prevent ocean pollution and protect marine life by retaining storm water on a property, according to Olivia Damavandi, the city's media information officer.

West Basin Director Edward C. Little praised the city of Malibu for the garden.

"This new garden will show residents that ocean-friendly gardens are nice-looking, water efficient, and something they can incorporate in their own homes to reduce water use and costs," Little said.

The purpose of the demonstration garden at Bluffs Park is to emulate a private yard and show that there are alternatives to high-water-use landscaping, Damavandi said.

The city will hold a series of events from March 23 through April 30 as part of its "Earth Month" celebration, including a Smart Gardening workshop on April 20 where attendees can learn about techniques to reduce solid waste, prevent pollution and conserve water.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase compost and worm bins at a subsidized price.

The demonstration garden was funded through a Proposition 50 grant from the California Department of Water Resources with additional funding contributions from the City of Malibu, West Basin Municipal Water District, Los Angeles County Waterworks District 29 and the Metropolitan Water District.