Class of 2012 Project:

LMB Sustainable Garden

Mission Statement- To educate the Manhattan Beach community in environmentally-friendly landscaping and to inspire the use of sustainable gardening.

The City of Manhattan Beach’s Environmental Task Force recommended converting the landscape surrounding the U.S. Post Office located at 425 15th Street in Manhattan Beach, to a water-conserving, sustainable landscape with at least 50% less lawn, environmentally appropriate plantings, a water-conserving irrigation system, mulch applied between shrubs and trees, and efficient walking paths made up of decomposed granite.

The landscape surrounding the Post Office is primarily composed of turf and ivy. The lawn areas measures 4,381 square feet and consumes a substantial amount of water; calculated at 2,274 gallons of water per week. The shrubs are 25-30 years old and are maintained by shaping into squares and circles, and there are two trees on the property that are unhealthy and dying.

This landscape would benefit from an upgrade because it is on such a high-visibility corner, which is one of the reasons the Environmental Task Force believed it to be a good location for a satellite demonstration garden, similar to the project flanking the entrance to City Hall.

The project will demonstrate the principles of sustainable landscaping, and make use of the Community Mulch pilot program as well.