But what about the rest of you out there?

I remember attending my very first American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) convention in Indianapolis back around 1982. I went looking for irrigation companies and only found Rain Bird and Nelson . . . Where were all the rest of the irrigation manufacturers? The answer was simple . . .There just wasn?EUR??,,????'???t a big demand for irrigation systems in Indiana. Evidently, what we in So. Calif. called liquid sunshine, those in Indiana called a regular occurrence.

Besides . . . We all know landscape architects don?EUR??,,????'???t really care about irrigation anyhow . . .

Smart Irrigation Month As in . . .What?!? Catching and using storm water runoff?

Well, just maybe that is a part of Smart Irrigation Month . . . After all, irrigation is more than just throwing a bunch of water on a bunch of plants. Anyone in the green industry knows that much. Over the past couple of decades, though, irrigation design and implementation has really become an art form.

Heck, I still remember seeing Michael J. Fox drinking from a bottle of Perrier and thinking, ?EUR??,,????'??What a nut case!?EUR??,,????'?? Buying water to drink?!? Not me . . . No siree . . . That was about the same time as the aforementioned ASLA Show . . . Now my kids don?EUR??,,????'???t think the water out of the tap is even drinkable. They are wrong, of course, but water has truly become a commodity, and as the population continues to increase by the billions, fresh water is becoming scarcer.

It is elementary to remind you that water is used to irrigate the crops that make food so abundant in America. But look at many undeveloped nations and you see how lack of irrigation is the root of tremendous strife. After all, a full stomach overcomes most hardships, so water on the agricultural side is essential.

Obviously, people are at least as thirsty as cauliflower, so we need water to drink . . . Duh . . . And we all know water runs the industry of America, supplies the hydro in hydroelectric power and even boils the potatoes in our kitchens.

However, what is the most important use of water? . . . Why, of course . . . It is to make Mary?EUR??,,????'???s marigolds gold and Bill?EUR??,,????'???s bluegrass blue . . . Right?

Wrong! Water in the landscape is a privilege, not a right. So, while a part of Smart Irrigation Month is aimed at the agricultural world the real onus is on you.

What used to be called ?EUR??,,????'??xeriscape?EUR??,,????'?? became sustainable landscapes. What it really means is not just smart irrigation, but smart landscaping.

Are you designing or planting water-needy plant materials in a dry climate?

Are you watering the pavement? Are you consistently checking the system for broken pipes or risers? Are you covering your projects with mulches to retain moisture and slow evaporation? These are no longer questions only the high-priced landscape professional would bring up as a sales tool. These are basic questions that need to be a part of the mindset of every one of you.

With the technology that is presently in the field, there is simply no reason why you shouldn?EUR??,,????'???t choose low-volume fixtures to water root zones, instead of broadcasting water over the tops of groundcover. There is simply no good reason not to add a layer of mulch to keep the moisture from direct sunlight.

Irrigation controllers not based on soil needs and climate conditions are relics.

Not only are there smart choices out there, but it won?EUR??,,????'???t be long before those choices are made requisites by popular demand and, as we?EUR??,,????'???ve already seen in states like California and Florida, made into law. Smart irrigation is not a theme, it is a need . . .

It is a demand!