Using the technique of Smart Gardening is an easy way to get a really great looking yard while using less water, energy and wasting fewer resources. You save yourself time and money all while doing something that helps keep the County of Los Angeles a nicer place to live and work. Residential yard waste adds up to over 20% of what we send to our landfills in the County of Los Angeles. However, yard trimmings are valuable resources that we can easily reuse in our own backyards by composting and grass recycling.

When you practice the techniques of Smart Gardening, you will conserve water and energy, save time and money, improve your yard and garden, recycle yard waste and kitchen scraps, reduce waste going to our landfills, and help preserve the environment. These simple practices do not take much time, and help you develop healthy and beautiful lawns and gardens to enjoy.

To learn about backyard composting, worm composting, grass recycling, water-wise gardening and fire-wise gardening, you can visit one of our 11 Smart Gardening Learning Centers located throughout the County. To find the center nearest you, click on the Map of Centers. To find out when the next FREE Smart Gardening workshop will be, just click on the Workshops & Schedules or call our toll free hotline at 1(888) CLEAN LA.

The Countywide Smart Gardening Program was started in 1994 by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works to help meet the State of California Integrated Waste Management Board's mandated goal of reducing disposal of solid waste in landfills by 50%.