Contact your area chapter of the California Landscape Contractors' Association. For some reason, my computer won't pull up the CLCA website ("IE cannot disply.."). They'd be in your phone book. These are licensed contractors and all recommendable. Joe

Purslane is great. I also highly recommend 'ice plant' which is flowering now and it's much more tolerant of cold snaps and frosts (it's perennial) than purslane (annual). If you do plant the iceplant remember it will run 18-24 inches from where it's rooted. Trimmings can be quickly rooted in plain water (as can purslane) to add to your garden plantings. Mexican zinnias (low growing continuous flowering neat mounding plant) in creamy white,almost marigold yellow and mixtures of rose,fuschia and pink do great in zeriscape if you prep the soil under and around them with just a bit of water saver beads. Don't use too much or it will heave the soil as the beads expand into globs of water holding gel. Look up plants recommended for zeriscaping for zone 7-8. After the droughts we've had down here you'll find a lot more selection of plants with lower water needs at your local garden centers.

Crinum lilies - Some have beautiful burgany/red leaves. wild petunia caladiums black-eyed susan bulbines tuberose red cone (shampoo) ginger butterfly ginger butterfly weed perennial periwinkle (vinca) coreopsis - There are a lot of different varieties. blue daze coral honeysuckle scrub mint mexican hat cone flower And one of my favorites - Confederate Rose Mallow Rubrus - which is one of the toughest, and prettiest, hibiscus I've ever grown. Here is a link that might be useful: Confederate Rose Mallow Rubrus

I definitely wouldn't want to capture *ALL* the rainwater falling on the property, as I understand about the need for replenishing not only our groundwater tables but also for the immediate watering of my big, mature trees. I'm just thinking that with a 10,000 sq ft property, there's a lot of space to put a few additional barrels. I have this big, basically unused area behind my garage where X number of barrels could sit and do their thing without being an eyesore for me or the neighbors. BTW, and this is purely a guess, but I think about 2/3 of the property is earth vs some man-made material. Also, my patio and the walkway from it to the driveway slope at, I believe, 9 degrees toward the driveway. The driveway slopes down to the street naturally, following the slope of the property. I could theoretically reroute the runoff from the patio somehow to save it, although it doesn't really get much water of its own during a rain, because it's covered and its cover is also fully guttered.