Bend's high desert climate averages only 12 inches of rain per year — yet most conventional lawns require 30–40 inches of water annually to stay green. Water-wise landscaping bridges that gap with drought-tolerant plants, efficient drip irrigation, and smart design that looks beautiful while using a fraction of the water. Newport Avenue Landscaping has been designing and installing water-wise landscapes across Bend and Central Oregon for over 21 years.
Pricing Disclaimer: Prices shown are typical market ranges provided for general planning purposes only and do not constitute a binding quote or guarantee of cost. Actual project costs depend on site conditions, property size, scope of work, materials selected, and other factors specific to your property. Advertised flat rates (such as per-service mowing prices) are firm as stated. All other estimates require a free on-site assessment. Contact us for a written estimate.
The City of Bend enforces year-round outdoor watering restrictions. Understanding these rules is the first step toward a water-efficient landscape.
Watering is permitted only between 5:00 PM and 9:00 AM — never during the heat of the day. Properties with even-numbered addresses water on even calendar days; odd-numbered addresses water on odd days. In months with 31 days, the 31st is an open watering day for all addresses. Violations can result in fines.
Newport Avenue designs and programs all irrigation systems to comply with these restrictions automatically. Our smart controller installations can be set to the correct schedule on day one, so you never have to think about it.
The City of Bend's Turf Replacement Rebate program is currently open for the 2026 season (opened April 1). The program pays $3 per square foot of qualifying turf removed and replaced with water-wise landscaping, up to a maximum of $3,000.
To qualify, you must be a City of Bend water customer, remove at least 200 square feet of irrigated turf, and replace it with drought-tolerant plants and/or permeable hardscape. The new landscape must be maintained for three years.
Newport Avenue handles the entire rebate process — we design the project to meet all eligibility requirements, complete the installation, and provide all documentation needed for your application. Many clients recover $1,500–$3,000 toward their project cost.
A full xeriscape conversion replaces water-intensive Kentucky bluegrass or tall fescue with a designed landscape of drought-tolerant shrubs, ornamental grasses, native perennials, and decorative rock or mulch. The result is a landscape that requires 50–75% less water than a conventional lawn.
Our design process starts with a site analysis — sun exposure, soil type, slope, and existing irrigation — followed by a plant palette selected for Bend's Zone 6b climate and your aesthetic preferences. We handle everything from sod removal and soil amendment to planting, mulching, and irrigation conversion.
Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the root zone of each plant, eliminating the evaporation and runoff losses of overhead spray systems. Converting your planting beds from spray heads to drip can reduce water use in those zones by 30–50%.
Newport Avenue installs pressure-compensating drip systems with individual emitters for each plant, ensuring uniform coverage regardless of slope or pressure variation. We also install inline drip tubing for groundcover areas and shrub beds.
A smart weather-based controller adjusts your watering schedule automatically based on local weather data, soil moisture, and evapotranspiration rates. On a day it rains, the system skips the scheduled run. On a hot, dry day, it may add a few minutes. The result is the right amount of water, every time.
We install and program Rachio, Hunter Hydrawise, and Rain Bird smart controllers. All systems are configured to comply with City of Bend odd/even watering rules and the 5pm–9am time window from day one.
Choosing the right plants is the foundation of a water-wise landscape. Bend's Zone 6b climate, alkaline soils, and low humidity favor a specific palette of plants that thrive with minimal supplemental water once established.
Our go-to water-wise plants for Bend include: Penstemon (native, hummingbird magnet), Salvia (long-blooming, deer-resistant), Lavender (fragrant, full sun), Blue Oat Grass and Feather Reed Grass (ornamental grasses), Rabbitbrush (native, golden fall color), Kinnikinnick (native groundcover), Sedum and Stonecrop (succulent groundcovers), and Serviceberry and Chokecherry (native shrubs with wildlife value).
The City of Bend's WaterWise Communities program offers HOAs and commercial properties a 50% match of project costs — up to $10,000 — for qualifying landscape conversions and irrigation upgrades. Newport Avenue has experience working with HOA boards through the City's evaluation and approval process.
If you manage an HOA or commercial property in Bend, contact us to discuss how we can design a project that maximizes your WaterWise Communities rebate while delivering a landscape your community will be proud of.
FREE CONSULTATION · NO OBLIGATION
We visit your property, listen to your vision, and provide a detailed written proposal — at no cost, no pressure.