City of Bend Public Works Demo Garden
Location: Bend, OR
Project Partners
Architect: Henneberry Eddy
Builder: KNCC
Landscape Contractor: Botanical Developments
SZABO Landscape Architecture conceived the City of Bend Public Works Demonstration Garden as a living classroom that translates water‑wise design principles into an engaging, everyday landscape. Located at the front of the Public Works campus, the garden invites residents to see and experience how thoughtful plant selection, irrigation strategies, and permeable materials can create a beautiful, functional setting while significantly reducing water use.
The design organizes the garden into four equally sized hydrozones—very low, low, medium, and high water use—mirroring the city’s water conservation guidelines and making performance differences easy to understand. Each zone is irrigated differently and metered separately so actual water consumption can be tracked and clearly displayed in the building lobby, turning the garden into a tangible demonstration of how design choices affect demand. Plant palettes emphasize native and climate‑appropriate species, giving the garden the character of a high‑desert botanical collection while providing resilient habitat and seasonal interest.
Innovative irrigation and surface treatments are showcased as key teaching tools. The lawn area uses a subsurface drip mat system that delivers water directly to the root zone, minimizing evaporation and overspray and illustrating an alternative to traditional spray irrigation. Pervious pavers, decomposed granite paths, and other permeable surfaces show how walkways, plazas, and small gathering spaces can be designed to infiltrate stormwater on site, easing pressure on municipal infrastructure. Interpretive kiosks, plant labels, and clear circulation routes support self‑guided exploration so visitors can easily connect specific techniques (such as hydrozoning, native planting, and permeable hardscape) to practical strategies they can implement at home.
