If you would like to create an attractive landscape for your home as well as save some money on your water bill and other yard-related expenses, the California Native Plant Society OC will provide some ideas for you at their next meeting in Irvine. This upcoming meeting will feature a talk on smart garden design, which is a way of designing your home landscape in a manner that will help you conserve resources and money.

• Speakers: Greg Rubin, author and owner of California’s Own Native Landscape Design, and Lucy Warren, author and longtime regional garden writer in Southern California
• Topic: Rubin and Warren’s new book, The California Native Landscape—The Home-owner’s Design Guide to Restoring Its Health and Beauty
• Where: Duck Club—15 Riparian View, Irvine
• When: Thursday, June 20, 2013; 5:30 pm to 9 pm, however, the main event starts at 7:30

The Duck Club, part of Irvine History

Following is the full schedule for the evening. Choose to attend all or part of the event.

• 5:30 Rich Schilk leads a Bird Walk in the Duck Ponds. Bring your binoculars or just stroll with the group.
• 5:30 Donations of items for the silent auction or raffle accepted. If you have questions, contact Kathy Glendinning (ktglnd@netscape.net).
• 5:30 Setup occurs; help is welcome. For more information, contact Laura Camp (campsjc@mac.com).
• 6:30 Silent Auction commences. Raffle ticket purchase and item selection occurs.
• 6:30 Light appetizers served.
• 6:30 Slideshow of Chapter activities for 2012-2013 will be shown.
• 7:30 Main Program starts.

For more information, see the California Native Plant Society website.

According to Altos Research, the Market Action Index (MAI) for Irvine’s single-family housing market is 45.84. So as defined by Altos, the Irvine single-family housing market is, as it has been most of this year, a seller’s market. (Above 30 is defined as a seller’s market; below is defined as a buyer’s market.) Altos also states that the average single-family home in Irvine has been on the market for about 91 days as of May31, 2013.

Following is Irvine’s May 2013 housing market data provided by Redfin.

“The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is an award-winning program that challenges collegiate teams from across the nation and internationally to design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive. During the two weekends in October, visitors will have the opportunity to tour the houses, gather ideas to use in their own homes and learn how energy-saving features can help save money.”—U.S Department of Energy

Since this is the first time that this event will be held outside of Washington D.C., the U.S. Department of Energy’s assignment of the Orange County Great Park as the site for the 2013 Solar Decathlon was a big coup for the Great Park team and the City of Irvine. The exact dates and times for the Solar Decathlon are the weekends of October 3-6 and October 10-13 from 11 am to 7 pm.

This event, which will be free to the public, is currently open for submittal from potential exhibitors and speakers. Deadlines for applying as a speaker or an exhibitor are approaching fast:

• Speaker Application Deadline: June 15, 2013. Click here to apply.

• Exhibitor Space Application: July 1, 2013. Click here to apply.

Additional information about the 2013 Solar Decathlon can be found at http://www.the-xpo.org/ and solardecathlon.gov.

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Through a program set up by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), Irvine residents, as well as residents from most other Orange County cities, are eligible to receive a high-performance electric mower at a discount of up to 75 percent. To qualify, you must live within the AQMD district and trade in your working gas mower. As you will see when you click on the AQMD district link, many Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino county residents also qualify.

Two brands and five models of these electric mowers are available. They are cordless, rechargeable, 50 percent quieter than most gas-powered mowers, environmental-friendly, and light weight. Your cost will be between $100 and $250 depending on the model that you choose. Here are more details on the available options:

• The 20” Greenstation® (24v), which has a retail value of $430, can be purchased for $150.
• The 20” Greenstation® Self-propelled (24v), which has a retail value of $470, can be purchased for $220.
• The 18” Black&Decker (36v), which has a retail value of $379, can be purchased for $100.
• The 19″ Black & Decker (36v), which has a retail value of $429, can be purchased for $180.
• The Black&Decker 19″ self-propelled mower (36v), which has a retail value of $479, can be purchased for $250.

Pre-registration is mandatory. You can register online or by calling SCAQMD at 1-(888) 425-6247. Call-in times are Tuesday through Friday at 8 am to 5 pm. The remaining exchange dates are at the Anaheim Stadium on July 13 and at Bourns Inc. in Riverside on June 8.

Summer will be here soon, and Irvine has some activities available for you and the family. They are listed in Irvine’s summer 2013 edition of Inside Irvine.

“The summer edition of Inside Irvine is available online and was mailed the week of May 6. This features information about the Solar Decathlon 2013 and XPO; City summer concerts and activities; an article on the Irvine Open Space Initiative; our annual summer safety tips; summer camps and more!”

—City of Irvine

Upcoming Events

May 6 Summer Inside Irvine mailed; – registration begins

May 18 Runway Dash: 5k/Run Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run (OK, it’s too late for this one, but if you are interested in this event, you can look for it next year.)

May 19 Learn to Swim Registration-Session 6, 7 & Saturdays in July

May 27 Memorial Day Ceremony

June 1 Studio Arts Festival

June 1 D.A.R.E. Event & Movie (Wreck-It Ralph) Heritage Park-6 p.m.

June 2 Orange County Super Pet Adoption

June 15 Parking Lot Rummage Sale

June 24 Summer Camps begin

June 28 Senior Fitness Expo

July 13-14 Bommer Canyon Family Campout

July 28, August 4 & August 11 Sizzlin' Summer Concerts

You can view Inside Irvine online as well as pick up a printed copy at any City facility, such as any City of Irvine library or City Hall.

To register online for the summer programs and activities, go to irvinequickreg.org.