‘Xeriscape” was in the back of Val Yoshikane’s mind for years, but it wasn’t until 2012 that it became the focal point of a project that transformed her life and front yard.

As those with green thumbs know, xeriscape is a landscaping style that features plants that require little or no irrigation or other care. It’s popular in arid regions, but lack of water was never a problem for Yoshikane, who lives in Manoa Valley, where the annual rainfall can exceed 150 inches.

Why choose xeriscape for an area with abundant water? “I was looking for environmentally friendly, inexpensive, recyclable, low-maintenance and bug- and wind-resistant alternatives, and xeriscape is all of that,” Yoshikane said. “I started off knowing very little about it and kept experimenting to find out what would work in my location. It has been both fun and frustrating, but I’ve been able to turn mishmash messes of plants that needed constant attention into elevated plots of self-sustaining succulents.”

Along the way, Yoshikane became an avid proponent of sound conservation practices. Among other things, she installed a rain barrel water-catchment system, set up worm bins that turn kitchen green waste into premium vermicompost, and incorporated roots and branches in her garden design that she would’ve previously discarded.

She attributes her success with xeriscape, recycling, reusing and repurposing to classes at the Halawa Xeriscape Garden, which opened in 1989 as a 3-acre demonstration project to educate the public about water conservation techniques for landscaping. Kazu Haya­shida, then-manager and chief engineer of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, and Donna Goth, former BWS board chairwoman, spearheaded the effort with help from many sources, including The Outdoor Circle and Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

BWS now manages the garden in cooperation with the Friends of Halawa Xeriscape Garden, a nonprofit community group that assists with educational programs, including the garden’s annual Open House and Unthirsty Plant Sale. Diane Moses, a master gardener and BWS community relations specialist, is one of the organizers of this year’s 29th annual event on Saturday.

“The founders of FOHXG thought an open house would be a great way to teach the community about drought-tolerant plants and to sell those plants at affordable prices,” Moses said. “A drought-tolerant landscape not only retains water in our underground aquifers for future generations; it can help households cut their outdoor water consumption by 30 to 80 percent, thus reducing their water bill. It’s a win-win situation for both families and the environment.”

As in the past, Saturday’s event will offer garden tours, xeriscape and outdoor water conservation workshops, kids’ activities such as crafts and face painting, and booths sponsored by organizations such as Ewa Blue Worms and the state’s Commission on Water Resource Management.

At the Plant Doctor booth, master gardeners will be dispensing advice to home gardeners with ailing plants. Bring close-up photos of the affected leaves, branches and roots or pack samples of them in clear plastic bags.

The Cactus and Succulent Society of Hawaii will be displaying a juried show in its tent. Ribbons will indicate the winners in about 20 categories of species.

Besides educating attendees, the garden’s open house inspires them to make the environment a top-of-mind priority and to live green.

“HXG empowers the community,” said xeriscape enthusiast and FOHXG member Val Yoshikane. “It promotes water quality and conservation and provides the tools and resources to help you accomplish that at your home. The staff guides you as you take your first steps in that direction, even giving you free xeric plant seeds or cuttings as part of their Seed of the Month program. When those go into the ground, you’ll feel wonderful knowing you’re literally planting the seeds for a healthy aina (land).”

Open house tours and workshops

Guided tours of the garden will be running continuously between 9:15 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

>> 9:15 a.m.: Xeriscape 101

>> 10 a.m.: Presentation on rain barrel water-catchment systems (also at noon and 2 p.m.). Must be present to purchase a rain barrel.

>> 10:30 a.m.: Nursery tour (also at 1 p.m.)

>> 10:30 a.m.: “Yellow-Faced Bees”

>> 12:15 p.m.: “Succulent Care”

>> 1:30 p.m.: “How to Select the Right Plant Media”

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.