During the summer, when conservationists worry most about Utah's water resources, "Slow the Flow" commercials air around the clock.

Given spring's early start and the state's water woes, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District officials are not about to stand idle. The district is offering free landscaping classes to residents all over the Salt Lake Valley. The classes will teach how to design or redesign lawns with water conservation in mind.

"It is not really well-known on how to apply water-wise strategies correctly - specifically, how to irrigate and which plants are water-wise," says Clifton Smith, the district's garden manager.

Water-wise plants are sprouting in nurseries all over the valley. Many nurseries have a list of water-wise plants available.

A list of such plants can be found on Utah's Water-Wise Web site at www.waterwiseplants.utah.gov. Water-wise plants are defined as those that require little water - plants that need to be watered about every two weeks at most, according to the Web site.

The Water-Wise site's list includes myriad trees, shrubs, perennials, ground covers, grasses, vines and cacti. Plants at participating nurseries that meet the Water-Wise criteria will be affixed with a yellow tag certifying as much.

To see what a water-wise garden looks like, visit the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District's demonstration garden at 8215 S. 1300 West in West Jordan. The garden is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily from May 1 to Oct. 1.

Smith says the garden has some different examples of methods that can be used to construct a water-wise landscaping design. It also features regular vegetables, annuals and ways to more efficiently water these plants by using a drip system.

Water-wise classes will run from now to September. The classes, which are taught by landscaping experts, focus on topics such as planting native plants in gardens, efficient irrigation systems and general water-conservation tips.

"Sixty percent of culinary water is applied to landscaping," Smith says. "We focus on that because it is a source of water we could be saving."

Another part of the problem is that many Utahns water their yards twice as much as necessary. Utah's population growth also is a concern, making conservation a must-do.

"Water-wise landscaping is important for saving water - not only for droughts, but for the population growth in the valley," Smith adds. "Soon the water resources won't be able to provide for all the people."

Besides the free classes, the district is hosting garden fairs on May 20 and September 16. Experts will answer questions about conserving water in landscaping and gardening. To attract families, the events will feature music, children's activities and food. Utah native-plant vendors will be selling low-water plants.

Learn to be water-wise

* To sign up for landscape classes or pick up a free "Simple Guide to a Water-Efficient Landscape" booklet, visit the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District at 8215 S. 1300 West. For more information about the free classes and other matters, consult the Web at www.jvwcd.org.