Tina, your jealously will be short lived once yours take off this season. Your main issue is lack of rain in CA during the growing season. Try and incorporate some rain barrels to supplement the lack thereof. I saw a CA home a few years ago on HGTV that didn't have any gutters and the yard was design to collect the run off and collect it in a large above ground storage tank. It was quiet an elaborate system. I will see if I can find a clip of that show.
