Xeriscaping is a style of design that focuses on landscape elements that don't need water. It first took hold a few decades back in the Southwest and arid sections of California, but now xeriscaping is catching on in every region of the country, as temperatures rise and water rationing becomes more frequent.
If you know anyone who's recently become a vegan or a vegetarian, you've probably noticed that often the first step is to look at the food on your plate differently. Instead of a meal consisting of a large hunk of animal protein, a glob of starch and some vegetables, plant-based cooks tend to create more of a symphony of equal parts.
Xeriscaping is kind of like that. The landscape elements of open space, trees, shrubs and plants aren't abandoned -- they just come in different proportions and use slightly different raw materials.
Lawns
Image Credit: Wikimedia - Downtowngal
In general, xeriscaping cuts down on grass in favor of hardscape and beds of drought-tolerant plants. This doesn't mean you should just surround a property with gravel.
For open spaces, you can choose drought-tolerant grasses and ground covers. There are a lot of different drought-resistant cultivars, many of them native, that are tough, resilient, and beautiful too.
Shrubs and plants
Classic xeriscaping makes wide use of cacti and succulents, most of which have zero chance of surviving in Northern climates. Drought-tolerant ornamental grasses, in contrast, are suited to survive in a range of climate zones and can be breathtakingly beautiful. Fountain grass, with its draping leaves and flower spikes, is a favorite. Little bluestem is another. And if you really want to make an impression, try Pampas grass.
You don't have to abandon flowers when you opt to xeriscape. Russian sage and lavender are beautiful, fragrant, and drought-tolerant. The flowering shrub potentilla is tough as nails, has a long blooming season, comes in a variety of colors, and can attract butterflies. And no matter where you live, native plants will offer you a wide selection of beautiful choices.
The trend of planting with natives goes hand in hand with xeriscaping. Natives, by definition, know how to survive in your neighborhood without a lot of help from you. And they attract local fauna, which is why more and more savvy homeowners and builders are planting their landscape to include them.
Yes, you can plant trees
Image Credit: Wikimedia - SEWilco
Xeriscaping doesn't mean living without shade. In fact, you want shade to help you reduce your need for water. Yes, trees may need a lot of water to get started. But after that, these big kids can take care of themselves. Drought-tolerant trees have extensive root systems that maximize their ability to reach moisture and protective waxes that allow them to use water efficiently. It's astonishing how many there are. But whether you choose tall trees such as shagbark hickory or disease-resistant elm or flowering ornamentals such as crape myrtle or redbud, you must mulch.
Mulch is your magic ingredient for all your xeriscape plantings except the lawn. It keeps moisture in and extreme temperature out. And mulch creates a unified appearance across your yard, helping make your xeriscaped garden the equal of more traditional landscapes.
The xeriscaper next door
The turf specialist who lives next door has only watered his lawn once in the 15 years he's owned his house. But he watered only a few small sections right in front of his house that were turning brown during a rare dry stretch a few summers back. His approach to the many beautiful trees he has planted is similar to that of his lawn. After watering them when they were new, he forgets them.
His attitude about growing things is simple: If plants can't make it on their own, they shouldn't be here. Still the flower beds, trees, and lawn on his lush 5 acres are so gorgeous you want to spy on them.
Though he is not one for fancy words, my neighbor is a bona fide practitioner of xeriscaping.
Frances Black is a writer and gardener. She was born in Michigan and has planted gardens everywhere she's lived, from New Mexico to New England.
Why Xeriscaping is Becoming More Popular
Xeriscaping is a style of design that focuses on landscape elements that don't need water. It first took hold a few decades back in the Southwest and arid sections of California, but now xeriscaping is catching on in every region of the country, as temperatures rise and water rationing becomes more frequent.
If you know anyone who's recently become a vegan or a vegetarian, you've probably noticed that often the first step is to look at the food on your plate differently. Instead of a meal consisting of a large hunk of animal protein, a glob of starch and some vegetables, plant-based cooks tend to create more of a symphony of equal parts.
Xeriscaping is kind of like that. The landscape elements of open space, trees, shrubs and plants aren't abandoned -- they just come in different proportions and use slightly different raw materials.
Lawns
Image Credit: Wikimedia - Downtowngal
In general, xeriscaping cuts down on grass in favor of hardscape and beds of drought-tolerant plants. This doesn't mean you should just surround a property with gravel.
For open spaces, you can choose drought-tolerant grasses and ground covers. There are a lot of different drought-resistant cultivars, many of them native, that are tough, resilient, and beautiful too.
Shrubs and plants
Classic xeriscaping makes wide use of cacti and succulents, most of which have zero chance of surviving in Northern climates. Drought-tolerant ornamental grasses, in contrast, are suited to survive in a range of climate zones and can be breathtakingly beautiful. Fountain grass, with its draping leaves and flower spikes, is a favorite. Little bluestem is another. And if you really want to make an impression, try Pampas grass.
You don't have to abandon flowers when you opt to xeriscape. Russian sage and lavender are beautiful, fragrant, and drought-tolerant. The flowering shrub potentilla is tough as nails, has a long blooming season, comes in a variety of colors, and can attract butterflies. And no matter where you live, native plants will offer you a wide selection of beautiful choices.
The trend of planting with natives goes hand in hand with xeriscaping. Natives, by definition, know how to survive in your neighborhood without a lot of help from you. And they attract local fauna, which is why more and more savvy homeowners and builders are planting their landscape to include them.
Yes, you can plant trees
Image Credit: Wikimedia - SEWilco
Xeriscaping doesn't mean living without shade. In fact, you want shade to help you reduce your need for water. Yes, trees may need a lot of water to get started. But after that, these big kids can take care of themselves. Drought-tolerant trees have extensive root systems that maximize their ability to reach moisture and protective waxes that allow them to use water efficiently. It's astonishing how many there are. But whether you choose tall trees such as shagbark hickory or disease-resistant elm or flowering ornamentals such as crape myrtle or redbud, you must mulch.
Mulch is your magic ingredient for all your xeriscape plantings except the lawn. It keeps moisture in and extreme temperature out. And mulch creates a unified appearance across your yard, helping make your xeriscaped garden the equal of more traditional landscapes.
The xeriscaper next door
The turf specialist who lives next door has only watered his lawn once in the 15 years he's owned his house. But he watered only a few small sections right in front of his house that were turning brown during a rare dry stretch a few summers back. His approach to the many beautiful trees he has planted is similar to that of his lawn. After watering them when they were new, he forgets them.
His attitude about growing things is simple: If plants can't make it on their own, they shouldn't be here. Still the flower beds, trees, and lawn on his lush 5 acres are so gorgeous you want to spy on them.
Though he is not one for fancy words, my neighbor is a bona fide practitioner of xeriscaping.
Frances Black is a writer and gardener. She was born in Michigan and has planted gardens everywhere she's lived, from New Mexico to New England.
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