By Kevin Van Andel, Master Gardener, SCMG
Xeriscaping it’s not just cacti, yucca and river rock. Of course, it can be…
But it can be so much more!
- While it has a reputation for cacti and rocks among gardeners who have not tried it xeriscaping can create varied and beautiful environments.
- Xeric is a Greek work for dry. The term xeriscaping was coined by the Denver water department in 1978.
- A benefit is resisting drought conditions because of water conservation.
- Planning is key, group plants such as drought tolerant together, then other plants that require more watering together to ensure your plants will get the proper care.
- Planting spring bulbs and early blooming flowers such as tulips, daffodils and iris give early colour to your garden and for the most part finish blooming before the heat of summer is here.
- Plants will require significant irrigation the first and possibly the second dry season to help roots travel deep enough to support the plant without irrigation. As it becomes more established irrigation can be cut back or phased out. Early maintenance is important for success.
- For anyone completing a xeriscape, researching local native species used for landscaping, plus the array of imported species from dry climates around the world is key to success.
- There is no better way to make your home environmentally green and create a model landscape for water conservation.
- At it’s simplest, xeriscaping is about selecting plants that can thrive in the landscape with as little supplemental water as possible.
- This means choosing a variety of native plants, as well as other well-adapted species.
- Many regions restrict the use of water on landscapes, so choosing xeric plants is one way of having a beautiful garden while watering less.
- Replacing lawns with xeric plants can cut your water use by 80% or more
- Benefits of xeriscaping include saving money, helping the environment by using fewer resources and getting away from the constant maintenance of the usual lawn and flowerbed style garden.
