Replacing grass lawns with drought-tolerant plants, mulch, and rock gardens helps conserve water. It also reduces energy used to treat and heat water, and to power lawn mowers and fertilizers.
You can even harvest rainwater with barrels or cisterns to provide additional irrigation during dry periods. Watering in the early morning or late evening maximizes absorption and reduces evaporation. Contact Vanta Outdoors for professional help.
Xeriscaping is a great way to conserve water, design a low-maintenance yard filled with color and variety, and add curb appeal to your home. However, choosing drought-tolerant plants that are both aesthetically pleasing and easy to care for can be challenging. A well-planned xeriscape can help you conserve water and cut your water bills by reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It can also reduce the need for mowing, weeding and other forms of yard maintenance.
Choose shrubs, trees, perennial flowers and ground covers that require little to no irrigation to thrive in your climate. A few hardy, drought-tolerant native plants can even survive without watering at all once they are established. Look for flowering shrubs that produce a variety of colors throughout the season or evergreen plants that provide color all year round.
Adding rock gardens, succulents and cacti can bring a splash of drama to your landscape. They thrive in rocky, well-draining soil. A few spiky, desert-like perennials, such as the Mexican Hat Plant and Spanish Dagger, can also provide a striking focal point in your garden.
If you decide to keep some grass, consider replacing sections of turf with drought-tolerant flowers and grasses, such as buffalograss or tall fescue. These require less water than standard lawns and support local wildlife.
To create a well-planned xeriscape, start with a landscape design that includes the areas where you will put plants and other elements, such as hardscapes. You should also choose a design that is easily adapted for your budget, lifestyle and garden space.
Once you have designed the layout, prepare the soil by amending it with compost and other organic matter. Well-draining soil is essential for xeriscaping, and the best soil has lots of organic matter that improves water penetration and retention. A soil test at a nursery or garden center can determine the soil type and what nutrients it is lacking. Adding these ingredients will give your soil the right structure to support healthy, drought-tolerant plants. You should also group plants with similar water requirements together, since this will help prevent over-watering less needy plants.
Drought Tolerance
When it comes to xeriscaping, you want to focus on plants that are drought-tolerant and indigenous to your region. Local nurseries and horticultural experts can help you find a variety of shrubs, perennials, ground covers and trees that thrive in your climate and soil conditions.
Some plant species that are considered drought-tolerant in one part of the country may be baked to a crisp in another, so you’ll need to check your USDA hardiness zone before making your selections. You’ll also want to consider if your landscape is exposed to sunlight or shade. If it’s often sunny, you’ll need to choose shade-loving plants, while full sun areas can support a variety of evergreens and deciduous trees.
Once you’ve selected the plants for your xeriscape, the next step is to add mulch and other landscaping features that are low-maintenance. A layer of organic or inorganic mulch helps reduce weeds, minimizes water evaporation and holds in moisture so the roots can absorb it. A layer of river stone is another effective xeriscape material, as it provides a physical barrier that stops weeds and limits wind exposure, allowing the water to penetrate the soil.
In addition to conserving water, a well-designed xeriscape supports pollinators and native ecosystems. Using native plants that are drought-tolerant, such as lantana, firebush and sage, will attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds while reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. Many xeriscape plants boast vibrant blooms that provide nectar to these essential pollinators, including the golden aster, milkweed and black-eyed Susans.
Other xeriscape landscape elements include cacti, succulents and ornamental grasses. Choosing drought-tolerant plants that are flowering, such as the Mexican cardinal flower and aloe vera, will add color and texture to your yard. Consider using shrubs that offer year-round interest as well, such as the saguaro and yucca, both of which have striking, spiky silhouettes and require very little maintenance. Lastly, use rocks or gravel as decorative accents to prevent erosion and retain soil moisture.
Irrigation
Xeriscapes require thoughtful planning and design. The first step is establishing the right soil conditions to promote healthy plant growth and reduce the need for supplemental watering. This involves amending the soil with compost and other organic material to improve its ability to absorb and hold moisture, allowing for proper root development. Adding this material also helps improve the soil’s structure, making it less compact and more capable of retaining water.
The next step is to establish a well-planned watering system, such as drip or soaker hoses that will deliver just the amount of water each plant needs. A good irrigation system allows for precise, consistent application of water and reduces waste caused by over-watering or runoff. The timing of the watering is also important. Watering early in the morning or late in the evening will ensure that water is absorbed rather than lost to evaporation. In addition, many xeriscape designs will utilize cisterns or barrels to harvest rainwater. This rainwater is often healthier for the plants than potable tap water and can serve as a valuable reserve during dry spells.
Incorporating native and drought-tolerant plants will reduce the need for irrigation and maintenance as these species have adapted to the local climate and soil conditions. These plants are also less expensive to maintain than non-native, high-water use landscaping. Depending on your locale, you may even be eligible for financial incentives or rebates for switching to a xeriscape landscape.
A xeriscape landscape does not have to be boring in appearance. In fact, a well-planned and designed xeriscape garden can be lush, colorful, and visually striking. It is also low-maintenance and self-sufficient, requiring fewer weeds and less pruning than traditional lawns. In addition, xeriscapes can also increase the value of your home and allow you to spend more time enjoying it.
Maintenance
A xeriscape garden is not just a rock or gravel landscape with few plants. It is a living, beautiful landscape that uses native and adaptive plants adapted to the local climate that requires less water than traditional lawns. Although xeriscaping can be more expensive to install than traditional landscaping, reducing water consumption and the need for fertilizer, herbicides and equipment saves money over time.
Xeriscapes also support biodiversity and contribute to a healthy natural environment by supporting local ecosystems. This approach to landscape design provides a visual delight that can be as appealing as the standard green yard and is more sustainable for the community’s water supply.
Once established, a xeriscape garden will require little to no supplemental watering, saving homeowners significant expense and labor over the life of the landscape. Using native Texas species that are already adapted to our arid environment, xeriscaping is an effective way to reduce irrigation costs while also promoting sustainable practices and preserving the local ecology.
While xeriscape gardens require less water than traditional lawns, it is important to maintain the proper plant health by regularly mowing, weeding and pruning. The use of a layer of mulch helps conserve moisture, prevent soil compaction, and protects the roots from excessive heat or cold. When watering, it is best to do so in the morning when temperatures are cooler and the water won’t evaporate as easily.
Another important part of maintaining a xeriscape is to provide the appropriate amount of organic material for the landscape, such as compost and manure, in order to improve the soil’s overall health and increase its ability to retain water. This will help the xeriscape garden become self-sufficient and decrease the need for chemical fertilizers.
A well-planned xeriscape garden can be easy to maintain, requiring less mowing, pruning, and fertilizing than a traditional lawn. However, the use of a well-maintained irrigation system is essential for efficient water usage and to reduce the need for herbicides, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers, which are harmful to children, pets, and the environment. A landscape contractor can help you plan a xeriscape garden that is both low-maintenance and visually appealing.