My Garden Planner

Xeriscaping methods for every climate - Create a yard that conserves energy, water and money.

John Bruce

As part of the movement toward a greener lifestyle, low-water or dry landscaping is becoming more and more popular.

The term xeriscape (pronounced zeer-i-scape) is from the Greek xeros, which means dry, and refers to creating creative landscapes that require less water for maintenance. Many people mistakenly believe that all xeriscaped gardens are just rock collections with a few cactuses thrown in, but in educated hands they can be far more.

There are several proven xeriscaping principles; most actually apply to all landscape designs:
1. Water-wise planning and design
2. Lawn size appropriate for needed use
3. Appropriate plant selection
4. Efficient irrigation
5. Use of surface mulches and soil amendments
6. Proper maintenance

One approach practiced in the truly arid parts of the country is to design a landscape with areas of different water demands. This is known as hydrozoning, and it results in a garden with diverse plant collections. A single garden might include:

• An “oasis,” a zone with the highest water use, which is usually a space where people spend the most time. Patios or entry areas are candidates for an oasis. This area also may require more maintenance and is often the landscape’s most colorful area.

• A transition zone, an area of moderate water use beyond the oasis. A transition zone contains plants that require less frequent irrigation and usually less maintenance.

• A low-watering zone. Beyond the transition zone and father from the oasis, this zone requires no supplemental water or little irrigation during prolonged dry periods.

Water that runs off roofs and pavement during storms can be used to reduce the need for supplemental irrigation. Roof runoff directed to the oasis or other areas can reduce the need for extra irrigation in the other zones. This technique requires grading to channel and detain runoff, so it should be planned when the landscape is designed, perhaps with the help of a professional.

Irrigation is necessary in a xeriscape, at least during the first few years while the plant root systems are developing. Irrigation may also be necessary later, depending on the landscape and plant needs. Evaporation losses can be reduced by using drip irrigation, soaker hoses or bubblers.

Another necessity is mulch, a layer of nonliving material covering the soil surface around plants. Mulches can be organic materials such as bark and compost or inorganic materials like stone, gravel and lava rock. Effective mulch conserves water by significantly reducing moisture evaporation from the soil. Mulch also reduces weed populations, prevents soil compaction and keeps soil temperatures more moderate.

No single approach guarantees a successful xeriscape project. An appropriate design will make the difference between success and failure. Always try to work with the natural features of your landscape. A landscape designer may help insure success.

First, consider which areas of your yard are:

• Shaded throughout the day
• Shaded part of the day
• Shaded differently through the seasons
• Open slopes that do not collect water
• Flat and collect some rainwater
• Low areas or areas with natural borders that facilitate natural water collection

Wind conditions, plus average summer and winter temperatures, are other factors to consider when creating your xeriscape. Helpful advice for design strategies can be found on the website of the Xeriscape Landscaping Organization, www.xeriscapelandscaping.org. A landscape plan is not that expensive and usually pays for itself by ensuring the right plants are used in the right locations.

The more you can make use of the natural, existing qualities of your yard’s terrain, the less reworking you will need to do. Making radical changes to your terrain can mean high labor and materials costs. Likewise, sensible alterations to the landscape can result in reduced long-term maintenance, and work can be made much easier when new plants and other changes are appropriate for the terrain.

Choosing the right plants is essential. Many universities provide information on plants that are adapted to your region and soil conditions. These services can help determine which plants are best adapted to the site and which amendments are appropriate for improving the soil for the selected plants. Adding compost, either from your own compost pile or bagged products, improves soil tremendously by increasing water-holding capacity, aeration and drainage.

Generally, it makes sense to choose plants well adapted to your area because of their resistance to drought, insects and disease. Most regions have wide selections of adapted, drought-resistant plants that can save ample amounts of water. These include trees, drought-resistant shrubs, vines, perennials, annuals, grasses and herbs. Commercial sources of native plants are becoming commonplace.

If your preference is flowering plant varieties,Proven Winners is the leading brand of flowering plants in North America. Plants in the brand include Supertunia Vista Petunia, Diamond Frost Euphorbia and Flambe Yellow Chrysocephalum. The Supertunia Vista series saves money because it doesn’t need as much water as other petunias and because it grows two feet in length, meaning only a couple plants are needed to cover an area. Diamond Frost and Flambe Yellow are plants that do well with less water.

Proven Winners has tools on its website, www.provenwinners.com, that can be handy when choosing plants. In the search section, click on the advanced search options. There, you are able to narrow your results according to water needs and other relative information pertaining to ornamental characteristics, suitability to wildlife, pets and more. Flowers need supplemental water at times, depending on region and season. Consider this carefully when using them in xeriscaping.

Another good comprehensive resource for plant selection is the searchable database found on the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center’s Web site, www.wildflower.org.

There, types of plants can be identified according to characteristics such as appearance, lifespan, bloom time and bloom color. Plus, there are how-to guides on starting a native-grass lawn, butterfly garden, native-plants garden and more.

Landscaping for energy conservation should be part of any landscape design. Plant deciduous trees on the west and southwest sides of structures. Such trees can offer enough shade to lower roof and wall temperatures by up to 20 degrees. Deciduous trees allow sunlight through open branches in the winter to help warm and light the home.

Shade can also be created by using a combination of landscape features such as shrubs and vines on arbors or trellises. Shade the outdoor compressor unit of an air conditioning system to help save up to 10 percent on summer cooling bills. Be sure to leave room—at least three feet—for airflow and service access.

XERISCAPE (and good landscape design) PLUSES

• Less water consumption
• More water available for other uses
• Less time and work needed
• Time is needed for mulching, weeding, pruning, planting flowers, though
• Xeriscape plants along with proper bed design tend to take full advantage of rainfall
• With water restrictions, xeriscape plants tend to survive while nonadaptive or non-native plants might not.

WEB RESOURCES

Xeriscape Landscaping Organization, xeriscapelandscaping.org

Proven Winners, provenwinners.com/plants

Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, wildflower.org

Sustainable Sources, xeriscape.sustainablesources.com

The Scotts Company, Scotts.com

John Bruce is an editor, writer and gardener.