Xeriscaping

Xeriscaping (Low Water Use Landscaping) Your Yard
Xeriscaping is a method of landscaping using minimal amounts of water that was created by the Denver Water Department in 1978. The word was coined by combining the Greek word xeros ("dry") with landscape. (The word "xeriscape" is a registered trademark of Denver Water, the city of Denver's water department.)

Xeriscaping your yard can save as much as 50% of your total water use!

There are seven basic principles of xeriscaping:

1) Water-wise planning and design
Also termed hydrozoning, this involves grouping plants with similar watering requirements together. Plants that require more water (for example, vegetables, fruits, and certain flowers) are located together. These less water-efficient plants may also be sheltered from the wind and/or sun by planting them in the shade (under trees, beside a house etc.) to decrease the amount of water they need. High water using plants may be placed nearer the home in an "oasis" area where they are more fully enjoyed.

2) Drought tolerant plants
Where possible, plants that are native to the area or to similar climates are used, as well as other plants that tolerate or avoid water stress (succulents, xeriphytes, halophytes, summer or winter dormant bulbs, very deeply rooted plants) as ornamentals.

3) Appropriate size turf areas
Lawns are kept small, to the size needed for actual use. Drought-tolerant turf-grass species are used where turf is needed at all (e.g., children's play areas, pet use areas, etc.). The remaining landscape can be filled in with borders and islands of more water-efficient ornamental plants.

4) Harvest water where possible
Water harvesting should be included in the landscaping design. Channel runoff water to planted areas or contain it for later use. Mounds or berms at the edge of the property can help retain the water on the land. Locate plants with high water needs where they can take advantage of the extra water.

5) Efficient irrigation equipment and design
Water should be applied efficiently, by drip irrigation or soaker hoses, where possible. Overhead irrigation (never ideal) can be applied in the morning or evening, when it is less likely to be blown away by wind or lost by evaporation. Drought-tolerant plants get no more water than they need to look good, and of course water is prevented from splashing onto concrete walkways or other areas where it is not needed.

6) Mulch & soil amendments
A layer of mulch conserves water in the soil as it keeps the soil surface cool and slows evaporation. Improve the soil structure with compost, manure or peat moss when planting. Soil with improved structure retains water better.

7) Proper maintenance practices
Proper maintenance practices reduce water use:

• In general, prune minimally. Topiary pruning is to be avoided at all costs as it increases water use and stresses plants.
• Fertilize only enough for plant health, and ideally use a slow release fertilizer.
• Aerate and de-thatch your lawn once a year to improve infiltration and reduce runoff.
• Remove weeds, as they use valuable water.
• Maintain the irrigation system in good working order, and change watering habits with the season.

Advantages

• Lower water use
• More water available for other uses and other people (such as showers, sinks, laundry etc.)
• Less time and work needed for maintenance, making gardening more simple and stress-free
• Little or no lawn mowing (saves energy)
• Takes full advantage of rainfall
• Xeriscape plants will tend to survive and look attractive when water restrictions are implemented, while more traditional plants may not
• Increases habitat for native bees, butterflies, and other fauna
• Xeriscape beds require only periodic maintenance which is done only two or three times per year instead of one or two times per week, as with most lawns in the summer.

Disadvantages

• Involves more start-up work to prepare beds for planting than simply laying sod when installing new landscaping

Links

Xeriscape Colorado

Canadian Xeriscape Gardening

Summerland BC Ornamental Garden

Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Colorado State University Cooperative Extension

Center for the Study of the Built Environment's Water-Conserving Landscapes Project

Source:
Xeriscaping. (2008, June 3). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:05, June 3, 2008, from wikipedia.org

Check out these sites to learn more about Xeriscaping:
Designing a waste efficient landscape
Xeriscaping to reduce your use of water