Xeriscaping Tips
"Xeriscaping and xerogardening refers to landscaping and gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental irrigation. It is promoted in areas that do not have easily accessible supplies of fresh water, and is catching on in other areas as climate patterns shift.
The word xeriscaping is a portmanteau of xeros (Greek for "dry") and landscape."
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeriscaping
10/14/2009: Earth Clinic Planet writes: "We're all tempted by the image of our lawns draped entirely in a perfect robe of Kentucky Bluegrass, but few of us really have the environmental conditions appropriate to the suburban ideal. This is especially true in local climates that dryly saunter toward the desert end of the scale. It was for that reason, and with increasing water demands in mind, that Denver civic planners coined the phrase and formulated the concept of xeriscape landscaping. Very simply, Xeriscaping is planting your home and work greenspaces with water demands foremost in mind.
Consequently, the single guiding principle of xeriscaping is to do all your xeriscape gardening so as to minimize the need to irrigation. Choose xeriscape plants that tolerate drought well. Use plenty of organic compost to improve water absorption and retention. Group plants according to their water-need intensities, and use drip irrigation when watering is a necessity.
Xeriscaping doesn't mean a yard full of cacti, though of course they are a popular part of the mix. No, lavender and thyme might surprise you as common xeriscape plants, sedum, coneflower, butterfly bush, zinnias, and bee balm as well. "
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01/17/2010: ECP Editor writes: "The shortcut to xeriscaping is simply to select and establish your garden or lawn with plants that are localized to the region you are living in. Native flora has spent centuries or more adapting itself to the lack of water and other local environmental conditions. Drought tolerance will be built in to a plant that is self-engineered for an arid climate. Such grasses, flowers, and other plants will not only survive in your arid environment but also require significantly less maintenance in terms of watering, fertilizer, and pesticides."
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1 YEA
04/07/2009: Louise from Los Alamos, New Mexico writes: "I want to try xeriscaping but don't want to give up my colorful garden. Does anybody on Earth Clinic have experience with this?"
[YEA]04/09/2009: Joan from Los Angeles, CA, USA replies: "Xeriscaping does not condemn you to a monochromatic garden. My friends and I have enjoyed the bright hues of low water use plants such as Manzanita, True Myrtle Compacta, Pineapple Guava, Lily of the Nile, Autumn Sage, Emu bush, etc. Remember to water when you first plant and continue to water until the new plants are established (3-6 months)."
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