Conserve Water Using the Seven Principles of Xeriscape

Angelita Daisy is a great little
water-conserving plant that I purchased
from HighCountryGardens.com

Autumn Sage offers lovely flowers
that attract hummingbirds
summer through fall.

Tuscan Blue Rosemary is
a great drought-tolerant perennial/shrub
that is also edible.

Is your water bill too high? Are you concerned about conserving our precious water and other natural resources? Don't want to mow a lawn? Installing, or transitioning your existing landscape to a Xeriscape-style (not Zeroscape) landscape may provide you with an attractive, lower maintenance, and water-efficient yard.

What is xeriscape? In short, it is a way to design and maintain an attractive landscape that is more in tune with the arid desert environment, and helps to conserve natural resources. According to the "Xeriscape Handbook" by Gayle Weinstein, the entire xeriscape concept is made up of seven principles that take you through the entire process.

The first principle is developing a landscape plan that acknowledges water conservation and natural ecological processes, while meeting needs of the specific site, weather, soil and environmental conditions. The design can be formal, informal or anything in between. This also includes properly grouping plants with similar soil, exposure and water requirements.

The second principle is to reduce turf and high-water use areas. Some suggestions include converting some of these areas into decks, porous paving, mulching, or low-water use plantings. If a lawn is absolutely necessary, limit the area to as little as possible, and use warm-season grasses such as Bermuda, Zoysia, or buffalo grasses instead of cool-season grasses like Kentucky blue grass, fescue or perennial rye.

If you are looking to remove lawn from your landscape, check with the Mojave Water Agency (http://www.mojavewater.org) or your local water company to see if they are currently offering a "Cash for Grass" program. There are specific rules that need to be followed, so it is best to check with them before you get started.

Principle three is to improve the soil with aeration or by adding organic amendments such as compost so that the soil has good water holding capability, yet provides proper drainage.

The fourth principle is to select appropriate plants. It is best to select plants that are from environments similar to those they will be planted in. Desert natives or desert adaptive plantings work well in this situation. They tend to prefer the soil types, climate conditions and elevations that the area provides, making the use of fertilizers and more not as necessary. The plants do not have to be all cactus and succulents. There are numerous other choices available – check out your local garden center or favorite catalog to what is offered (one my favorite online sources is www.highcountrygardens.com).

For another great source that offers help with choosing suitable water-conserving plants, check the Alliance for Water Awareness and Conservation (AWAC). It is a collaborative group of over 20 agencies promoting water conservation within the service area of the Mojave Water Agency. Check the desert landscaping page at http://www.mojavewater.org/desert-landscaping.html

The fifth principle is to use mulch to reduce evaporative water loss and protect against erosion. Mulches can be a number of materials from bark chips to rocks to recycled rubber products. Select mulch that complements the design and style of your landscape. Mulches are available at garden centers, nurseries, rock and sand businesses, and sometimes from local recycling agencies. You can also make your own much by chipping and shredding tree and shrub materials after they have been pruned from the plants

Principle six is efficient irrigation and sound watering practices. Keep plants that need a lot of water to a minimum and closest to the house. Eliminate plants that need irrigation in places that aren't seen or used. Avoid odd shaped planting beds that are difficult to irrigate. Eliminate irrigation overflow onto pavement or sidewalks. Use drip or bubbler emitters in non-turf areas. Only water when the plants actually need it, then, focus on deep-watering the root zone only.

The final principle is setting up a maintenance program that preserves the design while conserving natural resources.

Obviously, I was just touching on the basics of Xeriscaping. For much more complete information, there are many xeriscape books available. A trio of such books that I especially enjoy are "Xeriscape Plant Guide," "Xeriscape Handbook," and "Xeriscape Color Guide," which all work together to give a comprehensive approach to xeriscape designing, maintenance and plant selections for an effective and resource efficient landscape. AWAC and the Mojave Water Agency can also be very helpful.