Staff \u2014 February 1, 2013<\/p>\n

Colorful landscapes show that Xeriscape installations needn\u2019t be limited to rocks and cactus. And they do need water-just not much.<\/p>\n

Seven principles of Xeriscape<\/h3>\n

\n
• Planning and design<\/li>\n
• Soil improvement<\/li>\n
• Appropriate plant selection<\/li>\n
• Practical turf areas<\/li>\n
• Efficient irrigation<\/li>\n
• Use of mulch<\/li>\n
• Appropriate maintenance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  Let\u2019s put the notion to rest once and for all: The term \u201cXeriscape\u201d is not pronounced \u201czeroscape.\u201d Granted, some detractors use the mispronunciation as a joke, but far too many sincerely believe it. Xeriscape stems from the root word \u201cxeric\u201d \u2013 in essence, dry. To get wordsmithy about it, the definition of \u201cxeric\u201d is: \u201ccharacterized by, relating to, or requiring only a small amount of moisture.\u201d So much for the word itself; it seems pretty clear.<\/p>\n

  A common misconception remains, however, and it\u2019s easily debunked. The practice does not limit an installation to cactus and concrete, and until they\u2019re established, plants do need a bit of supplemental water. \u201cRather than paving over the back yard with concrete,\u201d says Dan DeGrush, \u201chomeowners can have a xeric landscape with several different species of plants. You can have purples, reds, yellows, whites; there really are a lot of color options and plants that flower at all times of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n

  
  \nClick image to enlarge.<\/em>
  \nA bouquet of wildflowers graces the Xeriscape garden of a Denver-area residence.<\/em><\/p>\n

  DeGrush is a designer with Lifescape Associates, a design\/build firm in Denver, where the concept of Xeriscape originated. Still, he says, \u201cI\u2019ve seen people put concrete in their front yards just to avoid watering.\u201d<\/p>\n

  The need is now<\/h3>\n

  At its very core, Xeriscape is a way of landscaping that promotes water conservation, and no matter where the landscape is located, that\u2019s a noble goal. But it\u2019s ever more critical given that a significant part of the country is continuing to experience drought. The past couple of years have seen record heat and aridity, and the U.S. Drought Monitor, the arid-conditions watchdog for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, predicts that drought will persist or worsen in the next several months across well more than half of the nation. What seems like a reasonable idea \u2013 conserving water use in managed landscapes \u2013 soon may be a requirement.<\/p>\n

  
  \nClick image to enlarge.<\/em>
  \nThe award-winning display garden at Lifescape Associates in Denver shows just how colorful a Xeriscape installation can be.<\/em><\/p>\n

  A Xeriscape installation doesn\u2019t mean no water is needed; without sensible application of supplemental irrigation, no garden can establish. As DeGrush explains, a successful low-water landscape actually requires attention to three things: \u201cPlant selection, soil preparation and your irrigation system.\u201d In the Denver area, where DeGrush works, \u201c\u2026 and all along the Front Range, irrigation systems are paramount,\u201d he says. \u201cThere\u2019s just not enough water to keep newly planted plants alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

  
  \nClick image to enlarge.<\/em>
  \nBlooming perennials and colorful ornamental grasses combine with sturdy evergreen shrubs in a landscape that\u2019s designed to survive-and thrive-in challenging, dry conditions.<\/em><\/p>\n

  Planning for long-term success<\/h3>\n

  What\u2019s needed even before the first sketch is drawn, DeGrush explains, is to help your clients and customers set the right expectations. Show them the variety of colorful plants that can fill a beautiful, low-water garden, and then help them understand that \u201clush\u201d isn\u2019t instantaneous. The majority of plants take about three years to establish themselves, he says, and unless your client accepts that, she\u2019s bound to be disappointed.<\/p>\n

  
  \nClick image to enlarge.<\/em>
  \nThe view from a suburban hot tub shows the near-seamless transition from installed Xeriscape to natural property.<\/em><\/p>\n

  \u201cThe first year,\u201d he says, \u201call you really care about is the root system. You don\u2019t really care if there are that many flowers on the plant, because it\u2019s putting energy into root growth.<\/p>\n

  \u201cThe second year,\u201d he continues, \u201cyou get a mix of everything: You\u2019re focusing on root growth; you\u2019re watching the plant get a little larger; you\u2019re getting some flowering, but the plant is not at its peak. The third year \u2013 that\u2019s when the plant is happy underground, and because it\u2019s spending less energy on its root system, it can spend it on flowers and vegetation. The plants are starting to live on their own; they need less help from the irrigation system that they absolutely needed in their first two years.\u201d<\/p>\n

  
  \nClick image to enlarge.<\/em>
  \nOn a terraced property where the suburbs meet \u201cnative\u201d space, a xeric installation includes a bit of turf as well as select shrubs and perennials that require very little supplemental moisture once they\u2019re established.<\/em><\/p>\n

  A bit of water goes a long way<\/h3>\n

  The benefit of drip irrigation in a Xeriscape garden, he says, is that the system targets only the part of the plant that needs water \u2013 the roots. And if you install a zoned, ET-based \u201csmart\u201d system, you can manage water use for each specific microclimate on the property. \u201cIf you\u2019ve got a part of the garden that\u2019s on the south, that\u2019s all sun and slope,\u201d DeGrush explains, \u201cyou can program the system differently than for the north side, in the back, where water is needed less.<\/p>\n

  
  \nClick image to enlarge.<\/em>
  \nEven in the city, a xeric landscape provides a lively contrast to the flat gray of concrete surfaces.<\/em><\/p>\n

  \u201cFurther,\u201d he continues, \u201cyou can turn it down in the third year, and you\u2019re not only saving water, you\u2019re saving more money.\u201d<\/p>\n

  Clients may balk at the cost of a high-end irrigation program, but as DeGrush points out, the local municipality just might offer some assistance. In Castle Rock and Aurora, Colo., for example, homeowners can receive rebates for installing water-saving irrigation systems. \u201cIf you can save a few bucks that way,\u201d DeGrush says, \u201cyou can put the money into more plants. A couple hundred dollars on a rebate; that\u2019s a good situation for [the homeowner].\u201d<\/p>\n

  
  \nClick image to enlarge.<\/em>
  \nThe short-term outlook for drought relief isn\u2019t promising.<\/em>
  \nMap courtesy of the National Weather Service, Climate Prediction Center<\/em><\/p>\n

  Is it just for deserts?<\/h3>\n

  Although Xeriscape as a design concept began in a dry, High Plains town, the approach is appropriate in any location where water must be conserved. As DeGrush says, \u201cEven in deserts, there can be extremely diverse areas, with diverse plant species.\u201d<\/p>\n

  Transitional spaces are especially good candidates for xeric gardens, where plants can help to blend the installed landscape with the natural. And these tend to be spaces where supplemental water may be difficult to come by. It took off in Colorado where, DeGrush says, \u201cThere are great transitional spaces because the grasslands have been here forever, and if you\u2019re going to connect the [built] landscape to that space, bringing in lots of color is what we\u2019re after.\u201d<\/p>\n

  Sourcing your plants locally is a good idea, but be sure to talk with your grower and understand which plants do best to provide abundant color and interesting form while requiring very little input. \u201cXericape planting is very microclimate-driven,\u201d DeGrush says. \u201cAreas on the same property can differ in terms of sun, slope, deer pressure, water, soil \u2026 different plants will tolerate different conditions. But with a good irrigation system, selecting the right plants and prepping the soil properly, you can get all these sites to look good.\u201d<\/p>\n

  If your suburban clients have a borrowed vista, you can make the most of it with a transitional dry garden. If they live in town, you\u2019ll save them from battling the water district \u2013 and you\u2019ll save them money \u2013 by applying a few Xeriscape principles. Just assure them that they can have easy care, lower utility bills and lots of vibrant color.<\/p>\n

  Sally Benson is editorial director for American Nurseryman. She can be reached at [email protected].<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Staff \u2014 February 1, 2013 Colorful landscapes show that Xeriscape installations needn\u2019t be limited to rocks and cactus. And they do need water-just not much. Seven principles of Xeriscape Planning and design Soil improvement Appropriate plant selection Practical turf areas Efficient irrigation Use of mulch Appropriate maintenance Let\u2019s put the notion to rest once and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nursery"],"yoast_head":"\n