High Country Gardens Style of Xeriscaping: Basic Principles

Water conservation is becoming a very important consideration across the US. Read these 8 basic principles to learn how you can conserve resources with your landscape design.

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  • Topic: Xeriscaping
  • Author: David Salman
  • Keywords: Xeriscaping, Planning, Basic, Garden Tips, gardens, xeric, xeriscape, xeriscapes
  • Date: April 2007

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1. Planning and Design.

Whether you’re starting from scratch, or renovating an existing landscape, take the time to plan out your design before you start to plant.

Part of the planning process involves creating water use zones so you can allocate water usage where it will most directly contribute to the beauty and comfort of your home.

2. Use Native Grasses for Turf Areas whenever possible.

For optimum water savings use native grasses such as turf-type Buffalo Grass and Blue Grama grass (in the Western US). These are excellent drought-tolerant alternatives to thirsty Kentucky Blue Grass and other turf type grasses.

3. Use Plants Matched to Regional Conditions.

Use plants that are a good match for your region’s growing conditions. Both native and adapted (plants from other continents) need to be adapted to your soil pH, soil type, precipitation levels and weather (winter cold and summer heat).

4. Create a Healthy, Living Soil.

The key to any successful xeriscape is a healthy, living soil. When new homes have been built on sites where the top soil has been removed or badly damaged by disturbance and compaction, living soil must be started from scratch. On established sites with good soil, soil health simply needs to be maintained.

5. Use Mulches.

Mulching is an essential gardening technique in arid regions, especially in the Western US. Mulching saves water, helps the soil absorb water, reduces weed growth, and creates a healthy root environment.

6. Irrigate Efficiently.

Water deeply and less frequently to encourage deep root growth. Shallow, frequent irrigation encourages shallow root growth and thirsty plants.

7. Harvest Rain and Snow Run Off.

Harvesting water from roofs, sidewalk, driveways and other hard surfaces and directing it onto your landscape to be stored in the soil is a very practical way of supplementing irrigation from your well or faucet.

8. Maintain Your Landscape and Garden Properly.

A well planned xeriscape planted with plants appropriately matched to your regional conditions and climate will naturally be a low maintenance type of garden. When ever possible use organic products and techniques to create a balanced, healthy landscape in harmony with the environment.

For more information, see the full version of this article: Xeriscaping with High Country Gardens