LANDSCAPING THE XERISCAPE WAY

1. LANDSCAPING THE XERISCAPE WAY By Michael Martin Sedgwick County Extension Master Gardener

2. What is Xeriscape? • Xeriscape is a word derived from the Greek word “Xeros” meaning dry and “Scape” from the word “Landscape”. • It is used to describe landscaping with water conservation as a major objective. • Xeriscape is an attractive, sustainable landscape that conserves water.

3. How Does Xeriscaping Differ From Conventional Landscaping? • It is a method of Landscaping, not a style of landscaping. • It groups plants with similar moisture requirements together in watering zones. • It promotes a greater the use of native plants, thereby increasing the water savings. • It restricts higher water-use plants to areas where they will serve a purpose.

4. How Does Xeriscaping Differ From Conventional Landscaping? • It could save 25% to 50% in outdoor water use, depending on your previous water use habits. • The initial costs for xeriscape will probably be slightly higher due to cost of plant material. • The savings in irrigation and maintenance makes it cost-effective in a few years.

5. How Do I Get Started? • Learn the Seven Principles of Xeriscape. • Understand your own environment. • Make a plan based on your environment and the seven principles. • Carry out plan in stages. Most landscapes evolve over a period of years.

6. The Seven Principles of Xeriscape • Plan and design comprehensively. • Evaluate Soil and improve if necessary. • Create practical turf areas. • Use appropriate plants. • Water efficiently. • Use organic mulch. • Maintain appropriately.

7. Plan and design comprehensively • Consider the following items in your plan: existing structures, existing vegetation, slopes, exposures, and intended use sites. • Decide where things will be. • Decide when things will be done. Most landscapes are best done in phases.

8. Evaluate Soil and improve if necessary • Collect a “sample” of soil from the site and have it analyzed. • Adding compost will improve the soil in most cases. This will enhance root development, water penetration and retention. • Improve the soil before planting and installing an irrigation system.

9. Create practical turf areas • The type and location of turf areas should be considered a major design element of the landscape. Consider its’ purpose and function. • The reduction or elimination of high water-use turf areas can result in significant reductions in water use.

10. Use appropriate plants • Most plants have a place in Xeriscape. • Plant selection should be based on the intended use in the landscape. • Use of more plants with low water needs and native plants will allow the maximum water conservation.

11. Water efficiently • If an irrigation system is to be installed, it should be well planned and well managed. • Turf areas should be watered separately. • Group plants with like water needs, and water each group according its needs. • Irrigation needs change with the season and weather. • Even plants used in Xeriscape will require supplemental irrigation until they become established (2-3 years),

12. Use organic mulch • Minimizes evaporation • Reduces weed growth • Slows erosion • Prevents soil temperature fluctuations • Decomposes slowly adding nutrients to soil

13. Maintain appropriately • Proper pruning, weeding and fertilization, plus attention to the irrigation system, will preserve and enhance the quality of Xeriscape. • A landscape adapted to the environment will require less maintenance, less fertilizer and reduce the use of chemicals.

14. Understand your Environment • Yearly Normal Rainfall is 29.3 inches. • Average number of Sunny Days is 240. • Number of Days with Maximum Temperature is above 90 F is 64 • Number of Days with Minimum Temperature below 32F is 113. • Average wind speed is 12.3 mph and out of the South.

15. Understand your Environment • Know your soil type – Sand, Loam, or Clay. • Determine the soil’s organic content. • Determine Nutrient levels. • Most of our soils tend to be alkaline rather than acidic. • Consider having your soil tested.

16. Ideal Garden Soil • 45% Mineral particles (Medium-textured soil – only 20% of mineral particles should be clay) • 5% organic matter • 25% water • 25% air

17. Understand your Environment • Identify exposures – wind & sun. • Identify wet and dry areas. • Identify slopes. • Identify structures/trees and their impact on your yard.

18. The Design Process • Bring Together your vision and ideas. • Select a style or combination of styles. • Prepare the base plan. • Review the basics of Xeriscape. • Design water conservation into the plan. • Determine plant placement & function. • Prepare final plan.

19. The Design Process – Vision & Ideas • Imagine how you want your landscape to look. • Gather ideas you like from books, magazines, photographs, and natural landscapes. • View the outdoors as an extension of the indoors, allowing the interior to flow outside.

20. The Design Process - Styles • Formal Style: Orderly and balanced grouping of elements. • Informal Style: Less geometric, less defined edges and forms. • Natural Style: This style would blend with local natural environment.

21. The Formal Style • This style uses orderly, balanced grouping of elements. In order to save water with a formal design, plants must be carefully selected. Water is harvested where possible and low pressure irrigation is used.

22. The Formal Style

23. The Informal Style • In this style, lines tend to blur into each other and curves are often used. Plants are grouped in masses that blend into each other. Water conservation and natural ecological processes are easily integrated.

24. The Informal Style

25. The Natural Style • In this style, plants are grouped according their natural association, compatibility, water needs and their ability to fill a certain niche. This approach would blend with the local natural environment. It has a different standard of maintenance.

26. The Natural Style

27. The Design Process – The Views • Plan the views from indoors to outdoors. • Plan the views from outdoors to house. • Extend the outdoor views. • Photograph the views – pictures sometimes pick up things we tend to miss.

28. The Design Process – Activities and Connections • Identify the activities in each space or room: Public or private, recreation, entertainment, and service areas. • Plan the connections between the spaces. How you connect spaces affects how people experience a landscape. On your plan use arrows to show connections and movement.

29. Putting the design on Paper • You will need graph paper, a notebook, clipboard, pencils, eraser, ruler, tracing paper, tape measure (50’ or 100’), stakes and strings. You may also need a compass or drawing templates and protractors.

30. Elements to Include in Base Plan • Existing structures – buildings, trees, etc. • Boundaries and Easements • Direction of Water Flow • Microclimates (Wind, Sun, Shade, Wet, Dry) • Slopes

31. Design water conservation into the plan • Limit turf areas; limit cool season grasses • Do not put cool season turf on berms or steep slopes. • Keep high water need plants to a minimum. • No lawns in shady areas.

32. Design water conservation into the plan continued • Group plants with similar soil, exposure and water needs. • Eliminate plants that need irrigation from areas that are neither seen nor used. • Keep beds to a manageable size. • Use mulch.

33. Determine plant placement & function • Group plants with similar needs. • Favor native plants over others. • Use hedgerows instead of hedges, prairies instead of lawns, thickets instead of plant borders, and tree groves instead of specimens. • Group plants of varying root depths with non competing water needs.

34. Determine plant placement & function continued • Plants as structure create walls and define space. • Plants modify the environment (wind, dust, sound, temperature, shade, moisture, etc.) • Plants bring beauty and comfort to the landscape. • Consider the plants use in all seasons.

35. Prepare final plan • Many hours later you are ready to finish the plan. • Using strings or hoses, lay out the plan and literally walk through its components. Does it feel right? • Draw the plan to scale in its final form. If it gets too cluttered to read, put plant selection & placement on another paper.

36. Implementing the Plan • First, do the activities that cause the most disruption—use of heavy equipment, construction of rock walls and paths, etc. • Second, do soil preparation and amendments. • Third, trees, shrubs, other plants in that order. • Remember, the design can be done in stages!

37. Summary • Xeriscape requires an intimate knowledge of your site and region. • It may be hard work for some, but an exciting challenge for others. • The benefits are less air, water, and soil pollution, a beautiful landscape, and knowing you made a difference!

38. References • Common Sense Xeriscaping for Small Lot Owners by Margaret Kelly, CSU Extension Master Gardener, 1999. • Frequently Asked Questions (Xeriscape), Colorado Springs Utilities, 2003. • Landscape Water Conservation by Welch, Welch, & Duble, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, 2000.

39. References • Low Maintenance Landscaping by Gus van der Hoeven and Larry Leuthold, KSU Horticulture, 1992. • Xeriscape Handbook by Gayle Weinstein, Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, Colorado,1999.