Water efficient, drought tolerant landscapes
Xeriscaping is landscaping for a xeric (dry) environment. Plants in a xeriscape are chosen for their suitabiliity for the local climate. This means choosing drought-tolerant native and climate adapted non-invasive plants, planting intelligently, and designing spaces that make use of the naturally available moisture in the environment.
Xeriscaping is one of the most misunderstood concepts by landscape industry professionals. All around us, we see examples of poorly designed xeriscapes that are effectively ecologically unsound piles of rock with a few stressed out plants poking through. These designs often include supplemental irrigation, completely counter to the concept of xeriscaping.
Xeriscaping does not mean covering the soil with a thick layer of rock. In fact, doing so is extremely harmful to the environment. The heavy rock compacts the soil over time, reducing water infiltration, increaseing erosion, stormwater runoff, and load on municipal stormwater management systems. This prevents water from absorbing into the soil and being available to plants. Instead, the water moves across the surface and is lost, while eroding the soil and taking away valuable nutrients.
The travesty of rock-mulch-as-xeriscaping doesn’t end there. The rock layer absorbs solar radiation and stores it, radiating heat in all directions. This heats the soil, increasing water evaporation and further reducing the water available to plants. The heat is also radiated upwards, stressing out any local plants and contributing to the heat island effect.
A properly designed xeriscape functions as a sustainable ecosystem within the local climate. Once established, xeriscapes are able to survive without supplemental irrigation, making use of natural rainfall, topographical features, and groundwater storage. Instead of rock as ground cover, properly designed xeriscapes should rely on native and climate adapted ground cover plants to outcompete weeds, and intelligent use of materials including rock to create shade, control water, and support a sustainable xeric ecosystem.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or replacing existing landscaping, we can help design and build a true functional xeriscape that fits your site and your goals.
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