Xeriscaping is the art of landscaping with plants that require little water. It’s a great way to capture the native beauty of the Austin region while reducing your impact on the environment and saving money on your water bill. Xeriscaping can look natural and creative or formal and geometric, depending on your style. It helps conserve water by reducing evaporation from exposed soil surfaces and helps eliminate runoff from roofs and driveways that can contribute to flooding downstream.
Xeriscaping is a word coined to describe an attractive landscape without the use of water. The root word for Xeriscape is xeric, meaning dry. The concept of xeriscaping began in the late 1970s when Colorado passed legislation requiring municipalities to develop water conservation plans for their areas. The city of Denver decided that rather than give each homeowner a quota for how much water he could use on his own property each year; they would instead educate people about ways to conserve water through proper landscape design techniques such as replacing grass lawns with native plants or installing low-flow faucets throughout homes etc.
While xeriscaping was originally used for desert areas but can now be used for any area where water is scarce.
Xeriscaping does not mean having a landscape that is only cacti and rocks.
Don’t think that you have to give up your favorite plants and flowers just because you want a xeriscape. A xeriscape is not just cacti and rocks. There are many varieties of succulents, flowering annuals, and perennials that will thrive on little water, or even no water at all. You can still have shrubs around the edge of your yard or tucked into corners where they will get enough sun but not too much heat, while still getting their required nutrients from fertilizers instead of watering them every day.
If you’re worried about how well your plants might do without regular watering, you are in luck! With proper soil preparation (including amendments such as compost or leaf mold), the right amount of mulch on top of the ground around each plant, adequate drainage in areas with standing water after rainfall or irrigation application, along with proper selection when choosing species for your drainage zone and climate zone—you’ll be surprised how well things grow once they’ve been properly prepared for life in a xeriscape!
Plants and flowers can still be included in the xeriscape, but the plants must be watered and fertilized properly to avoid damage to their roots.
Xeric plants are often more drought-tolerant than other plants, but they still require watering and fertilizing to avoid damage to their roots. In addition to being planted in the right area of your garden, these plants must be watered correctly in order to thrive and grow properly.
The most important thing you can do when planting xeric plants is to provide them with plenty of water at first. This will help them establish healthy root systems while they get used to their new environment. Once that initial period has passed, you should only need to give your xeric plants a moderate amount of water each week until the ground becomes dry enough for it not to hurt them (usually about six inches deep). However, if you notice that there are yellowing leaves or wilting flowers on any particular plant over time (or after heavy rainfall), it may mean that you’re not giving enough water overall—and in this case, it would be better if you increased how much water those specific areas get.
At Austin Native Landscaping, we love helping you choose native plants for your outdoor space. Native plants are more sustainable than many other types of landscaping options because they require less maintenance over time and they provide habitat for native wildlife such as birds, butterflies, and bees. Native plants are also better for the environment because they reduce carbon dioxide emissions by sequestering carbon within their root systems (something that does not happen with non-native species).
Our designers can help you use native plants to capture the beauty of your home while revealing your unique style.
Is Xeriscaping Right for You?
Xeriscaping is a great way to save water in your garden, but it can require careful attention to detail and expert knowledge. It takes time and patience to create an attractive landscape that requires little maintenance and very little water. Our designers would be happy to help you discover how these concepts can be applied to create the outdoor space you have been looking for.