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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT GUIDE | WENATCHEE WORLD 2021
The Art of Xeriscaping
Lush, green gardens may be beautiful, but they aren’t always practical, especially in dry habitats like Eastern Washington. Fortunately, gardens don’t need to run the well dry to be aesthetically pleasing. How? By using the principles found in xeriscaping. The term xeriscape may sound vaguely alien, but the reality is much closer to home. “Xeriscaping is landscaping with water conservation in mind,” according to a pamphlet put out by the Benton Conservation District. It is a style of landscaping that seeks to create gardens that aren’t dependent on irrigation. Xeriscaping is a perfect choice for anyone who lives in an arid environment or wants to cut down on their water use -- but doesn’t want to sacrifice beauty in the process. This doesn’t mean that irrigation is avoided entirely. Instead, plants are grouped and planted into hydra zones -- areas that require similar amounts of water. “One of the most common misconceptions is that you cannot have lawn as a component of a water conservation oriented landscape,” according to the Benton Conservation District. “Areas that are intended for children can and should be planted with grass.” Still, reducing the use of lawns and other water-intensive landscaping elements is an important ten-
ant of xeriscaping. According to the Chelan County PUD, “In the western United States, more than half of residential water goes on landscapes and lawns.” In contrast, xeriscape can reduce water usage by up to 80 percent. Instead of draping your outdoor space in lawns, consider using non-living landscape elements in place of grass for much of your yard. Non-plant elements can include boulders, sculptures, pathways and decks or patios. Drought-resistant plants are another great choice for xeriscaped yards. While the use of native plants isn’t one of the official components of xeriscaping, when choosing native over non-native species, the former has a distinct advantage. Native plants are generally hardier than their non-native counterparts because they have evolved to grow in your yard’s exact ecosystem. This means they will need less water and maintenance overall and will be more resistant to disease. There are, of course, other
components of xeriscaping as well. Perhaps the most important principle is careful consideration of your yard’s design. This means more than simply creating a plan for how you would like your garden to look. With xeriscaping, you need to take into account every element of your yard’s existing topography: the amount of sun, shade and slope are all important factors. “Appropriate soil will do more than anything else to help a plant consume all the moisture available to it,” according to the Chelan PUD. “Soil improvement may mean changing the physical structure with decomposed organic matter.” Mulching with bark, gravel or crushed rock will also help the soil to retain moisture. When it comes down to it, xeriscaping is about more than just reducing the irrigation needs of your yard -it is an aesthetic and a philosophy. It is both science and art. Xeriscape thrives on careful design -- but it also recognizes that sometimes the best design strategy of all is to take a step back and let nature have its way.
