How to Drought-Proof Your Yard with Xeriscape Gardening
California has seen some pretty devastating droughts over the past few years. There’s no sign of this trend changing any time soon. This means that you need to rethink your approach to landscaping if you want to make sure your yard can withstand the conditions we’re likely to face in the future. If you want your garden to not only look good but also last through the drought, consider xeriscape landscaping.
What is Xeriscape?
Xeriscape is a style of landscaping that doesn’t require much water to thrive. Because California is in an ongoing drought, there has been more attention placed on xeriscape landscaping. Xeriscape promotes using native plants, mulching and reducing paved surfaces. This can help homeowners save on water bills and reduce their impact on local waterways during these challenging times.
5 Benefits of Xeriscape To Drought -Proof Your Yard
Xeriscape doesn’t have to mean boring or difficult, nor does it have to mean abandoning lush green grass. With a few easy tweaks, you can make your yard more resilient and beautiful. We believe it’s always better to work with nature than against it. Xeriscape incorporates low-water, drought-resistant plants into your yard in order to create an oasis that requires no watering, while still maintaining and enriching your soil. Read on for some of its benefits…
You save money on water. Even if you want a lawn, xeriscape principles can be applied by incorporating other types of vegetation like ferns, succulents, and cacti.
It’s good for the environment. Since xeriscape gardens require less water, they don’t contribute as much to groundwater depletion and contamination.
It’s good for the local wildlife! Some xeriscape plants attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
You reduce your carbon footprint. A typical home uses about 50 gallons of water per day just to maintain the landscaping outside their house; this number shoots up dramatically when people use sprinklers or hoses down their driveways. If we all adopt the principles of xeriscape landscaping, we could collectively decrease our collective usage by up to 90%.
Looks great too, increasing property value and curb appeal!!
Landscaping project AFTER photo by Ed of KB5 Design Studio/ Turf Removal LA
Planning your California xeriscape
Hiring a professional xeriscape expert can help you create a plan that works for your yard and your lifestyle. If you’re determined to do it yourself (or are working with limited time or money), here are some basics. As with any garden design project, it’s important to consider drainage, sunlight, existing plants and water use in your landscape before choosing what types of plants to add.
California natives have deep roots and are drought tolerant in their own unique ways. Succulents store water in their leaves. Cacti are a great choice as they are adapted to arid climates and are easy to maintain. Drought-tolerant grasses need watering only once every three weeks or so. You’ll also want to factor in how much time you’re willing to spend on maintenance tasks like weeding, trimming, mulching, and watering when designing your California xeriscape.
Choosing plants for your California xeriscape
Xeriscape plants come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. They require less maintenance than regular plants and are well suited for growing on dry land in hot weather. There are many types of xeriscape plants that will thrive here. These low-maintenance plants look beautiful year-round, provide plenty of food for wildlife, and won’t need any additional watering when grown in the right climate zone.
Visit our article 10 Beautiful Plants for your drought-tolerant CA Garden
Maintaining your new xeriscape
Once your yard is completely xeriscaped, regular maintenance is important to keep it looking its best. Watering your new xeriscape properly requires planning and diligence. This can be a bit daunting for some homeowners, especially if they’re used to just turning on their hose whenever they feel like it.
A good xeriscape design should take into account when and how often you need to water, so you shouldn’t have any problem with over or under-watering your plants. If you follow the guidelines in your xeriscape plan, as well as the seasonality of rainfall in your area, there’s no reason why you’ll ever need to water more than once per week.
Bringing in a professional to drought-proof your yard
Hiring a professional landscape designer will ensure that your new drought-tolerant garden is an aesthetically pleasing, as well as highly efficient and cost-effective, addition to your property. As native plants become more popular in residential landscaping, more homeowners are choosing to create California native gardens for their beautiful appearance and higher efficiency.
At KB5 Design Studio and Turf Removal LA we specialize in designing unique drought-tolerant landscapes that minimize water use but still meet your needs for beauty and relaxation. We are also specialists in the Turf Removal Rebate program for California and have helped many homeowners get the max rebate to transform their yards. Contact us today for a consultation to start your dream yard journey!