Xeriscaping is a landscaping method that focuses on reducing water usage through careful planning and plant selection. Key aspects of xeriscaping include considering a property's slope and exposure to the sun, reducing irrigated turfgrass areas, improving soil quality, using efficient irrigation practices, and applying mulches. Proper planning, soil preparation, efficient irrigation, and choosing drought-tolerant plants adapted to local conditions are essential for an attractive, low-water landscape through xeriscaping.

1. Xeriscaping: water The need for landscaping to conserve water
received new impetus following the drought of
conservation through 1977 throughout the western states, and the recog-
nition that nearly 50 percent of the water con-
creative landscaping sumed by the average household is used for turf-
grass and landscape plantings.
James R. Feucht1 Unfortunately, many homeowners have cut
back on turf grass areas by substituting vast "seas
of gravel and plastic" as their answer to water
conservation. This practice is not only self-de-
Quick Facts feating as far as water conservation is concerned,
but also produces damaging effects to trees and
Proper planning is the first step in land- shrubs. It is not xeriscaping.
scaping to reduce water use. This fact sheet will explain what xeriscaping
Steep slopes with south and west expo- is and how you can build the beauty and water
sures require more frequent water savings of a xeriscape into your own garden.
applications to maintain the same con-
dition of plant cover than east or north Planning—An Important First Step
slopes. Whether you plan to redesign an old land-
Terracing slopes w i l l reduce water runoff. scape or start fresh with a new one a plan is a
Irrigated bluegrass turf should be reduced must. The plan does not have to be elaborate but
to small or heavily used areas. should take into consideration the exposures on
Soil preparation is a key to water con- the site. A s a general rule, south and west expo-
servation. sures result in the greatest water losses, espe-
Proper irrigation practices and sprinkler cially areas near buildings or paved surfaces.
system design can lead to 30 to 80 per- You can save water in these locations simply by
cent water savings. changing to plants that adapt to reduced water
Mulches help to reduce water needs in the use. However, don't be too quick to rip out the sod
yard as well as control weeds. in these areas just to substitute plastic and gravel.
Plants used in xeriscapes should be selected Extensive use of rock in south and west exposure
to be compatible with soil, exposure areas can cause temperature increases near the
and irrigation systems. house and result in wasteful water run-off.
Using extensive rock, gravel and paved
areas in a landscape can result in Slope of Property
increased cooling costs in summer;
plants help moderate temperatures Slope or grade is another consideration. Steep
when used near a house. slopes, especially those on south and west expo-
sures, waste water through runoff and rapid water
evaporation. A drought resistant ground cover
Xeriscaping (Zer-i-skaping) is a word coined
originally by a special task force of the Denver
Water Department, Associated Landscape Con- 'James R. Feucht, Colorado State University
tractors of Colorado and Colorado State Univer- Cooperative Extension specialist, landscape
sity to describe landscaping with water conserva- plants; prepared in cooperation with the Techni-
tion as a major objective. The derivation of the cal Advisory Committee for Xeriscape Front
word is from the Greek " x e r o s " meaning dry, Range, an affiliate of the National Xeriscape
combined with landscaping, thus, xeriscaping. Council, Inc. (6/87)
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kenneth R. Bolen,
director of Cooperative Extension, C o l o r a d o State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. Cooperative Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.
T o simplify technical terminology, trade names of products and equipment occasionally will be used. N o endorsement of products named is intended nor is criti-
cism implied of products not mentioned.

2. can slow down water loss and shade the soil. See time before seeding or sodding by doing a tho-
Service in Action sheet 7.230 for suggested ground rough, complete job. This will encourage deep
covers. Strategically placed trees also can shade roots that will tap the water stored in the soil,
a severe exposure creating a cooler soil with less reducing the need for wasteful, frequent water
evaporation. Terracing slopes will help save water applications. For more information on soil im-
by slowing runoff and permitting more water to provement, refer to Service in Action sheet 7.222,
soak in. Soil—the key to successful gardening.
Reduce Irrigated Turf
Narrow strips of turf, hard to maintain corners
and isolated islands of grass that need special
attention should be avoided. Not only is mainte-
nance more costly, but watering becomes diffi-
cult, often wasteful.
Bluegrass turf can be reduced to areas near
the house and in places of higher use. In outlying
areas, use more drought-resistant grasses or even
meadow mixes containing wildflowers, particu-
larly if your property is large. Refer to Service in
Action sheet 7.232 for suggested alternatives to
bluegrass for turf areas. XERISCAPE
Soil Preparation Water Conservation Through
Preparing the soil properly is the key to suc- Creative Landscaping
cessful water conservation. If the soil is very
sandy, water will be lost along with valuable nut-
rients, due to leaching below the root zone. If your
soil is of a heavy, clay texture most common in Xerigation—Saving Water With
this area, you will lose water through runoff. Proper Irrigation
A good soil, one which both supports healthy Proper irrigation practices can lead to a 30 to
plant life and also conserves moisture, has a bal- 80 percent water savings around the home grounds.
ance of rather coarse soil clusters (aggregates), If a sprinkler system is already installed,
sand and pore spaces. The "ideal" soil w i l l have as check it out for overall coverage. If areas are not
much as 50 percent by volume pore space with the being properly covered or water is falling on hard
soil itself consisting of a good balance of sand, silt surfaces, such as driveways and patios, the sys-
and clay. tem needs readjustment. This may mean replace-
A major problem with "heavy" soils is that ment of heads, the addition of more heads or
clay tends to dominate the soil complex. Clay is changing the head to do a more efficient job.
composed of microscopic crystals arranged in With the system on, observe places that are
flat plates. When a soil has a high amount of these receiving water where it is not needed. Overlaps
crystals they act much like a glue, cementing the onto paved areas or into shrub borders will result
particles of sand and silt together and resulting in in considerable water waste. Overwatering trees
a compact, almost airless soil. and shrubs may lead to other problems.
Such soils usually repel surface water, result- Turf areas should be zoned and irrigated dif-
ing in runoff. What water does get into these soils ferently than shrub borders and flower beds. North
is held so tightly by the clay itself that plants and east exposures need less frequent watering
cannot use it. Plants in a clay soil, even though it than south and west exposures. Water should be
is moist, often will wilt from lack of moisture. applied to slopes more slowly than to flat surfa-
Plant roots also need air to thrive. In clay soils air ces. These should be examined closely in your
spaces are small and may be filled with water, own yard and inefficiencies in irrigation system
thus plant roots often suffer from oxygen starva- design corrected.
tion. If you do not have a sprinkler system and are
In very sandy soils, the opposite is true. just beginning to install a landscape, you have the
Sandy soils have very large pore spaces, but advantage of avoiding the pitfalls of poorly
because the particles also are large there is little designed and installed systems. Have a profes-
surface area to hold the water, thus a sandy soil sional irrigation company do the job correctly.
will tend to lose water rapidly. Make sure the system is designed to fit the lands-
A good soil is not made in just one year. cape and the water needs of the plants, and zoned
Organic matter should be added to garden areas to reduce unnecessary applications of water. The
on an annual basis. In areas to be sodded or landscape design itself, selection of plants and the
seeded, organic amendments are added as a one- irrigation system should all be coordinated to
time only procedure. Take advantage of this one result in a sensible water-saving scheme.

3. Consider a drip system in those areas such as If soil improvement is a priority, use organic
outlying shrub borders, raised planters, around mulches. Wood chips and compost are most appro-
trees and shrubs and in narrow strips where con- priate. As these materials break down they become
ventional above-ground systems would result in an organic amendment to the soil. Earthworms
water waste. and other soil organisms will do much to help
If hoses are used instead of an underground "incorporate" the organic component into the
system, you can observe the same things indi- soil. The organic method of mulching is preferred
cated earlier for sprinkler installations. Instead because most soils in this area are low in organic
of watering the entire lawn each time, spot water content and need organic amendments to improve
based upon visible signs of need such as turf areas aeration and water-holding capacity.
that begin to turn a gray-green color. Inorganic mulches, such as plastic film, effec-
As much as possible avoid frequent, shallow tively exclude weeds for a time, but they also tend
sprinklings that lead to shallow root develop- to exclude water and air essential to growth of
ment. Soils that are compact and result in quick plant roots. The newer woven fabrics and fiber
puddling and water runoff need aeration with mats now available in many hardware and garden
machines that pull soil plugs. centers are preferred over polyethylene films.
Trees and shrubs separate from the lawn are Fabrics and mats exclude weeds yet allow water
best watered with deep root watering devices. and air exchange. Used in combination with
decorative rock or bark chunks, they often outlast
Xerimulch the Landscape the less expensive, but short-lived polyethylene
films. For more information, refer to Service in
Properly selected and applied mulches in Action sheet 7.214, Mulches for home grounds.
flower and shrub beds will reduce water use by
decreasing soil temperatures and amount of soil
exposed to wind. Mulches also discourage weeds Selecting Plants
and can ultimately improve soil conditions.
Mulches are of two basic types: organic and Plants used in xeriscapes should be carefully
inorganic. Organic mulches include straw, par- selected so that they are compatible with soil,
tially decomposed compost, wood chips, bark and exposure and irrigation systems. Consult Service
even ground corncobs or newspapers. Inorganic in Action sheets 7.229 Xeriscaping: trees and
mulches are such things as plastic film, gravel shrubs for low-water landscapes, and 7.230, Xer-
and woven fabrics. Sometimes, a combination of iscaping: ground cover plants for low-water land-
both organic and inorganic is used. scapes, for more details on plant selection.