WaterWise Gardening

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Water-Wise Gardening

• Xeriscape Principles
• For Western Gardens

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What is Xeriscape?

• Term coined by Denver Water Board in 1981
• Dry scape
• Water conservation through creative landscaping

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Does it have to look like this??
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It can just as easily look like this!!
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What is Xeriscape?

• A concept of garden design that conserves water
  and honors the native Western landscape without
  sacrificing beauty
• High water using plants are not banned, but are
  used in limited areas
• Plants are grouped according to their needs

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Why xeriscape?

• Conserve water
• Fewer weed problems
• Sense of Place creating landscapes that
  reflect/blend with the native environment

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Xeriscape Gardening
Excellent choice for difficult spots
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Seven Principles of Xeriscape

• Plan and design
• Reduce turf
• Use appropriate plants
• Improve the soil
• Mulch
• Efficient irrigation
• Proper maintenance

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Plan and Design

• Group plants by their needs
• water
• sun
• salt tolerance (test soil)
• Create water zones
• Highest use nearest the house

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Reduce Turf Areas

• Assess current turf use
• Pets? Children?
• Assess ease of maintenance
• Irrigation patterns
• Mowing
• Plan small, accessible areas near the house

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Improve the Soil

• Get the soil tested
• Assess drainage
• Coarse organic amendments
• Wood chips, bark mulch
• 3 - 6 yards/1000 square feet
• Work in as deeply as possible
• Do it right, do it once

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Use of Mulch

• Organic vs. Inorganic
• Attractive
• Conserves moisture
• Organic improves soil
• Dryland plants dont need as much

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Mulch

• Adds contrast texture and color

Keeps soil cool
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Efficient Irrigation

• Plan the system to fit, or
• Plan the site around the system
• Most systems are only 65 efficient
• Use drip or soaker systems where appropriate
• Time of day is important

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Efficient Irrigation

• Get an irrigation audit
• Check heads regularly
• Use manual setting
• Check soil and plants to determine water needs

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Regular Maintenance

• Xeriscape does NOT mean no maintenance!
• Water is needed for establishment
• Flowering plants deadhead
• Perennials divide, replace
• Shrubs prune as needed
• Plan for winter interest

Refresh mulch
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Using Native Plants

• Selection is limited
• Natural doesnt require just natives
• Many other plants are well adapted to our soil
  and climate conditions
• High desert natives have a limited color palette

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Using Bulbs

• Often overlooked as xeric plants
• Earliest spring color
• Very easy to grow
• Like full sun, well-drained soil
• Dormant in summer
• Iris also like hot, dry summer conditions

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Spring Flowering Bulbs

• Utilize winter moisture
• Beautiful early color

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Cacti

• Specialized plants, not for everyone
• Easy to grow
• Cannot tolerate excess moisture
• Do not mulch
• Handle carefully!

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Cacti

• Add striking color when in bloom

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Cacti
Many varieties are hardy in Colorado
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Succulents

• Good ground cover plants
• Ice plant
• Stone crop
• Can become invasive
• Useful for difficult areas
• Cannot tolerate excess moisture

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Ornamental Grasses

• Many varieties tolerate dry conditions
• Add texture, movement, height
• Winter interest
• May become invasive

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Ornamental Grasses

• Subtle color
• Winter interest
• Sound

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Wildflower Meadows

• Mixes available for dryland conditions
• Require water to establish
• Require work to maintain
• Excellent as transition zone to a native landscape

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Xeriscape Gardening

• Utilizes subtle contrasts
• COLOR
• TEXTURE
• SHAPE

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Plant Lists

• Ground covers
• www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07230.html
• Flowering plants
• www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07231.html
• Trees and shrubs
• www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07229.html