Garden landscaping in places where water is scarce

As water supplies become increasingly scarce and expensive many gardeners in hotter climates are choosing to plan and implement their garden landscapes using strategies that cut back their water consumption significantly. Xeriscaping is a strategy that was first proposed by the Denver Water Department in 1981 when they put forward a seven point plan for designing and implementing gardens where decreased water consumption is the primary objective. It is derived from the Greek word Xeros, meaning dry, and is alternatively known as Xerogardening or The Cactus Garden technique.

There are many benefits to the method in addition to using much less water. Firstly it is a much better use of resources, i.e. it encourages the usage of local vegetation and wildflowers rather than expensive and costly exotic varieties which frequently require considerably more water. It also is less time consuming in upkeep terms, which can be a key factor for many people with their hectic modern lifestyles. It can also be a much less stressful option, knowing that the garden is likely to survive times of reduced rainfall and water shortage much better than traditional gardens.

Planning is clearly a necessary part of the Xeriscaping method. The choice of which plants to include in your garden is clearly one of the critical ones. You aren't restricted to Cacti, there are numerous different types of succulents, grasses, wildflowers and turf that can be incorporated successfully into your garden.
It may sound unusual to include turf in your planning as it's a known water guzzler, but there are varieties which have markedly decreased water requirements than conventional garden turf. One of the important ideas is planting together species with similar requirements for shade and water.

Another major element in your garden is what sort of ground cover to use. Using various kinds of mulch such as bark chips, fibre mulches and inorganic cover like stone chips drastically reduces the requirement for maintenance and promotes development by keeping roots cool.

A very important part of the planning process is how the garden will be irrigated. For each sort of plant there will probably be an appropriate irrigation system - sprinklers for turf, drip line for shrubs etc. It is an integral part of the planning process that when you choose which plants you'll have that you additionally take into account how they will be irrigated. One of the most important things to do when irrigating your landscape is to remember to do it infrequently but thoroughly, which will result in more durable plants with deeper roots.

So, Xeriscaping is an fascinating and more and more popular alternative to traditional gardening. It may not be everyone's cup of tea but it does provide an eco-friendly and efficient form of gardening in terms of time, water and money, especially as water becomes more and more expensive as a resource.

Article Source: BaseArticles.com