Many people have misconceptions about what a water conserving landscape should look like. Instead of xeriscape, another term for water conserving landscapes, many think of a ‘zero-scape’ or a landscape made up of rock, cactus, and animal skulls.
While there are many concerns about what a water conserving landscape should look like, many can be solved by simply understanding what a water conserving landscape is and what it is not.
A water conserving landscape simply uses less water than a conventional landscape. A number of water conservation principles can be used to help reduce water in the landscape.
What Water Conserving Landscapes are NOT
Sterile and lifeless
- Many drought tolerant plants have long lasting blooms and lush foliage.
Restrictions in landscape styles
- While some responsible plant choices could reduce the size of a plant palette, many landscape styles can still be achieved.
An understanding of the intricacies of irrigation to effectively reduce landscape water use
- While a basic understanding of irrigation principles is helpful, there are many professionals who can assist in creating an efficient irrigation system.
Special skills are needed to create a water-wise landscape – This can be tackled two ways:
- Resources such as the Water Conservation for Lawn and Landscape website are available to learn more about water conserving landscaping.
- An increasing number of landscape designers specialize in water conserving landscaping
Exploring design ideas as well as learning about native and drought tolerant plants can go a long way to understanding how a water conserving landscape can look.
Additional Content by Region
West
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