Xeriscape symbol

Xeriscaping refers to landscaping in ways that do not require supplemental irrigation. It is promoted in areas that do not have easily accessible supplies of fresh water, and is catching on in other areas as climate patterns shift. Image File history File links Xeriscape03. ... Image File history File links Xeriscape03. ... Central Park, like most city parks, is an example of landscape architecture. ... Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops. ... For the village on the Isle of Wight, see Freshwater, Isle of Wight. ...

The word Xeriscaping was coined by combining xeros (Greek for "dry") with landscape. One example of a Landscape and Design project from Beaverton, Oregon, including trees, shrubs, perennials, rock, ornamental grasses and wooden deck. ...

Plants whose natural requirements are appropriate to the local climate are emphasized, and care is taken to avoid losing water to evaporation and run-off. Xeriscape^TM and the xeriscape logo are registered trademarks of Denver Water, the water department of Denver, Colorado.^[1] They were created by the Front Range Xeriscape Task Force of Denver Department in 1978.^[1] Nickname: Location of Denver in the State of Colorado Location of Colorado in the United States Coordinates: , Country United States State State of Colorado City and County Denver[1] Founded 1858-11-22, as Denver City, K.T.[2] Incorporated 1861-11-07, as Denver City, C.T.[3] Consolidated... Official language(s) English Demonym Coloradan Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area  Ranked 8th in the US  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ...

Plants used in xeriscaping depend upon the climate. Some common plants used in Western xeriscaping are agave, cactus, lavender, juniper, sedum and thyme. Species see text. ... Subfamilies Cactoideae Maihuenioideae Opuntioideae Pereskioideae See also taxonomy of the Cactaceae A cactus (plural: cacti, cactuses, or cactus) is any member of the succulent plant family Cactaceae, native to the Americas. ... Species About 25-30, including: Lavandula abrotanoides Lavandula angustifolia Lavandula canariensis Lavandula dentata Lavandula lanata Lavandula latifolia Lavandula multifida Lavandula pinnata Lavandula stoechas Lavandula viridis Lavandula x intermedia The Lavenders Lavandula are a genus of about 25-30 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native from the... Species Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. ... Species See text Sedum is a large genus of the Crassulaceae, representing about 400 species of leaf succulents, found throughout the northern hemisphere, varying from annual groundcovers to shrubs. ... Species About 350 species, including: Thymus adamovicii Thymus altaicus Thymus amurensis Thymus bracteosus Thymus broussonetii Thymus caespititius Thymus camphoratus Thymus capitatus Thymus capitellatus Thymus camphoratus Thymus carnosus Thymus cephalotus Thymus cherlerioides Thymus ciliatus Thymus cilicicus Thymus cimicinus Thymus comosus Thymus comptus Thymus curtus Thymus disjunctus Thymus doerfleri Thymus glabrescens Thymus...

In some areas, terms such as water-conserving landscapes, drought-tolerant landscaping, zeroscaping, and smart scaping are used instead.

Implementation

A collection of xeriscaping flowers

There are seven basic principles of xeriscaping: Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1733x973, 1980 KB) Xeriscaping. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1733x973, 1980 KB) Xeriscaping. ...

1) Waterwise Planning and Design.

Also termed hydrozoning, this involves grouping plants with similar watering requirements together. Plants that require more water (for example, vegetables, fruits, and certain flowers) are grouped together. These less water-efficient plants may also be sheltered from the wind and/or sun by planting them in the shade (under trees, beside a house etc.) to decrease the amount of water they need. Also place high water users nearer the home in an "oasis" area where they are more fully enjoyed. Hydrozoning is a landscape practice that groups plants with similar water requirements together in an effort to conserve water. ...

2) Drought Tolerant Plants.

Appropriate choice and arrangement of a plant (or plants) - where possible, plants that are native to the area or to similar climates, as well as other plants that tolerate or avoid water stress (succulents, xeriphytes, halophytes, summer or winter dormant bulbs, very deeply rooted plants) as ornamentals. Succulent plants, or succulents, are plants that store water in their enlarged fleshy leaves, stems, or roots. ... Spartina alterniflora (cordgrass), a halophyte. ... Shallot bulbs A bulb is an underground vertical shoot that has modified leaves (or thickened leaf bases) that is used as food storage organs by a dormant plant. ...

3) Appropriate Size Turf Areas.

Smaller lawn, and only where it will be used by the family. Use drought-tolerant turf-grass species where turf is needed at all (children's play areas) (pet use areas). The landscape can be filled in with borders and islands of more water-efficient ornamental plants. A xerophyte describes a plant that has structural (xeromorphic) and physiological adaptations which enable them to survive, or even thrive, in areas with very little free moisture. ... Subfamilies There are 7 subfamilies: Subfamily Arundinoideae Subfamily Bambusoideae Subfamily Centothecoideae Subfamily Chloridoideae Subfamily Panicoideae Subfamily Pooideae Subfamily Stipoideae The true grasses are monocotyledonous plants (Class Liliopsida) in the Family Poaceae, also known as Gramineae. ...

4) Harvest Water Where Possible.

Incorperate water harvesting techniques into your design. Channel runoff water to planted areas or contain it for later use. Mounds or berms at the edge of the property can help hold the water on your land. Locate high water users where they can take advantage of the extra water.

5) Efficient Irrigation Equiptment and Design.

Apply water efficiently via drip irrigation or soaker hoses where possible. Overhead irrigation (never ideal) is applied in the morning or evening, when it is less likely to be blown away by wind or lost by evaporation. Drought-tolerant plants get no more water than they need to look good, and of course water is not allowed to splash onto concrete walkways or other areas where it is not needed. Drip Irrigation - A dripper in action Main article: Irrigation Drip irrigation, also known as trickle irrigation or microirrigation is an irrigation method that applies water slowly to the roots of plants, by depositing the water either on the soil surface or directly to the root zone, through a network of... Vaporization redirects here. ...

6) Mulch & Soil Ammendments.

A layer of mulch aids in conservation of water in the soil as it cools the soil surface and hinders evaporation. Adding ammendments to the soil as you plant improves your soil. Soil with improved structure retains water better. In agriculture and gardening, mulch is a protective cover placed over the soil, primarily to modify the effects of the local climate. ... Loess field in Germany Surface-water-gley developed in glacial till, Northern Ireland For the American hard rock band, see SOiL. For the System of a Down song, see Soil (song). ... Soil structure is determined by how individual soil granules clump or bind together and aggregate. ... Soils can process and contain considerable amounts of water. ...

7) Proper Maintence Practices. Proper maintainence practices will reduce water use.

• In general, prune minimally. Topiary pruning is to be avoided at all costs as it increases water use and stresses plants.
• Fertilize only enough for plant health, and ideally use a slow release fertilizer.
• Aerate and dethatch your lawn once a year to improve infiltration and reduce runoff.
• Remove weeds as they use valuable water.
• Maintain your irrigation system in good working order, and change your water cycles with the season.

A topiary dinosaur at Epcot Topiary is the art of creating sculptures in the medium of shrubbery, after the Latin word for an ornamental landscape gardener, toparius. ...

Advantages

• Lower water bills.
• More water available for other uses and other people (such as showers, sinks, hoses etc).
• Less time and work needed for maintenance, making gardening more simple and stress-free.
• Little or no lawn mowing (which saves gas).
• Xeriscape plants along with proper bed design tends to take full advantage of rainfall.
• When water restrictions are implemented, xeriscape plants will tend to survive, while more traditional plants may not.
• Increased habitat for native bees, butterflies, and other fauna.
• Can live in more habitats than most other plants.

Disadvantages

• May require more start-up work to prepare beds for planting than simply laying sod.
• Some homeowners' associations may object to non-traditional plants. However, some states, such as Florida, include law, as it pertains to Homeowner's Associations, that make it unlawful to include a clause prohibiting "property owner from implementing Xeriscape or Florida-friendly landscape, as defined in s. 373.185(1), on his or her land." in Homeowner Association documents, (Ref: 720.3075.4 Prohibited clauses in association documents). In 2007, Arizona inacted similar laws.
• Requires that people moving from water-abundant to water-scarce areas change their mindset as to what types of plants they are able to practically and economically maintain.
• Xeriscape beds require periodic maintenance which is more involved than simply mowing and edging, especially to maintain color. Weeds and trash may also be more of a problem than in a traditional lawn.

A homeowners association, (or, as they are known in the industry, community association[1]) is an organization comprised of all owners of units[2] in a common interest development, and is given authority to enforce the covenants, conditions, and restrictions and managing the common amenities of the development. ...

See also

• Dryland farming
• Gardening
• International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas
• Native gardening
• Sustainable farming
• Sustainable landscape architecture
• Water Harvesting

Dryland farming is an agricultural technique for cultivating land which receives little rainfall. ... A gardener Gardening is the practice of growing flowering plants, vegetables, and fruits. ... The International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) (founded 1977) is an agroforestry institution that is based in Aleppo in Syria. ... Native gardening is an approach to gardening which uses plants indigenous to the geographical area in which the garden is located. ... Sustainable agriculture integrates three main goals: environmental stewardship, farm profitability, and prosperous farming communities. ... Sustainable landscape architecture is a category of sustainable design concerned with the planning and design of outdoor space. ...

References

• University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Bulletin AZ1048
• Landscape Plants for the Desert Climate, 2004, AMWUA

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Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

xeriscape

• Xeriscape Colorado
• Xeriscape Council of New Mexico
• City of Albuquerque
• Texas Agricultural Extension Service
• Southern Nevada Water Authority
• Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
• Center for the Study of the Built Environment's Water-Conserving Landscapes Project
• Back to Natives Restoration a 501(c)3 (Irvine, CA)