Xeriscaping and Water Conservation
Sources of water are becoming more scarce these days. There is a need to come up with technologies to be able to conserve water. Xeriscaping is an important design solution for water conservation.
Southern California is a desert environment. So our plants are very water-hungry, very thirsty for water. One of the problems that we have is where to find that water. In response, designers developed designs that conserve water. One is these water-conserving design methods is xeriscaping.
Designing and Where to use a Xeriscape
Xeriscaping is the use of natural plants and vegetation that will need very little or no water. They all need some type of moisture, but they may not need a sprinkler system or constant irrigation. Desert plants are a good example. They are native to Southern California. So we try to use those plants to create an environment that is natural to the area. And it looks good. It’s pleasing to the eye and it provides good curb appeal. That’s the best way I can describe xeriscaping.
The use of xeriscaping can apply everywhere. You see it in front of commercial sites and restaurants. You see it in front of museums. It’s common at facilities that need little or no maintenance. Of course, any garden always needs some maintenance. As long as you don’t need to water or prune them, you’re cutting back a lot of the maintenance and expense for the upkeep. This is the case with a xeriscape type of setting.
Benefits of Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping helps lower the cost of maintaining the plants and the landscaping. If you don’t have to use any water, you’re not only saving on the expense of watering your garden. The most important thing is that you are conserving water. That is the primary purpose of xeriscaping. This is so water is not wasted in an area where you need to keep the grass green for the color and the look of it. That is where the big savings happen, in the conservation of water.
Green Lawns and Challenges to Xeriscaping
Grass is not native to Southern California. Big green lawns is not a natural look here. Of course, it’s appealing and it looks good. We all like to sit and have a picnic on a beautiful lawn, but it’s not part of our natural environment. Some people have completely eliminated their lawn. They instead opt for natural vegetation and a xeriscaped yard. Some people have actually gone to synthetic turf. I was one of those who opposed synthetic turf, but there are some synthetic turfs that actually look good. Synthetic turf can also be a good alternative that requires little maintenance. A lot of homeowners and businesses have implemented it.
