Xeriscaping- Just The Facts

Xeriscaping (NOT ‘Zero-scaping’) is a method of water-prudent landscaping created by the Denver Water Department in 1978 and is a registered trademark of Denver Water.

The word xeriscaping is a portmanteau of xeros (Greek for "dry") uses plants that are tailored to the native climate of a region, coupled with other water-saving design ideas.  In many cases, especially in the West, this means getting rid of thirsty plants and sod in favor of more drought-resistant foliage.  In a conservative community such as ours, some people just don’t want to let go of traditional landscaping, but with the ever rising water and sewer rates and the fact that 50% of our potable drinking water is used to irrigate our landscape, it is time to break away from this traditional thinking.  Xeriscaping, when implemented correctly and with knowledgeable professionals, can decrease your landscape water usage by nearly 45% within 3 years.  Another large benefit of a xeric landscape over a traditional landscape is the reduction in maintenance costs.  On an average, you will reduce the time necessary to maintain a xeric – style landscape and reduce maintenance costs 30% over a traditional landscape.  As your xeriscape landscape matures, your time management will allow you to do more enjoyable things for the day to day maintenance will continue to decrease.

Xeriscape just looks more harmonious, more in tune with the landscape of the West overall.  We can show people there are exciting and colorful waterwise plants available to the consumer, plants that are very colorful and appropriate for our climate and elevation and the results will be aesthetically pleasing and rewarding.  Rewarding in a sense of ecological responsibility and knowing that your xeriscape is fire wise, attracts charismatic wildlife and saves water while increasing your investment.  A Waterwise landscape is also rewarding in your pocket book as well since the average cost per square foot for a xeriscape garden averages out to be nearly $1.89 per sq foot less than a traditional landscape.  Water conservation is becoming a normal way of life, especially in the west as groundwater reserves are being depleted and communities are forced to look beyond their borders for viable water sources and this can lead to conflicts with other communities.  Xeriscaping is quickly becoming the normal and responsible means of landscaping and not only in the West, but in other regions of the country as we just aren’t getting enough consistent and reliable rainfall from year to year.