Many Las Vegas homeowners are turning to Xeriscaping (pronounced “zeer-i-skey-ping”) to help create beautiful landscapes without wasting water.
The term Xeriscaping is used to describe a type of landscaping in which everything is designed to help reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental water from irrigation or other watering methods.
It’s popular in Las Vegas because of a number of reasons:
- Our weather is both hot and dry
- The Southern Nevada Water Authority places watering restrictions on homeowners
- Excessive watering can be expensive
- Las Vegas is in a drought and we all want to do our part in conserving water
- Desert landscaping is typically low maintenance and easy to maintain.
By the way, just because a landscape is Xeriscaped, it doesn’t mean your yard can’t produce very attractive results. There are many unique ways to create landscapes and add color.
Many homeowners often forget the fact that there’s a lot of decretive furniture out there which can be used to add color, as well as pots, stands, rock colors, etc.
As a Las Vegas Landscaping company, we also have a number of low maintenance plants we use which have a variety of colors to choose from (some which bloom all year) and can use in your desert / Xeriscaping landscaping project.
The term Xeriscaping has been around for a number of years now and there are several ideas to keep in mind when implementing this form of landscaping.
First, just like with traditional landscaping, is to plan and design.
When water conservation is critical there is a need to take everything in the area into account, so a good diagram of the area to be Xeriscaped is very important.
Second is preparing the ground with soil amendment which involves using compost or other ground cover which is specifically chosen to ideally match the needs of the plants you are going to use.
This goes hand in hand with appropriate plant selection, which is another of the seven principles. Choosing plants which are tolerant to the specific area in which they will be planted is very important.
Using efficient irrigation is yet another key to keep in mind because you want to ensure any water from natural or artificial sources is used properly. Ensure the water is quickly distributed to the plants which need it at the correct amounts and times; this is very helpful in avoiding water loss due to evaporation.
Another way to help keep the water from evaporating is by using mulch which helps keep plant roots cool and holds in the moisture.
For areas where mulch will not work it is best to use alternative turf like native grasses which are much more resilient to the hot and dry conditions of our area.
The final principal of Xeriscaping is the ongoing maintenance of the entire area. Keeping up on your landscaping with regular maintenance and care will help ensure the success of your alternative landscaping experience.
Any shrubs and flowers need to be pruned at the proper times for those specific plants and kept cut to the appropriate height and spread.
While all this may seem like a lot of work, it’s actually not nearly as bad as it sounds. Using the Xeriscaping technique will often actually save you time in the long run because you won’t have to constantly go out and water each plant individually to ensure it flourishes.
Putting in the extra effort in planning and preparing your Xeriscaped yard will surely pay off well down the road. It is also nice to keep in mind that tending to your yard can be a relaxing experience if you have everything prepared correctly.
If you’re planning to install your landscape on your own…
Consider hiring us to give you a consult.
We’ll make sure you know exactly what you’re doing, what plants, trees, and shrubs you might want to consider, how much water is needed, and how to get it all set up at the best price possible.
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