Xeriscape Facts

Xeriscaping is a type of landscaping designed to use water efficiently. ASU plant biologist Linda Stabler says that many people create desert-looking landscapes and believe they are xeriscaping.

“Putting out a bunch of gravel and installing a drip irrigation system is not xeriscaping,” she says. “True xeriscape is a practice, not a style, and it is founded on seven basic principles.”

The principles created by the Denver Water Department are:

Plan and design for water conservation and beauty from the start.
Create practical turf areas of manageable sizes, shapes and appropriate grasses.
Select low water requiring plants and group plants of similar water needs together.
Use soil amendments such as compost or manure as needed by the site and type of plants used.
Use mulches, such as woodchips, to reduce evaporation and keep the soil cool.
Irrigate efficiently with properly designed systems. Apply the right amount of water at the right time.
Maintain the landscape properly by mowing, weeding, pruning, and fertilizing properly.

—Diane Boudreau