Xeriscape is a very popular type of landscaping, which is about choosing water-wise plants. Saying water-wise we don’t mean only drought-tolerant but all those plants that will require little to no additional watering in your exact area. Such a design has its own pros and cons, which I’d advise to consider before choosing or not choosing it.
Xeriscape Advantages
This is an eco-friendly landscape that requires minimal watering and supports wildlife of the area, which are already two great points. One more feature that will make you love this type of landscaping is less fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals, which will not drain your money and will not pollute the environment. More than that, a xeriscape doesn’t demand much labor or time to maintain.
The lush front yard is done with groundcovers and greenery only, and it looks very chic and modern.
The small rock garden is dotted with tall cacti and smaller ones, which adds curb appeal to the house.
The minimalist front yard is done with pillar cacti, succulents, blooms and an olive tree. All these plants are drought-tolerant, which allows them to adorn the space without requiring much maintenance.
The minimal front yard is done only with some grasses and greenery that add life to the facade and hardscaping.
This minimalist front yard is a xeriscape that includes pillar cacti, succulents and grasses.
This beautiful front yard is a tiered garden with stone garden beds that show off greenery, agaves and blooms. The choice of the tree is smart: olive trees can withstand drought.
The lush sloped garden is covered with various water-wise plants completely, and they create a bright carpet.
The landscape includes delicate maple trees, shrubs and blooms that stand out in the backdrop of black mulch.
The small front garden shows off only some greenery, succulents and an olive tree, which can save water.
The xeriscape shows off just a bit of lawn to reduce mainteance. The tall tree is the focal point, and greenery and small succulents add interest to the yard.
Xeriscape Disadvantages
To install a xeriscape, you will have to do a lot, from planning to planting. Yet, its look is often quite minimal and not outstanding, so you might get disappointed at some point. Besides, if you are going to sell the house, such a garden isn’t always an appealing feature. Upon the initial design and implementation of a xeriscape garden, xeriscaping is not cheaper than maintaining a lawn. You will see the cost benefits only over time as the garden will require almost no watering.
How To Arrange A Xeriscape Front Yard?
A front yard is a space that creates an impression of your whole property and if you really don’t have time to maintain a perfect lawn or polish all those capricious blooms and vines, a xeriscape might be a solution.
Plant Your Front Garden
Analyze what you have: climate, shade or sun, all the conditions and topography, this is necessary to create a list of plants to choose from.
This lovely mini garden is done with pebbles and rocks, and grasses are paired with alliums.
Blooming groundcovers are among the best solutions for a xeriscape: they add color and chic without requiring much care. Add some greenery and no-mow grasses and voila!.
The small front yard is super chic: there are some blooms and shrubs and a potted plant; planting in pots makes it easier to maintain.
This modern and stylish xeriscape shows off grasses. groundcovers and some blooms.
The modern front yard is done with huge rocks, around which you can see grasses and a single tree for vertical interest.
Ornamental grasses are always a perfect choice for a xeriscape: they provide the space with texture.
This minimal yet bright xeriscape is done with blooming groundcovers and grasses.
The small xeriscape is done with rocks, grasses and blooms plus shrubs that comprise a lovely front yard.
The desert front yard is done with stones and rocks, trees and agaves plus some cacti are the plants used to refresh it.
If bright blooms are native for your area, you can always take them to design your xeriscape. Just look how natural and bold the result is!.
Choose The Plants
Prefer drought-tolerant plants like succulents, agaves and cacti, Mediterranean plants and grasses, perennials and other options for your area. Create planting groups depending on the conditions each plant needs. Skip the lawn and go for a rock garden or groundcovers like Carex texensis or fescue to avoid any mowing. No wish for groundcovers? Prefer grasses that don’t require mowing.
Improve The Soil
Poor soil will not work, so you will have to amend it before planting. What you need is rich, loose and water-holding soil to encourage root development. Mulching can help to retain moisture and moderate soil temperature, it’s a good tool. Gravel is also a nice solution, if you don’t want mulch or it doesn’t suit your design.
Cacti and succulents are always a nice solution for a xeriscape: while requiring little water, they look very cool.
The drought-tolerant landscape is done with cacti and agaves plus some succulents. Large rocks and gravel add texture to the space.
This is a super lush and bright garden with orange and purple blooms, succulents and shrubs fill in the gaps.
The desert xersicape includes rocks, succulents and some lavender, which is alsoa drought-tolerant plant.
The small and bright garden includes a single tree, some shrubs and grasses and bright flowers. Potted plants accent the entrance.
This beautiful and lush front garden is a xeriscape with groundcovers, greenery and grasses plus some trees.
This minimal front yard is a xeriscape with some drought-tolerant plants proper for the climate. Gravel replaces mulching here.
The contemporary xeriscape is done with various grasses, simple groundcovers and a couple of trees native for the area. (via diybunker).
This slope is a xeriscape with black mulch and pebbles plus rocks that provide interest and help with maintenance. Shrubs, grasses and small trees stand out beautifully. (via homxy).
The bright xeriscape is done with colorful blooms and greenery, and pebbles add texture to the look. (via farmfoodfamily).
Maintain The Garden
Don’t forget that a garden, even a xeriscape, requires some maintenance and care, especially at the beginning. Changing mulch and gravel, watering and pruning, removing weeds is necessary to keep the xeriscape good-looking.
How To Arrange A Xeriscape Flower Bed?
Prefer tall plants for the back row and add ornamental grass that will become a nice backdrop. Stagger drought-resistant perennials of intermediate heights in the middle row. Plant mounds of a shorter, drought-resistant ornamental grass to comprise the front row.
The modern drought-tolerant landscape is a nice example of a xeriscape: there are agaves, cacti, shrubs and even a tree. Gravel, pebbles and rocks create a variety of textures. (via spacewelove).
This is a complicated xeriscape that features rocks and grasses, groundcovers and tall trees. Who needs lawn when you can have such beauty instead?.
The small xeriscape is done with only green plants, a tree and cacti but it looks so bold and fresh!.
The minimal front yard includes various types of pebbles and concrete, which are enlivened with trees, cacti and agaves.
A xeriscape can be stylish! Look at this variety of textures, plants and trees with addition of pebbles and rocks, it's adorable!.
The modern garden is done with succulents and agaves and instead of mulch you can see pebbles, which are a perfect match for the plants.
The front mini garden is a xeriscape with some grasses, succulents and rocks. To refresh the entrance, there are also some potted plants that can't be included into the xeriscape.
Simple grasses and some succulents are always a good idea for a xeriscape, and the bright tree definitely catches an eye.
The front yard shows off cacti, agaves and a single tree, all placed in the rocky landscape.
This small sloped garden is done with only some rocks, succulents and cacti and looks minimalist.