Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping is the process of landscaping, or gardening, that reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation.[1] It is promoted in regions that do not have accessible, plentiful, or reliable supplies of fresh water and has gained acceptance in other regions as access to irrigation water has become limited, though it is not limited to such climates. Xeriscaping may be an alternative to various types of traditional gardening.[2][3]
In some areas, terms such as water-conserving landscaping, drought-tolerant landscaping, and smart scaping are used instead. The use of plants whose natural requirements are appropriate to the local climate is emphasized, and care is taken to avoid losing water to evaporation and runoff. However, the specific plants used in xeriscaping vary based on climate as this strategy can be used in xeric, mesic, and hydric environments. Xeriscaping is different from natural landscaping, because the emphasis in xeriscaping is on selection of plants for water conservation, not necessarily selecting native plants.
Xeriscaping produces greenspaces that require low amounts of maintenance and irrigation, and promote biodiversity; however, due to societal norms and lack of landscape understanding, public perception of xeriscaping has frequently been negative, as some assume that these types of landscapes are ugly expanses of just cactus and gravel.[4] However, studies have shown that education in water conservation practices and xeriscaping's benefits can greatly improve the public's perception of xeriscaping.[5]
Etymology and similar terms
Denver Water coined the term xeriscape in 1981 by combining landscape with the
Advantages
Xeriscaping has the potential to reduce water usage and maintenance, improve biodiversity, lower pollution, as well as mitigate heat within urban areas; however, the effectiveness of this sustainable process has not been evaluated on a long-term large-scale basis. It was found that in arid US states, like Arizona and Nevada, that 75% of households' potable water was used to water residential and urban lawns.[4] Xeriscaping aims to help preserve water for people and animals amidst an increase in droughts brought about by climate change.[11]
Water conservation and lower maintenance
Xeriscapes can reduce
The
While evaluating the cost of annual maintenance and park construction, xeriscaping drastically lowers these costs by roughly 55% and 57%, respectively.
Biodiversity
Often times when areas develop there is a loss of forestation, and animal populations dwindle as they are forced to relocate. Implementing native vegetation in green spaces helps improve the insect and wildlife found in the environment as the habitat is reestablished to a degree, offering food and shelter to the wildlife.[18][19] One application of xeriscaping that drastically improves biodiversity is the implementation of pocket forests.
Environmental and thermal discomfort remediation
Additionally, xeriscaping has been theorized to help offset the urban heating island (UHI) effect. UHI refers to the phenomenon in which urban areas are found to be hotter than neighboring rural sites due to large amounts of human activity. This temperature difference of a city area and its surroundings is usually higher at night as winds are lower and cannot dissipate the large amounts of heat generated in an urban area’s boundaries as readily. Upon investigating xeriscaping strategies in Phoenix, Arizona, it was found that dry areas that utilized xeriscaping with shade trees were found to mitigate UHI effects during the day and night with an average temperature difference of roughly 2.5 oC (4.5 oF) cooler.[20] However, when these same strategies were implemented in a mesic area, an environment with moderate amounts of moisture, it was found that thermal discomfort increased for residents and that these strategies had opposite effects to their intentions. Although xeriscaping strategies were found to mitigate UHI effects, it remains important to consider the climate and current landscape in which it is implemented in, in order to maximize its benefits and effectiveness.[20]
Legal issue
Some
As more homeowners take up xeriscaping, or drought-tolerant landscaping, garden retailers have struggled to keep up. A burgeoning poaching trade has filled the gap with cacti and succulents stolen from parks and private lands. Buyers as far away as Europe and Asia can end up with yuccas, agaves, and ocotillos uprooted illegally from southern North America and shipped overseas.[22]
Principles
This section contains instructions, advice, or how-to content. (December 2023) |
Originally conceived by Denver Water, the seven design principles of xeriscaping have since expanded into simple and applicable concepts to creating landscapes that use less water. The principles are appropriate for multiple regions and can serve as a guide to creating a water conserving landscape that is regionally appropriate.
Plan and design
Create a diagram, drawn to scale, that shows the major elements of the landscape, such as impervious surfaces, existing vegetation, and other permanent elements.[23]
Once a base plan of an existing site has been determined, the creation of a conceptual plan (bubble diagram) is done which shows the areas for
Soil amendment
Most plants will benefit from the use of a
Plants can either fit the soil or the soil should be amended to fit the plants. Soil is essential to most plant growth, so it is important that this step is not overlooked or undervalued.[13]
Limited turf areas
Native grasses (cool season) such as bluegrass and
Maintenance
All landscapes require some degree of care during the year. Turf requires spring and fall aeration along with regular fertilization every 6 to 8 weeks. Additionally, the turf should be cut to a height of 3 inches with a bagless lawnmower, allowing the clippings to fall. Trees, shrubs, and perennials will need occasional pruning to remove dead stems, promote blooming, or control height and spread. To promote zero waste and avoid adding organic materials to landfills, the removed plant material can be shredded and used in composting piles.[23]
Lawns and applications
One of the major challenges to the public
Akira Miyawaki is a Japanese botanist that developed the idea of pocket forests which reintroduces indigenous trees and vegetation to developed environments in order to promote strong biodiversity. The method calls for the planting naturally occurring trees and shrubbery densely into small compact areas, that can range from a size of a tennis court to a parking space. These pocket forests increase biodiversity, reduce noise (if placed near streets or noise polluters), improve air quality and soil retention, help with reforestation, and efficiently capture carbon dioxide.[18] In order to promote fast growth and biodiversity the engineered ecosystem requires a layering of vegetation: the ground layer, a shrub layer, and a canopy layer. Due to this compact layering these forests usually are well established within two decades rather than the 70-plus years it takes for naturally occurring forests.[18]
Other forms of xeriscaping include rain gardens. These gardens are used to reduce the amount of runoff from impervious areas (such as roofs, driveways, sidewalks, etc.) and rely on water retentive plants and soil mediums to help filter pollutants from the storm water before it is reintroduced into aquifers and storm drains. These gardens require little irrigation and maintenance, and help protect waterways and remove pollutants.[26]
There are many other forms and applications of xeriscaping: it is essentially any form of landscaping that requires little to no irrigation. However, it is important to take note of the environment before implementation, and follow the principles, as success of one type of xeriscape in a xeric climate might not have the same effects if it were implemented in a mesic or hydric environment.[13]
See also
References
- ^ "xeriscaping". Dictionary.com Unabridged (Online). n.d.
- ISBN 1555913466.
- ^ Caldwell, Elizabeth (15 July 2007). "With xeriscaping, grass needn't always be greener". USA Today. Archived from the original on 10 December 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
- ^ from the original on 3 July 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
- ^ Wilson, C.; Feuch, J. R. "Xeriscaping: Creative Landscaping". Colorado State University Extension. Colorado State University. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ "Denver Water Waterwise Landscape Handbook" (PDF). Denver Water. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ Loser, Marilyn. "Alamosa Trees » Xeriscape is Healthy, Zeroscape is Not!". alamosatrees.net. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ISBN 9781565794955.
- ^ "The Enchanted Xeriscape: A Guide to Water-wise Landscaping in New Mexico" (PDF). New Mexico Office of the State Engineer. State of New Mexico. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- PMID 32967839.
- ^ "Xeriscape Colorado". Web. 23 May. 2016. http://coloradowaterwise.org/XeriscapeColorado Archived 14 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ ISSN 1230-1485.
- ^ "LEED Credit library | U.S. Green Building Council". www.usgbc.org. Archived from the original on 11 December 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
- ^ a b HOAleader.com (27 December 2013). "What HOA Boards Need to Know About Xeriscaping". Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
- ^ McCracken, Maureen (1 February 2009). "Xeriscape: An Introduction". Master Gardeners of Mecklenburg County NC, Meckelburg County Cooperative Extension, part of the "North Carolina Cooperative Extension [Service]", (see NCSU College of Ag and Life Sciences). Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ "Environmental Fact Sheet: Recycling Grass Clippings" (PDF). Environmental Protection Agency. United States. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
- ^ S2CID 25256096.
- from the original on 21 February 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
- ^ from the original on 19 March 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
- ^ Galbraith, Kate (31 January 2013). "Texas Bills Aim to Douse HOAs' [sic] Limits on Xeriscaping". The Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
- ^ Magers, Phil. "Texas bill cracks down on cactus poachers". UPI. United Press International. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f "Xeriscape Principles." Xeriscape Principles. Denver Water. https://www.denverwater.org/residential/rebates-and-conservation-tips/remodel-your-yard/xeriscape-plans/xeriscape-principles Archived 16 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Mustafa, Daanish, Thomas A Smucker, Franklin Ginn, Rebecca Johns, and Shanon Connely. "Xeriscape people and the cultural politics of turfgrass transformation." Environment and Planning D: Society and Space 28.4 (2010): 600–617.
- ^ Schindler, Sarah B.. "Banning Lawns (municipal police power to ban lawns as sustainability policy)." The George Washington law review 82.2 (2014): 394–454.
- S2CID 103238454.