The term "xeriscape" combines the Greek word "xeros" (dry) and landscape. Xeriscaping refers to landscaping practices and drought-tolerant garden plants that use little or no water other than natural rainfall.
The term was coined in the Denver, Colorado, area during a period of dry weather and rapid urban growth, which resulted in an acute water shortage. Lawn care throughout the United States is a very water-intensive practice; some estimates claim that Americans use 8 million gallons of water every day to maintain their lawns and gardens.
Xeriscape or 'Zeroscape'?
Xeriscaping is an effort to create attractive lawns and gardens that use far less water than a typical lawn, and the practice has proved especially popular in arid and semi-arid regions, as well as in places like Florida, California and Texas where population growth has placed extreme pressure on existing water supplies.
Plants used in a xeriscape are usually drought-tolerant plants that need little or no water once established. These plants are not just desert plants like cacti, yuccas and succulents, but are lush, flowering plants from semi-arid regions around the world. The use of native plants is emphasized, but many xeriscapes also include exotic plants from arid and semi-arid regions like the Mediterranean, Australia and inland Asia.
Xeriscape to Save Energy, Too
Other xeriscape practices include smart, efficient irrigation, mulching to conserve water, and larger hardscape areas like decks, patios and walkways. Xeriscapes also reduce or eliminate the use of turf grasses, which tend to be notoriously thirsty.
In addition to saving water, xeriscapes are also less labor intensive, since less turf area means less mowing and trimming, and they typically use less fertilizer and pesticides. As a result, xeriscapes save energy and reduce our reliance on oil and gasoline.
