Xeriscaping

Xeriscape: From the Greek word xeric meaning "pertaining to or adapted to a dry environment." And since that's what we have in S.Jordan, Utah, the use of "xeriscaping" rather than "landscaping" seemed the greenest way to go. Before we got started, we received frequent visits from people offering to do our "landscaping." But from observing other landscaping efforts in the neighborhood, we knew what they had in mind: put in a couple trees, a few bushes, toss in some turf and voila--landscaping. One company even advertised that they did "zeroscaping." We weren't fooled. We knew that with sufficient information and effort, we could create a truly xeriscaped exterior. And we did, driven by two desires: 1)to create an environment that would be a place of beauty that is in harmony with the idea of a green home and 2) to satisfy the S. Jordan Planning Commission so that the landscaping bond would be released. We have done both.

The photos that have been included with this blog show the initial phase of our xeriscaping effort. We put a lot of effort into what you see in the pictures since we were under a time constraint in satisfying the S.Jordan planning commission. We started with lots of lavender, a proven drought tolerant plant that grows well in this area and reminds the Francophiles among us of Provence in the south of France. In just a few months the varieties of lavender have flourished, even producing some beautiful blossoms in late summer. Following the lavender came a number of ornamental grasses, including: White Pampas grass, Dixieland miscanthus, canary grass, Morning Light maiden grass, Purple Fountain Grass (we found out too late that it is not a perennial in these parts), Little Blue Stem Grass, Mexican Feather Grass and several more. We even liberated several native Utah grasses growing on the crumbling bank of a nearby canal (therein lies a story). Along with the lavender and grasses, we started a number of low water use flowers, including coreopsis, gaillardia, evening primrose, and penstemon. One of the plants that has really impressed us has been Artemesia, which seems to thrive on a minimum of water. Other favorites include Russian sage and Blue sage. We added two native Utah species: Philadelphus microphylus and Mountain Mahogany. All in all, we are quite pleased with the first season of xeriscaping and look forward to warmer weather when we can start adding more.

What the pictures do not show is the irrigation system that supports the xeriscape. Beneath the mulch, which is several inches thick to prevent moisture from evaporating, is a drip irrigation system controlled by a timer. With some adjusting during the hottest part of the summer, we managed to keep the new plants evenly watered. By the time the water was turned off in the fall, most of the plants seemed to be well-rooted and, in some cases, even blossoming. Next season will mean an extension of the system to other parts of the exterior. Our plan now is to work our way around the perimeter, adding rock terracing, more drought tolerant plant species, especially native Utah varieties, pine trees and an expanded herb garden. To prevent soil erosion and the return of invasive weeds, we are planning to add, as a temporary measure, some drought tolerant grasses (tall fescue and buffalo grass) and wild flowers in areas where perreniels and ornamental grasses will later be added. We expect that once this step is taken we will be in line for a gold LEED certification. More on that later.

So, at the start of winter, with several inches of snow on the roof, we are still relishing the memories of this past season when we began the great xeriscape project. It will go on for many years, of course, but we look forward to watching it bloom and grow.