I live in a climate that sees extreme temperature shifts on a consistent basis as the seasons change. You could say that we experience “regional warming“.  This can make it more challenging to keep the landscaping in pristine condition.

Environmental factors not only play a large part in the type of landscape plant material utilized, they also play a crucial part in the landscape professional deciding how the garden should be maintained.  Many times novice gardeners and even landscape professionals ignore what I refer to as “Pre-Spring Preparation“.  The winter time is an important time to be preparing the yard for the increased temperatures that spring will yield.

Knowing the type of soil that is indigenous to your region is important as you choose fertilizers for different plants and trees.  During the winter months, it is a good idea to add micro-nutrients to the soil as well as a good nitrogen based fertilizer.  Roots do their major growth during the winter months when the plant or tree is in more of a dormant state growth-wise.  Proper fertilization during this time of the year will stimulate healthy root growth…which will “pay it forward“, in dividends, when spring comes around.  Not only will your garden look more beautiful, it will be better suited to fiend off pests and disease by being in a more health state.

Knowing how to prune your bushes and trees is important was well.  This is an aspect that varies from region to region.  I recommend that you visit your local nursery or county extension agent for tips on proper pruning technique not only for the plant type but how temperature shifts may affect the plant.

We all want to keep our landscape investment in pristine condition.  Proper “Pre-Spring Preparation” will help to insure that your garden will thrive, be more healthy, and look beautiful throughout the growing season.

So far, I have discussed with you practical solutions as well as proper planning and design of your Xeriscape. The most exciting and perhaps stressful part of this process is choosing the proper plant material…wow, the $10K question!  I always recommend that prior to producing the landscape plan, you should do your due diligence with regards to plant material.  You first need to decide structure, color, and form protocols that you will maintain throughout your design.

Make a list…decide what color schemes you want to incorporate.  Always have a few back-ups in case you cannot find a suitable color that works for you region.  You know your colors, now keep in mind what size and shape you want plant material to be or become.  Here is a big problem that many designers ignore…how large is the plant, tree, or bush going to get in 5 years…10 years…?   I cannot count how many times I have seen yards that were completely overgrown.  I must confess…early in my career I made the same mistake.  I never had any complaints, but it was something I thought of as time went along and corrected that design flaw.  From then on, I made it a point to always think in terms of growth patterns. I even had clients occasionally question why I purposely left a certain area of the garden more open, until I explained to them what the particular plant would do withing 3-5 years.

A good idea is to purchase a couple of good Xeriscape books on different types of plant material.  There are a number of good ones in the market, but one that I have had for many years is: Xeriscape Plant Guide: 100 Water-Wise Plants for Gardens and Landscapes. This is available for purchase on Amazon.com. Amazon.com has other very good books loaded with valuable information on Xeriscape design as well as other types of landscape design.  Just go to Amazon.com. When you access this area, you can do a search for Xeriscape plant guides and you will find a number of great books loaded with pictures and information.

There are a number of plant types to keep in mind that can be incorporated into a fantastic Xeriscape design. Some of these include:

*Grasses

*Vines & Ground-covers

*Shrubs

*Trees

*Water-Saving Native Plants

Other elements of the softscape design that make a dramatic difference include, placing strategically, pots and urns filled with seasonal color. These really brighten up the look of the yard.  You can even include the pots and urns without any plant material…make them into more of a work of art.  Granite boulders are also an integral part of the softscape design, even though they are a hardscape element. They dramatically enhance form and texture.

A very popular option that creates an amazing “green” effect year around is the use of artificial turf. I have had it in my own yard for over 2 years with continual positive comments from neighbors…the maintenance is so easy.  Where others mow, water, fertilize, weed, and trim their grass…I have mine blown and vacuumed and it is green all years long!…not to forget about the water-efficiency aspect.

For your garden to flourish, be sure to amend the soil properly with organic material and a good quality sand to ensure proper drainage as well as root growth.  This is a very fluid concept in that you must find out what type of soil you have for the given region.  Areas of the northwest are very acidic, while areas of the southwest are very alkaline. This is very critical for water, fertilizer, and amendment considerations.

Proper plant choices, proper planning, and proper soil conditions will ensure that your garden will bring you great happiness, peace, and joy for years to come.  What an Empowering and Peaceful Thought!

Creating water-efficient landscape designs begin with proper planning.  Proper planning begins with vision and a design appropriate plan.

There is such a misconception that Xeriscape design is nothing more than cacti and rock.  While I am enthralled with what can be done from a design perspective with cacti, succulents, and other species such as Saguaros, there are many alternatives to these drought-tolerant plants that can create that sub-tropical “green” feel and still maintain water-efficiency.

You need to start the planning phase by doing some research.  Educate yourself on the different types of plants available for your climate.  A walk through the local nursery is a good start.  Often times, they only carry mainstream plant material.  A great place to really see what plant material is available is through the internet. A great source for the novice is High Country Gardens where you will get great pictures of various drought-tolerant plant material.  Just make sure that what you choose is appropriate for you region and zonal climate.

After you have done your preliminary research, sketch out your yard to scale.  Most landscape architects and designers use 1/8″ = 1-0′ as the standard scale.  Hint…if you are putting in a swimming pool, get a copy of the design from the pool contractor.  Then,  get tracing paper, do an overlay and create your design.  You just saved yourself a lot of time and energy by not having to measure and re-create the rear yard.  A word of caution…always check a few measurements against the scale.  I have caught pool contractors making measuring errors.  This could be a formula for disaster if you have a small rear yard or live in a tightly controlled HOA and your incorrect measurements cause you to encroach on an area that you should not cross into and violate.  Incorporate into the design all your existing hardscape elements, major trees and any plants that you wish to keep in the design, if that is your choice.

At  this point, it is time to get your creative juices flowing and create your design.  Having a basic understanding of growth patterns of the various plant materials you wish to incorporate will be of a great benefit.  You might find that you can start with a smaller size and let them grow if the particular plant is rapid growing.  If it is a plant like a Barrel Cactus that you are using as a focal point, you might wish to choose a larger size cactus as the growth pattern is very slow.

Consider the following when you map out your design:

*Landscape budget

*Appearance…The “Wow Factor”

*Function

*Maintenance

*Water Requirements

If you find this task too daunting, you might wish to retain the services of a qualified landscape architect or designer. They, along with local nurserymen and county extension agents are excellent resources to assist you with making the best decision.  Appropriate planning and design will help keep your design challenges to a minimum.  They will help to ensure that the final product is a culmination of both your dreams and what makes sense.  This planning is totally Empowering!