It was that special hideaway you skipped to, to read a book, be alone with your thoughts or simply lie on the grass and peer at the stars with that special someone. That wild, mysterious, secluded place that you discovered — the one whose location you only revealed to a few trusted friends so as not to spoil its purity. In a nostalgic moment, you wonder if you could ever find such a place again. The answer is yes.
Xeriscaping is a form of low-maintenance, waterless gardening that uses naturally-occurring water and sun to thrive. Increasingly, those wishing to lead a greener lifestyle are forgoing a traditional lawn in favor of a xeriscape. With this trend, you can bring that effortless beauty of your secret hideaway to your own backyard. While some may argue that having a xeriscape in place of a lawn is just an excuse for the lazy to sleep in on the weekend, a xeriscape takes planning — it’s not just a lawn full of weeds.
Much of the western US is no stranger to water shortages. In fact, in many cities, it’s not uncommon to have restrictions on when and how often you can water your lawn. This combined with an overall dislike of time-consuming lawn care as well as an increased awareness of environmental consciousness, has some turning instead to the low-maintenance and low cost of xeriscape yards.
But just because a garden is “waterless” doesn’t mean it has to be brown or filled with rocks. A rock garden when contrasted with a lush green lawn sounds harsh — in reality xeriscaping does not have to mean entirely giving up on green. Taking some time to research plants native to the area that are accustomed to your region’s natural water level, will add some greenery to your landscape.
Xeriscaping isn’t just a waterless garden either, but it’s one which requires little or no effort to maintain. This is why some xeriscapers have taken garden sustainability to a new level by utilizing solar energy. Installing solar lights in your garden creates that woodland fairy-type feel — all while being an easy-to-care-for, zero energy landscape.