XERISCAPING AND ITS APPLICATION TO THE HOME GARDNER

By Brian Haniford

Prairie & Parkland Plants

Xeriscaping is a method of Gardening or Landscaping wherein the design and use of Plants take less water than a conventional design

and plants. The goals that Xeriscaping strives to meet are: (1) Radical Water Conservation and (2) Preservation of Beauty in the

Landscape.

There are seven principles of Xeriscaping, they are:

1. Refine the design. The South and West exposed gardens that are on the sunnyside of buildings, fences, hedges or other wall type

structures are the locations that Xeriscaping will be most effective due to the higher temperatures and intense sunlight. Design these

areas to utilize those plants tolerant to these conditions.

2. Limit Turf Areas. Grasses are the highest users of water. Without large quantities and frequent watering, grasses will not flourish.

Cut back the grasses in those areas that should be Xeriscaped.

3. Select low-water-usage plants. This is your challenge to select those plants that will have high drought tolerance in addition to

being hardy for your Zone. There are many Native plants that fit the requirements. You may choose from Shrubs, Trees or Annual and

Perennial Flowers. Those plants that have Grey or Silver Leaves are very suitable. For variety, Spring Bulbs may be suitable as they

emerge, flower and wither while the temperature and sunlight have not maximized.

4. Irrigate efficiently. The watering of your Xeriscaped area doesn't follow the same schedule and quantities as your lawn, flower

beds or garden. The best system of watering in this area is drip or trickle. The plants themselves do not require & will not benefit from

their foliage being dampened. Water only when necessary and make sure to water deeply to encourage the roots to go downward in

search of water. Don't be over anxious to water your Xeriscape plants.

5. Use Mulch. More and more this method of moisture and weed control is being adapted to gardening. In your Xeriscaping the use of

mulch is one of the best methods to keep the soil moist and cool. Materials for mulch are varied therefore your choice will depend

upon the plant needs and your esthetical requirements. Some of the materials you can use are: Newspaper, Grass Clippings, Wood

Chips, Saw Dust, Plastic Sheeting, Landscape Fabric, Rock or Compost.

6. Amend the Soil. The better condition the soil is in, the more efficiently the plants will be able to make use of the water and

nutrients. Work in plenty of organic matter. Compost, leaves, grass clippings, peat moss, manure or vegetable cuttings from the

kitchen all will be beneficial. This amendment of the soil also aids in the retention of the moisture.

7. Don't ignore maintenance. Although the plants that you use are hardy and require less water, the weeds that have adapted to the

same conditions will flourish. Keep up on the weeding to reduce the competition for water, also the appearance of your Xeriscape

Garden is one of the pleasures that you are striving to achieve.

Now that you have some of the basics of Xeriscaping, the actual act is up to you. There are not specific designs or plants that I could

point you to, but there are several books and magazines that include this as a topic. You can do your research and when you have

made a design and plant selection list, then your local nursery or garden centre can be approached as to their supply.

A lot of the Xeriscape plants are slow growing. If instant gratification is your goal, then you must be prepared to put out the extra

costs of larger plants. There are several smaller plants that are suitable for Xeriscaping, consider them along with larger plants such as

shrubs. Xeriscape plants could be planted with the smaller ground hugging and covering ones in front with the taller towards the back.

If you choose to do a Xeriscape garden, I would be pleased to discuss with you your plans.

Brian Haniford

Prairie & Parkland Plants

Box 68, Torrington, Alta, ToM 2B0

403 631-2398

haniford@telusplanet.net

NO. SPECIE TYPE PLANT AVAILABLE SCIENTIFIC

NAME

COMMON

NAME 1

COMMON NAME 2 COMMON

NAME 3

1 GRASS S, P S+P 2001+ Stipa curtiseta Western Porcupine

2 GRASS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Stipa richardsonii Richardson's Needle

3 GRASS S 2001+ Stipa viridula Green Needle

4 FORBS S, P S+P 2001+ Achillea millefolium Common Yarrow

5 FORBS (D) S, P S+P 2001+ Aquilegia jonesii Blue Columbine

6 FORBS S, P S+P 2001+ Aster conspicuus Showy Aster

7 FORBS S S+P 2001+ Castilleja minata Red Indian Paintbrush

8 FORBS S, P S+P 2001+ Dodecatheon pulchellum Shooting Star

9 FORBS S, P S+P 2001+ Fragaria virginiana Wild Strawberry

10 FORBS S, P S+P 2001+ Gaillardia aristata Brown Eyed Susan Blanket-

flower

11 FORBS S, P S+P 2001+ Geum triflorum Old Man's Whiskers Prairie Smoke

12 FORBS S 2001+ Helianthus lenticularis Showy Sunflower

13 FORBS S, P S+P 2001+ Monarda fistulosa Wild Bergamont Bee Balm Torch Flower

14 FORBS S, P S+P 2001+ Opuntia polyacabtha Plains Prickly Pear Cactus

15 FORBS S 2001

+

Oxytropis monticola (gracillis) Late Yellow Locoweed

16 FORBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Rumex occidentalis Western Dock

17 FORBS S, P S2001+ P2001+ Sisyrinchium montanum Blue-eyed Grass

18 FORBS S S2001+ Smilacina stellata Star-Flowered False Solomon's Seal

19 FORBS S S2001+ Solidago canadensis Canada Goldenrod

20 FORBS S S2001+ Solidago decumbens Mountain Goldenrod

21 FORBS S S2001+ Solidago missouriensis Missouri Goldenrod

22 FORBS S S2001+ Solidago rigida Stiff Goldenrod

23 FORBS S S2001+ Thermopsis rhombifolia Golden Bean Buffalo Bean

24 FORBS S S2001+ Vicia americana Wild Vetch

25 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Acer glabrum var. douglasii Rocky Mountain Maple Douglas Maple

26 SHRUBS S, S2001+ Amelanchier alnifolia Saskatoon Serviceberry

27 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Kinnikinnick Bearberry

28 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2000+ Cornus stolonifera Red Osier Dogwood

29 SHRUBS (D) S, P S2001+, P2001+ Crataegus rotundifolia (1) Red Hawthorn

30 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Eleagnus commutata Silverberry Wolfwillow

31 SHRUBS S S2001+ Juniperus communis Ground Juniper Low Juniper

32 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Juniperus horizontalis Creeping Juniper

33 SHRUBS Junoperus scopulorum Rocky Mountain Juniper

34 SHRUBS (D) Philadelphus lewisii Mock Orange

35 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Prunus virginiana Western Chokecherry

36 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Ribes oxyacanthoides Wild Gooseberry

37 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Rosa acicularis Prickly Rose

38 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Rosa arkansana (woodsii) Prairie Rose

39 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Rubus strigosus Wild Red Raspberry

40 SHRUBS P 2001+ Salix discolor Pussy Willow

41 SHRUBS P 2001+ Salix exigua (interior) Sandbar Willow

42 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Sambucus racemosa Elderberry

43 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Shepherdia argentea Silver Thorny Buffaloberry

44 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Shepherdia canadensis Canada Buffaloberry Soopolallie Soapberry

45 SHRUBS (D) S, P S2001+, P2001+ Sorbus scopulina Western Mountain Ash (Orange)

46 SHRUBS (D) S, P S2001+, P2001+ Sorbus sitchensis Sitka Mountain Ash (Red)

47 SHRUBS S, P S2001+, P2001+ Symphoricarpos occidentalis Buckbrush Wolfberry Western Snowberry

48 TREES Pinus flexis Limber Pine

49 TREES S, P S2001+, P2001+ Populus balsamfera Balsam Poplar Black Cottonwood

50 TREES Populus tremiloides Aspen Poplar Trembling Aspen

(D) DOMESTIC SPECIES

(1) also: columbina & chryoscarpa

(2) also: Andropogon scoparius