Backyard Xeriscape Landscape Design

How to Create and design a Beautiful, Sustainable, and Water-Saving Landscape (Xeriscape)

Here at EarthsElement we are devoted to providing our clients the best possible sustainable solution for your residential or commercial landscape. Here in the pacific Northwest we have enough annual rainfall to sustain natural and or urban xeriscaping providing that the proper plants are chosen for sustainability and drought tolerance. Our design team will guide you through the design and the plant selection process

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What is Drought-Tolerant Landscaping?

Drought-tolerant landscaping, also known as xeriscaping, is a type of landscaping that uses plants and techniques that can survive with little or no irrigation. The term xeriscape comes from the Greek word xeros.

Drought-tolerant landscaping is not only beneficial for the environment, but also for your wallet and your lifestyle. By reducing your water use, you can lower your water bill and avoid fines or penalties for violating water restrictions. You can also save time and energy by minimizing the maintenance tasks such as mowing, weeding, pruning, and fertilizing.

How to Create a Drought-Tolerant Landscape

Creating a drought-tolerant landscape involves several steps, such as:

• Planning and design: Our design team will help you start planting, you need to have a clear vision of what you want your landscape to look like and how it will function. Consider factors such as your climate, soil type, sun exposure, drainage, slope, and existing features. You can sketch out a plan on paper or use online tools to help you visualize your ideas.
• Soil analysis and improvement: We will first start by a survey and a soil sample. The quality of your soil will affect the health and growth of your plants. You can test your soil using a kit or send a sample to a lab for analysis. Based on the results, you can amend your soil with organic matter such as compost or mulch to improve its texture, drainage, fertility, and water retention.
• Selecting proper plants: Our design team can help you assist in selecting the right plants for your landscape. The most important aspect of drought-tolerant landscaping is choosing plants that are adapted to your climate and conditions. You can use native plants that are naturally suited to your region or exotic plants that have similar requirements. You can also mix different types of plants such as perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees, grasses, succulents, and herbs to create diversity and interest. Some examples of drought-tolerant plants are lavender, sage, rosemary, yarrow, zinnia, lantana, Russian sage, lamb’s ear, ornamental grasses, evergreens, cacti, aloes, agaves, and sedums.
• Creating practical turf areas: Our team will help you design the perfectly sized yard. Lawns are one of the biggest water consumers in a landscape. If you want to keep some grass in your yard, you should limit it to areas where it serves a purpose such as play areas or pathways. You should also choose turf grass varieties that are drought-resistant such as buffalo grass, Bermuda grass, zoysia grass, or fescue grass. You can also replace some or all of your lawn with alternatives such as groundcovers (e.g., thyme), gravel (e.g., pea gravel), pavers (e.g., flagstone), or artificial turf.
• Irrigating efficiently: Even though drought-tolerant landscaping reduces your water needs, you still need to provide some irrigation to establish and maintain your plants. However, you can optimize your irrigation system by using methods that deliver water directly to the roots of the plants such as drip irrigation or soaker hoses. You can also use timers or sensors to control the frequency and duration of watering according to the weather and soil moisture. You should also water early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid evaporation loss.
• Using mulches: Mulches are materials that cover the soil surface around the plants such as wood chips, bark nuggets, straw, pine needles, rocks, or gravel. Mulches help conserve water by reducing evaporation from the soil surface. They also prevent weeds from growing, moderate soil temperature, enhance soil fertility, and add aesthetic appeal. https://pacifictopsoils.com/collections/bark-mulches-and-compost
• Administering proper maintenance: Even though drought-tolerant landscaping is low-maintenance, it still requires some care to keep it looking good and healthy. You should weed regularly to prevent competition for water and nutrients. You should prune selectively to remove dead or diseased branches and promote air circulation. You should fertilize sparingly with organic fertilizers to avoid salt buildup in the soil. You should also monitor your plants for pests and diseases and treat them with natural remedies.

Drought-Tolerant Landscaping Ideas

To inspire you further, our team can provide you with examples of drought-tolerant landscaping ideas that you will love and they will create a very sustainable long lasting plant effect in your own yard:

• Imagine a circular walkway of pavers around a gravel center with a fountain and garden art at the center as the fountain recycles water adding a luxurious soothing sound. The garden art provides visual interest, focal point and contrast (Don't forget the colorful lighting effects!!!). The plants around the walkway are drought-tolerant perennials and evergreens that soften the hardscape and add color, textural interest and further softening effects for the surrounding rock xeriscape.
• Dream of a parking strip garden with ornamental grasses, low-growing evergreens, and artemisia. The plants are drought-tolerant and catch rainwater runoff before it hits the street. The grasses add texture and movement. The evergreens provide year-round color and structure. The artemisia adds a silver accent and a nice ground cover for your drought tolerant area.

• Envision A raised pond with a fountain surrounded by Japanese forest grass and lamb’s ear. The pond is a focal point and attracts wildlife. The fountain recycles water and cools the air. The Japanese forest grass adds a golden hue and hints of a graced Zen garden. The lamb’s ear adds a fuzzy texture and a silvery tone.

• Our team can help find your homes hidden beauty! Imagine a planting bed with colorful, low-water-use plants such as perennial Russian sage and annual zinnias. The Russian sage has lavender-blue flowers and aromatic foliage. The zinnias have bright blooms and ample ecstatic bright energy.

Hardscape and landscape design can transform your outdoor space into a beautiful and functional extension of your home. But how do you find the best hardscape and landscape designer or company for your project? 

Here at Earths Element our focus is on providing the most custom sustainable beautiful landscape for our clients with over 30 years of experience in the areas of plant research, soil science application and custom landscape design and hardscape area installation:

• Please call our company today to schedule a landscape design consultation. The process is a breeze. We can be at it in a day or 2 and provide an amazing landscape design consultation that is customized for your living area and lifestyle. We will be able help you discover exactly what kind of hardscape or landscape design would be best suited to the needs of your home and wants of your family. As we work together with you, you will clearly see our vision and be delighted in the experience. to find out what kind of hardscape and landscape design you like and what is suitable for your climate, budget, and lifestyle. 
• Go ahead and browse through our portfolio: Once you have a general idea of what you want, please call us to schedule an appointment for a creative session, where we are able to to assess the landscape, listen to your individualized needs and create something beautiful as a team. 
• We will provide a competitive quote geared explicitly to the design with options that are more affordable as well as add-ons if you choose. we will also make sure that you are very happy by going through revisions or changes to suit your needs, desires or preferences.
• Finally, as part of your xeriscape installation we would love to work with you to make your yard an experience that you will never forget from the plant care list to the final installation and follow up care. Our promise is 100% satisfaction and that we reached the goal of maximizing your home landscape beautification potential and give you the yard of your dreams. CALL TODAY 360-672-3358.