Planning & Design
Regardless whether you are gradually updating an existing landscape, completely redoing an existing landscape, or starting with a brand new landscape, planning and design are important. Basic landscape design principles are still applied when creating a Xeriscape. You will want to analyze your site and note its characteristics.
For example, noting the orientation will help you determine where the sun areas are located. The shade areas will lose less water from evaporation due to the reduced heat. The creative use of shade will allow you to control water usage and reduce the temperature of the various areas of the landscape.
You should also look at the different soil areas. Are some areas wet? Are others dry? What is the soil itself like? Is it clay, sandy, or some other type? All of these observations and notes should be recorded to help you later during the Soil Analysis & Improvement principle.
Your design should also take into account the different use areas. Public areas that are highly visible tend to have more decorative, varied, and ornamental plantings which will tend to require more water. Private areas on the other hand may have different types of plantings that require less water and include hardscape elements such as decks that use no water.
You may have a theme in mind for your design. Xeriscape principles can be applied to any design theme. Xeriscape designs simply incorporate water usage foresight into the end result.
Xeriscape landscape design adds one unique step to the traditional design process. That is the identification of water use zones. Typically a Xeriscape design will include three water use zones:
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Sample water zone diagram |
This is actually a design step. You need to group plantings into water use areas but they should fit into your planned use areas. Understanding your site and your goals will allow you to create water use zones that will be invaluable in helping you choose plantings that fit your theme and work well in your landscape environment. This will also help you pick plantings that establish the form and texture of your space as well as define it. This is also part of the Plant Selection principle.
As you explore other parts of the seven Xeriscape principles you will see how that are interrelated and how you need to consider them.
Continue exploring the seven principles: