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QUICK TIPS Design Ideas for Drought-Tolerant Landscape
 Joel
M. Lerner, president of Environmental Design in Capitol View Park,
Md., recently wrote a piece for The Washington Post where he outlined
ideas for xeriscaping to encourage conservation. Here is what he
had to say:
``Xeriscape'' is derived from root words ``xeric,'' meaning dry,
and ``scape,'' denoting a view, as in landscape. So, literally translated,
it is landscape design for dry conditions. Through common use, the
term has become known as the practice of installing drought-resistant
plants, delivering water to them efficiently and keeping their root
balls moist as long as possible. Therefore, another way to refer
to xeriscaping is water-efficient landscape design.
These seven general guidelines form a basis for xeriscape design
principles:
• Design shade into the landscape. Just as we perspire and
lose moisture through our pores, plants transpire, losing moisture
through their leaves. A mature oak tree can dissipate as much heat
as four home central air conditioners running 24 hours a day, according
to estimates. This evaporative water loss from leaves has a cooling
effect on the environment and reduces water loss.
• Appropriate plant selection is essential. Large mulched
areas don't effectively conserve water unless trees, shrubs, perennials
or annuals cover 75 to 80 percent of the soil.
Here is a short list of drought-tolerant plants:
Perennials: artemesia, black-eyed Susan, coreopsis, goldenrod, liatris,
liriope, purple coneflower, sedum, thyme.
Shrubs: juniper, honeysuckle, lilac, mahonia, deutzia, spiraea,
witch hazel, yucca.
Trees: ash, trident maple, ginkgo, golden rain, lacebark elm, maackia,
sycamore.
• Practical turf areas conserve topsoil and slow runoff. Many
xeriscape designs greatly reduce the amount of lawn to decrease
water consumption. Turf grass can survive three weeks to a month
without rain. After that, you should soak it. When mowing, adjust
lawn mower to a higher setting. Longer grass shades root systems
and holds soil moisture better than a closely clipped lawn. Leave
the grass clippings on the lawn. This helps hold moisture. There
are ground covers for full sun that might survive drought better
than lawns, such as junipers and ground-cover roses.
• Efficient irrigation will conserve a lot of water. Minimize
evaporation by watering during the early morning or about two hours
before sunset, when temperatures are cooler and winds lighter. Check
your sprinkler system frequently and adjust so only your lawn is
watered and not the house, sidewalk or street. Direct downspouts
and other runoff toward shrubs and trees, or collect and use for
your garden. Water only as rapidly as the soil can absorb the water.
A soaker, drip or bubbler system will release water much more slowly
and efficiently than shooting it into the air. Avoid using a sprinkler
that throws a fine mist. You want droplets to drench the soil. Water
small patches by hand to avoid waste.
Irrigate according to plant needs rather than by fixed schedule.
Group plants with similar water requirements in beds together. This
allows you to ``zone'' your watering so plants are watered only
as necessary. For example, an established planting of black-eyed
Susans, liatris and purple coneflowers in a common bed might not
require watering all summer long, yet moisture-loving ferns, astilbes
and impatiens that prefer cool, protected sites could wilt and dry
within days without water.
• Soil analysis will offer some indication of how well your
soil will hold moisture. Shallow soil with a hardpan or rock base
will not hold moisture well. Soil texture has a lot to do with how
fast the water percolates through it, or if it will percolate at
all. Sandy soils percolate well but do not have the same water-holding
capability as clay or silt. These soils benefit from having organic
material added when cultivating them.
• Organic mulches, such as compost or bark mulch, greatly
slow evaporation. Compost incorporated into the soil will hold moisture.
• Maintain the garden appropriately. Next time you add or
replace a flower or shrub, choose a low-water-use plant. Keep ahead
of weeds -- they use moisture.
Despite claims that a plant is drought-resistant, it still must
be watered during the first year or two, while establishing roots
in the garden.
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