How you can have an attractive landscape that requires minimal watering? The term Xeriscape comes from the Greek word “Xeros” which means dry. Therefore, xeriscaping is a technique of planning a landscape that conserves water by using plants that are tolerant of heat and dryness. Xeriscape-type landscaping is a package of seven tips for making a landscape more water-efficient. They are: - Planning
- Soil analysis
- Appropriate plant selection
- Practical turn areas
- Efficient irrigation
- Use of mulches
- Appropriate maintenance
By using a Xeriscape-type landscape you can reduce your outside water consumption by as much as 50% and save money on your water bill, without sacrificing the beauty of your outside landscaping. You can select from a wide variety of selected trees, shrubs, ground covers, annuals and perennials. Some examples of plants that generally survive well under dry, hot conditions are: - Shade trees: Red Maple, Green Ash, Red Oak
- Evergreen trees: Atlas Cedar, Colorado Blue Spruce
- Deciduous Shrubs: Red chokeberry, Smoketree, Burning Bush
- Evergreen Shrubs: Heavenly bamboo, Junipers
- Herbaceous Plants: Day Lily, Black-Eyed Susan, Silvermound
These are just a few examples of the types of plants that you can use. To learn more about Xeriscaping there are a wide variety of books available at your local library. Also, the University of Maryland has publications on-line under the Home and Garden Information Center. (Documents are in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format). | 
