Establishing a Waste Efficient Landscape
Just as the State of California instituted a hierarchy of preferred
waste management practices, with prevention at the top, so too can a
landscape be designed from the beginning to prevent or reduce the
amount of resources needed to maintain it and the amount of waste it
produces. Each region of California has different resource conditions,
such as available water, soil type, temperature ranges and lighting. By
designing a landscape in an appropriate manner, selecting compatible
plants, and installing efficient irrigation systems, a balance can be
achieved that fits both the aesthetic needs of the landowner or client,
and the resource availability of the region.
Many times a landscape is inherited, it is already established and you
are simply charged with maintaining it. A transition to a more resource
efficient landscape may be a possibility. However, long term resource
efficiency improves when planning and preparation can be given
attention ahead of time.
Landscape Design and Plant Selection
The first question to ask in considering a landscape is why have
a landscape? Why install plants and a lawn instead of decking or
pavement? Will it be an active recreational
space or a quiet, contemplative area for meditative toiling? Whatever
the intended use, proper design and plant selection can reduce the
amount of waste a landscape generates through maintenance. In the end,
that means time and money savings.
Todays waste efficient landscapes use unthirsty" plants, California
natives and drought tolerant exotics. Proper soil preparation, garden
layout, and planting time assures that plants can mature into beautiful
specimens with minimal trimming.
What is xeriscaping?
Literally, the word xeriscaping comes from a combination of two other
words: "xeri-" derived from the Greek word "xeros" for dry; and
"-scape," meaning a kind of view or scene. While xeriscape translates
to mean "dry scene", in practice xeriscaping means simply landscaping
with slow growing, drought tolerant plants to conserve water and reduce
yard trimmings.
The practice of xeriscaping will vary from region to region in
California. Plants which are appropriate in one climate may not work
well in another. The moist northwest may even be considered
inhospitable to sturdy plants of the desert south. Landscapes need to
be planned to be compatible with locally available resources, including
water, soil types and sunlight.
Californias limited supply of water, subject to ever increasing
demands, is just one resource saved by xeriscaping. This results in
immediate cost savings through lower water bills. Xeriscaping can
reduce the amount of plant trimmings which must be disposed of or
otherwise managed, thereby helping your community, and ultimately you,
to save resources. A reduction in plant trimmings can reduce the amount
of labor needed to maintain a given landscape. Or, put another way,
reduced plant maintenance allows more time to be spent on other aspects
of landscape maintenance, or on another landscape account.
Xeriscapes generally require less fertilizer and pest control measures
than traditional landscapes. Because pesticides and fertilizers can
inadvertently harm beneficial organisms, as well as impact air and
water quality, reducing their use is a good idea. And, of course, using
less of these materials saves money.
While indigenous plants are naturally accustomed to local climates and
therefore good choices for water and waste efficient landscapes,
xeriscaping doesnt mean planting California native plants only. For
example, one could draw from many available colorful drought tolerant
plants native to other "Mediterranean" climates such as Southern
Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, South Africa, and Australia. There
are many excellent books that provide further information on this
subject (please refer to References and Resources section), as well as
a growing number of nurseries that specialized in xeriscape plants.
Remember, xeriscaping:
- Provides lots of attractive planting options
- Presents minimal pest and disease problems
- Thrives with little fertilization
- Requires low pruning and maintenance
- Saves valuable landfill space
- Saves landscapers time and money
