EPA-840-B-93-001
vvEPA
United States
Environmental
Agency
EPA-840-B-93-001
April 1993
Office of Water (WH-556F)
Xeriscape
Landscaping
Preventing Pollution and
Using Resources Efficiently
so
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EPA wishes to gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Dr. Douglas
Welsh, Texas A&M University, and Fox McCarthy, Cobb County-
Marietta Water Authority, in the preparation of this booklet.
The information in this booklet has been funded wholly or in part
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under assistance
agreement no. CX-818191-01 to the Terrene Institute. It has been
subjected to the Agency's publications review process and has been
approved for publication as an EPA document. Mention of trade
names and commercial products does not constitute endorsement
or recommendation for their use.
For copies of this publication, contact
EPA Water Resource Center (RC-4100)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
For more information, please write
Joan Warren (WH-556F)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
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Contents
What is Xeriscape™ Landscaping? 2
How is Xeriscape Landscaping Done? 4
Why You Should Use Xeriscape 7
Landscaping
Examples of Successful Xeriscape 10
Landscaping Projects
For More Information 14
References and Bibliography 16
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What is Xeriscape
Landscaping?
Without water, life ceases. Yet, many of us in the United
States take this precious resource for granted — and we
continue to use more and more. In fact, each household
consumes approximately 125 to 200 gallons per day.
The "water conscious" install water-saving shower heads
and wash only full loads of clothes and dishes, but still,
household use increases dramatically during the summer: by
40 to 100 percent. Obviously, we're outdoors gardening and
caring for our lawns.
We can have stunning gardens and lawns — and save water,
prevent pollution, and protect the environment, too — by
employing a form of landscaping called Xeriscape landscaping.
Defined as "quality landscaping that conserves water and
protects the environment," Xeriscape produces attractive
landscapes that use less water because they're based on designs
and plants suited to the locale.
This booklet describes Xeriscaping and its many benefits,
cites some successful examples, and provides a short
bibliography and contact/reference list. Although the principles
and concepts discussed will help you understand how to use
Xeriscaping, local resources — especially your county extension
service and garden/nursery centers — can give you more
specific information about applying it to your geographical area.
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Homes with Xeriscape landscapes can be beautiful, environmentally friendly,
and easy to maintain.
Xeriscape landscaping can be defined as "quality
landscaping that conserves water and protects the
environment." This definition is based on seven principles:
*»* Planning and design,
*»* Soil analysis,
*»* Appropriate plant selection,
*»* Practical turf areas,
*»* efficient irrigation,
*»* Use of mulches, and
*** Appropriate maintenance.
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How is Xeriscape Landscaping
Done?
Landscaping that conserves water and protects the
environment does not mean urban landscapes with only rocks
and cactus. Through careful planning, landscapes can be
designed to be both pleasing to the senses and kind to the
environment.
* Planning and design
Developing a landscape plan is the first and the most
important step. Your plan should take into account the
regional and microclimatic conditions of the site, existing
vegetation, topography, intended uses of the property, and
most importantly, the grouping of plants by their water
needs. The landscape plan also allows landscaping to be
done over a period of time.
* Soil analysis and improvements
Because soils vary from site to site, test your soil before
beginning or improving your landscape. Your county
extension service can analyze your soil and suggest ways to
improve its ability to support plants and retain water.
* Appropriate plant selection
Your landscape design should take into account your
local climate as well as soil conditions. Focus on preserving
as many existing trees and shrubs as possible because
established plants usually require less irrigation water and
maintenance. Choose local or regional plants known for
their beauty, water efficiency, and resistance to disease and
pests.
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Groundcovers, shrubs, and trees make a pleasant Xeriscape landscape.
* Practical turf areas
How and where turf is placed in the landscape can
significantly reduce the amounts of irrigation water needed
to support the landscape. Lawns are major users of
supplemental water and generally require greater
maintenance than other vegetation. Turf should be used
where it aesthetically highlights the house or buildings, and
where it has a practical function, such as play and recreation
areas. Select a type of grass that can withstand drought
periods and becomes dormant in hot, dryer seasons.
* Efficient irrigation
Much of the water applied to lawns and gardens is not
absorbed by the plants. It is lost in runoff because it is
applied too quickly — or through evaporation. Low-volume
or drip-type irrigation are efficient methods for many trees,
shrubs, flowers, and groundcovers. But to promote the
strong root growth that supports a plant during drought,
always water deeply and only when the plant needs water.
Grouping plants according to similar water needs also
makes watering easier and more efficient.
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Proper planting
initially reduces
need for
pesticides,
fertilizers, and
constant care.
* Use of mulches
Mulches encourage greater retention of water, reduce
weed growth, and prevent erosion. They also improve the
condition of your soil. Mulches are typically wood bark
chips, wood grindings, pine straws, nut shells, small gravel,
or shredded landscape clippings. Avoid using rock mulches
because they radiate large amounts of heat that promote
water loss from the landscape.
Appropriate maintenance
Water and fertilize plants only as needed. Too much
water promotes weak growth and increases pruning and
mowing requirements. Cutting grass only when it reaches
two to three inches promotes deeper root growth; the proper
cutting height varies, however, with the type of grass so
you may want to contact your county extension agent.
Avoid shearing plants or giving them high nitrogen
fertilizers during dry periods because these practices
encourage water-demanding new growth.
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Why You Should Use Xeriscape
Landscaping
Proper landscaping techniques can create both a beautiful
landscape and one that benefits the environment and saves
water. In fact, attractive, water-efficient, low-maintenance
landscapes can increase home values between 7 and 14 percent.
In addition, using trees and shrubs to provide shade in the
summer and sunlight in the winter can reduce cooling and
heating costs by half.
Xeriscape landscaping offers many economic and
environmental benefits, including
*»* Iveduced water use, thus leaving more water for fish,
wildlife, and other needs;
*»* Decreased energy use (and pollution) because less
pumping and treatment of water is required;
*»* .Reduced heating and cooling costs because of careful
placement of trees and plants;
*»* ./Vtinimal runoff of stormwater and irrigation water
that carries soils, fertilizers, and pesticides;
*»* fewer yard wastes that need to be landfilled;
*»* JVlore habitat for plants and wildlife;
*»* Lower labor and maintenance costs; and
*»* Extended life for our water resources infrastructure,
e.g., reservoirs, treatment plants, groundwater aquifers,
thus reducing taxpayer costs.
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Xeriscape Landscaping
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Xeriscape Landscaping
compost
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Examples of Successful
Xeriscape Landscaping Projects
Xeriscape landscaping techniques can be used by
individuals, companies, state and local governments, and
businesses to physically enhance their properties, reduce
long-term maintenance costs, and, at the same time, create
environmentally conscious landscapes. The following examples
illustrate how Xeriscape landscapes can be used in various
situations.
* Homeowner—
public/private
partnership
The South Florida
Water Management District,
the Florida Nurserymen
and Growers Association,
the Florida Irrigation
Society, and local businesses
have produced a television
video called "Plant It Smart
with Xeriscape." The video
shows how a typical Florida
residential yard can be
retrofitted with Xeriscape to
save energy, time, and
money. The yard (selected
from 70 applicants) had a
history of heavy water use
— more than 90,000 gallons
per month. After the
retrofit, the yard is more
beautiful, uses over 75
percent less water, and
relies on yard wastes for
mulch and compost.
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A display of perennials, turf, and woody ornamentals that give a good picture of
what Xeriscape landscaping is all about.
* State government
Although perceived as a water-rich state, Florida has
become the first to enact a statewide Xeriscape law. Florida's
legislature recognized that its growing population and
vulnerable environment dictated legal safeguards for its water
resources. The Xeriscape law requires Florida's Departments
of General Services and Transportation to use Xeriscape
landscaping on all new public properties and to develop a
five-year program to phase in Xeriscape on existing properties.
All local governments must also consider requiring the use of
Xeriscape and offering incentives to install Xeriscaping.
* City government
Even though California and its local governments have
long been leaders in water conservation, half of the water
consumed by a typical Los Angeles homeowner is used on
lawns and gardens. As a result, the Department of Water and
Power introduced a multifaceted outdoor water conservation
program that includes an annual spring garden exposition to
provide information on low-water-use plants and efficient
irrigation techniques. In addition, Xeriscape landscapes are
required for all new construction projects.
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Xeriscape principles—from an excellent design to the practical turf
areas—combine to conserve water while enhancing the beauty of this
apartment home.
* Developers
Post Properties, Inc., a developer and manager of more
than 50 upscale apartment communities in Georgia and
Virginia, uses Xeriscape landscaping on its properties. The
landscaping has been so successful that the company
launched Post Landscape Services in 1990 to help other
developers and property managers design creative
landscapes while effectively lowering long-term
maintenance costs and water use.
Although Post communities in Atlanta are located in an
area with 50 to 60 inches of natural rainfall annually, the
company is careful to apply Xeriscape principles. Only
about 10 percent of their landscaped areas are irrigated. Soil
amendments are added when construction begins, plants
are carefully selected, mulch is applied annually, and
mulching mowers are used on the lawns. Post also practices
integrated pest management to reduce pesticide use. Insect
and disease problems decline because superior plant species
are used in conjunction with soil improvements and
mulching to help plants thrive and resist pest infestations.
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* Public/private partnerships
In Georgia, per capita water use rose from 50 gallons
per day in 1965 to 200 in 1991. Much of this water is used for
recreation, gardening, and landscaping. In some areas,
summer household use doubles over winter levels. Many
individuals recognized that Georgia faced severe constraints
on its future growth and quality of life if water issues were
not addressed.
Commerical
building in
Atlanta, (right)
Use of recycled
water both for
aesthetics and
irrigation.
(below)
Practical use of
turf for minimal
foot traffic,
water flow, and
aesthetics, not
as a ground
cover.
Through the initial
efforts of the University
of Georgia Cooperative
Extension Service, the
Georgia Water Wise
Council was established
in 1989. The Council now
has 140 members from
water and energy utilities,
the "green industry," the
development community,
homebuilders, and
federal, state, and local
governments. To help
curb the growing demand
for outdoor water, the
Council recently
published a 40-page
guide to Xeriscape for
Georgians.
The Council also works with
water utilities to offer homeowners
a free landscape consultation by
senior landscape architecture
students, and with the Greater
Atlanta Homebuilders Association
to develop standards for a
"water-smart house."
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For More Information
The following is a partial listing of organizations that can
provide you with more information on Xeriscape landscaping.
Many local water utilities have information especially tailored
to your locale and some have demonstration gardens that allow
you to see the beauty and practicality of a Xeriscape landscape.
Your local county extension service is also an excellent
source of information. Local nurseries can also provide
information on native and low water use plants as well as plants
that are disease resistant or adapted to the soil conditions in
your yard.
Water Utilities
Cobb-Marietta County Water
Authority
1660 Barnes Mill Road
Marietta, GA 30062
(404) 426-8788
East Bay Municipal Utility
District
P.O. Box 24055
Oakland, CA 94623
(510) 835-3000
Los Angeles Department of
Water and Power
111 N. Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 481-4211
Massachusetts Water Resources
Authority
Public Education Department
Charleston Navy Yard
100 First Avenue
Boston, MA 02129
(617) 242-6000
The Metropolitan District
555 Main Street
Post Office Box 800
Hartford, CT 06142-0800
(203) 278-0127
North Marin Water District
P.O. Box 146
Novalto, CA 94948
(415) 897-4133
South Florida Water
Management District
P.O. Box 24680
West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680
(407) 686-8800
Southwest Florida Water
Management District
2379 Broad Street
Brooksville, FL 34609-6899
(904) 796-7211
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Public-Private Partnerships
The Georgia Water Wise Council, Inc.
1033 Franklin Road, Suite 11-187
Marietta, GA 30067
Extension Service
Clemson University
Department of Horticulture
172 Poole Agricultural Center
Clemson, SC 29634-0375
(803) 656-4964
Cooperative Extension Service
The University of Georgia
College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences
Athens, GA 30220-1797
(706) 542-2861
National Organizations
American Association of
Nurserymen
National Landscape Association
1250 I Street, N.W., Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 789-2900
American Water Works
Association
6666 West Quincy Avenue
Denver, CO 80235
(303) 347-6195
Texas Agriculture Extension
Service
Texas A&M University System
225 Horticulture/Forestry
Service Building
College Station, TX 77843-2134
(409) 845-7341
Rocky Mountain Institute
1739 Snowmass Creek Road
Snowmass, CO 81654-9199
(303) 927-3851
Software
WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE PLANNER
available from:
Alfred Krause
U.S. EPA Region V
77 West Jackson Boulevard (WCP-15J)
Chicago, IL 60604-3507
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References and Bibliography
The following is a partial listing of books and pamphlets on
resource efficient landscaping. For a more extensive list,
particularly for plants suited to your locale, consult your local
library, county extension service, nurserymen, garden clubs, and
water utility.
BayScapes. 1993. Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Inc., P.O. Box 1981,
Richmond, VA 23216.
Carefree Landscapes. 1990. Storey Communications, Inc., Pownal, VT 05261.
Designing a Public Information Program for Water Conservation. 1985.
California Department of Water Resources, P.O. Box 942836,
Sacramento, CA 94236
Easy Maintenance Gardening. 1982. Ken Burke, ed. San Francisco: Ortho
Books.
Landscaping for Water Conservation: Xeriscape! 1989. Aurora, Colo.: City of
Aurora, Colorado Utilities Department.
Taylor's Guide to Water-Saving Gardening. 1990. Houghton Mifflin, Two Park
Street, Boston, MA 02108.
Water Conservation in Landscape — Design and Management. 1984. Gary O.
Robinette. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc.
Waterwise Gardening. 1990. Fran Feldman and Cornelia Fogle, et al. eds.
Menlo Park, Calif.: Lane Publishing Co.
Waterwise Gardening: Beautiful Gardens with Less Water. 1989. Sunset Books
and Sunset Magazine, eds. Menlo Park, Calif.: Lane Publishing Co.
Xeriscape™ Programs for Water Utilities. 1990. Ken Ball, American Water
Works Association, 6666 West Quincy Avenue, Denver, CO 30235.
The Xeriscape Flower Gardener. 1991. Jim Knopf. Boulder, Colo.: Johnson
Books.
Xeriscape™ Gardening. 1992. Connie Ellefson, Tom Stephens, and Doug
Welsh. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company.
Xeriscape Guide to Developing a Waterwise Landscape. The Georgia Water Wise
Council, Inc., 1033 Franklin Road, Suite 11-187, Marietta, GA 30067.
Xeriscape Landscape Water Conservation in the Southeast. 1991. Mary Haque,
John Kelly, Debra Shupins, and Jeff Zahmer, Department of
Horticulture, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634.
Xeriscape Plant Guide II Homeowner's Edition. Southwest Florida Water
Management District, 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville, FL 34609-6899.
Xeriscape: Water Conservation Through Creative Landscaping. Southwest
Florida Water Management District, 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville, FL
34609-6899.
40 Ways to Save Water. 1977. L. Ken Smith. Environmental Design
Consultants, 253 Beech Road, Newbury Park, CA 91320.
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