Water-friendly landscaping, not just for the Southwest anymore

Here in Arizona it’s not uncommon to be a little preoccupied with balancing attractive landscaping with water conservation, but with excessive heat and droughts happening all over the country, water conservation has become a much wider concern.

Everyone is being more careful with water these days. Some communities have strict rules on water usage, and even in areas where there reservoirs are full, homeowners are being careful for both environmental and financial reasons.

The move toward more water-friendly landscaping is not only smart – it is imperative. We’ve curated several ways to make sure that your yard is healthy, vibrant, colorful, and even drought-resistant.

#1: Replace Grass with Granite

A very common sight in the Southwest, decorative stone and decomposed granite are great alternatives to grass. They come in a variety of colors and sizes. Using the small pellet sized bits of rock to line your walkways gives your landscape an upscale appeal.

You can even replace your entire lawn with this material. It creates a porous landscape so that water does not run off, but rather seeps into the ground. Rock is rough and you won’t want to use it where children and pets will play. With decomposed granite the fine pebbles are soft underfoot and comfortable to walk on.

#2: Combine Native Plants with Drought-Resistant Grass

The number of native plants to choose from is seemingly endless. If you really want your landscaping to shine while saving water, combine colorful native plants with drought-resistant grass. Here are some water-friendly grasses and plants that use half of the amount of water as a typical grass lawn:

Aloe
Buffalo Grass
Feather Grass
Fescue
Flax
Hair Grass
Jasmine
Lavender
Perennials
Shrubs

#2 1/2: One note to add here, the appearance of artificial turf has become so detailed that it is virtually impossible to detect without touching… and even then you may still be guessing. Artificial turf has become widely popular in much of the Southwest where heat can play havoc on your yard. My personal opinion is that snow wouldn’t kill it either! This is not a cost-effective solution however, so I hesitated to give it a number of its own.

#3: Landscape with Stone Pathways

When you incorporate these low maintenance grasses and plants into your landscaping, you eliminate the need for constant watering or even mowing. Adding stone pathways along side low-growing grasses makes a perfect accent to spruce up your yard. Use heat-resistant stone if walking along those pathways is a concern. Flagstone is the most popular, and comes in many varieties including mosaic, milled, square pavers, slabs and veneers.

#4: Use Planters for Flowering Plants

Finally, strategically placed concrete, treated wood or even plastic planters enable you to maintain your flowering plants in small sectioned areas. Instead of watering an entire lawn of water-guzzling flowers, you can maintain your roses and tulips in ceramic urns or concrete planter boxes.

This adds drama and color to your earth toned pavers and decomposed granite lawn. Place a tree or two around your patio for shade. If you combine all of these water-friendly tips, your lawn will be the talk of the town not just for its conservation, but for its beauty too!