Save Money and Increase Your Property’s Value with Xeriscaping

It’s no secret that water costs are rising, especially in metropolitan areas with limited water supply. EarthWorks was an early adopter of xeriscaping in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and we continue to lead the way in xeriscape design. Xeriscaping can help you create an eye-catching yet durable landscape that will lower your water usage.

What is Xeriscaping?

Xeriscaping is a style of landscaping that requires little to no irrigation. It was originally used in desert areas, such as Colorado and New Mexico, to conserve water. However, as environmental concerns have spread and the price of water has increased, xeriscaping has become a popular choice for commercial properties looking to maintain design integrity while cutting costs.

Trees and Xeriscaping

Contrary to popular opinion, xeriscaping doesn’t mean you’ll lose trees. There are many trees that fit in beautifully with this design style – desert willow, live oak, and cedar elm are all excellent choices for a xeriscape. In fact, the most common issue we see with mature trees is overwatering. Xeriscaping supports your property’s trees by preserving the soil and ensuring trees receive the optimal amount of water to thrive.

Traditional plant bed designs also benefit from xeriscaping – we simply take your current layout and switch out standard plants for a more desert-type plant that requires less water. It’s beautiful, long-lasting, and it helps to control bugs and minimize common plant diseases.

Drainage and Erosion Control

Because xeriscaping incorporates rocks and desert plants, it’s often used as a way to hide building drainage work or help with erosion control.

As apartments age and the landscape matures, the trees shade out the sun, leaving a dirt patch where lush turf once grew. Eventually, these spots start to erode, leading to more serious issues. Xeriscaping, combined with proper tree maintenance, can help to fix those areas and retain the integrity of the soil.

When addressing erosion issues, we also identify areas that need better drainage control. We can disguise drainage features using river rocks. Picture a decorative path featuring river rocks, or downspouts that pour into beautiful rock formations rather than dripping on dirt patches that turn into mud every time it rains.  These designs are especially popular in apartment communities that need to ensure proper drainage but also want to maintain a beautiful landscape for residents.

Make the Switch Today

Once considered a novelty, xeriscaping has become so popular – and necessary – that we now incorporate it into nearly every landscape design. The real beauty of xeriscaping is that it resolves costly issues such as erosion, drainage, and overwatering.

If you’d like to learn how xeriscaping can help your property save money and conserve water, request an estimate or contact your EarthWorks property care representative.