Design and planning essentials
The Xeriscape garden is based on using hardy native plants designed to enhance the existing ecosystem.
Experts at Aesthetic Earthworks, an organic landscaping company in Toronto, recommend starting off by considering your budget, the area you are working with and the larger ecosystem.
From there you can look at other key elements: existing plants, surrounding architecture, exposure to sunlight, soil pH, composition and fertility, micro-climate, traffic patterns in the garden and topography.
Recycling recommended
They encourage their clients to re-use existing materials in "innovative and creative ways to give new life to a space." Look at local and recycled options and avoid products with a large carbon footprint shipped from the other side of the world.
"At its core, sustainability depends on careful design and planning to reduce the amount of resources required over time resulting in cost-effective, low-maintenance spaces," says Claire Suo-Cockerton, owner of Aesthetic Earthworks.
Plant Selection
The backbone of any Xeriscape garden is drought-tolerant plants and a diverse mix of plants to encourage bio-diversity. Native and indigenous species are going to flourish and be resistant to pests and disease.
"Selecting the right combination of plants is an important factor in working towards sustainability. In order to order to reduce water, labour, fertilizer and money, we select perennials suitable to the scale and conditions of the site. Once established, a perennial landscape will survive the weather changes throughout the seasons," said Suo-Cockerton.
Planning for change
You also need to plan for your gardening growing, taking into consideration aggressive plants that may take over the garden and the life-cycle of other plants.
"Just as our bodies grow and change, so do our landscapes. A garden is a living entity that will evolve and transform over time as plants grow and mature. Planning for and understanding the dynamics of your garden's eco-system always help you make the appropriate decisions," says Suo-Cockerton.
Organic soil crucial
Aesthetic Earthworks is a big advocate of organic soil conditioners that help to retain water and strongly recommends avoiding chemical pesticides or herbicides. Commercial products, unless they are organic, are not very enviro-friendly since they disrupt an ecosystem’s natural defences while contaminating it.
Resource Conservation
Your goal in the Xeriscape garden is to reduce water consumption and minimize the use of resources. Install a rain-barrel so you can harvest rainwater instead of turning on the tap to water your garden. Use construction techniques with your dry stone that tolerate the earth’s natural shifts and reduce costly repairs and reinstallations. Mulching retains moisture, suppresses weeds and reduces the need for fertilizing. The additions of permeable materials like pea gravel or limestone screenings can stop surface water runoff and let the soil soak up the moisture instead.
The key is to go native. See some inspirational before and after shots online at Aesthetic Earthworks.
Shelagh McNally is the editor of Green Living Online. She dreams of having the perfect garden.