One of the common questions that we are asked by homeowners who are looking at options with regards to updating their landscaping is “what is desert landscaping?” There are probably a lot of different answers to this question involving specific plants and elements, but “desert landscaping” is essentially a method of designing a landscape to be more in tune with the natural elements that are found in the desert than people currently will think of as landscaping. This concept has become increasingly popular over the past few years as the water crisis and drought has grown in intensity. The shortage of water in reserve has dropped to levels that become dangerous for citizens of southern California and Nevada, making it so that there is not necessarily a guarantee that there will be enough water available to drink. When situations like this happen, the government is forced to limit the amount of water that households can use for things that are not necessary, and unfortunately watering your lawn is not considered “necessary.” The limitations on landscape watering create a situation where the summer heat will cause plants that need a lot of water to suffer and potentially die. Many people are unaware that a single square foot of grass needs more than 55 gallons of water every year just to survive. This water must be conserved for drinking, so restrictions are imposed by the government knowing full well that your lawn will probably die.
The concept of “desert landscaping” is growing in popularity mainly because of this issue. People are seeing that their traditional landscaping cannot survive under the current conditions, and as a result are looking for ways to create a beautiful and dramatic yard space without the plants and elements that take excessive amounts of water in order to look good. Desert landscaping is the process of using a combination of groundcoverings that need no water like crushed stone, artificial turf of pavers, and then arranging both these elements and either desert plants or other dramatic elements in a way that appears appealing. Through desert landscaping, you can literally create a space that is beautiful and enjoyable, yet needs almost no water or maintenance in order to survive. When you can combine the being a good citizen to the community and the saving of money, it is a win win for everyone.
In some areas, there are rebates available to those who remove existing grass and replace it with artificial turf or some other water smart groundcovering, but you need to check with your locality to see if these ebates and discounts are available to you. In areas like Orange County, there has been some alleviation of restrictions on watering, but people who are looking at creating a modern and carefree yard are still moving forward with desert landscaping. The new and modern landscape doesn’t involve trees and grass, it involves pavers, artificial turf and cacti as well as landscape lighting and functional structures like grills and retaining walls. Contact us for more information.