What Is Xericulture?

Xericulture is an innovative approach to landscaping that uses little or no supplemental water.  Synonyms include “xerogardening,” ”xeriscape,” “xeriscaping,” and “water-wise landscape.” Closely related are “dry farming” or “dryland farming” for commercial agriculture.  These offer many benefits.

Advantages of Xericulture

Xericulture greatly reduces water use for landscaping, which is a major source of demand.  This not only saves precious water, it saves you money in places where water is expensive.

Xericulture replaces identical green lawns with something closer to natural diversity; this approach emphasizes native plants, which differ from one place to another.  A xeriscape in Nevada looks very different from the kind planted in California!

Once established, most xeriscapes require less attention in general than do conventional lawns and landscapes.  Native plants are native precisely because they don’t require human assistance to grow.  If limitations prevent you from spending a lot of time on your yard, consider a low-maintenance xeriscape design.

Some cities and states offer incentive programs and information to convert conventional grass lawns to xeriscape gardens.

How to Practice Xericulture

Follow the 7 Steps of Xeriscape Design. Read about general principles of xericulture in books such as Xeriscape Handbook: A How-to Guide to Natural Resource-Wise Gardening, WaterWise Landscaping with Trees, Shrubs, and Vines: A Xeriscape Guide for the Rocky Mountain Region, California, and Desert Southwest, or Dryland Gardening: Plants that Survive and Thrive in Tough Conditions.

Study what plants grow in your area.  Here is one extensive list of xeriscape plants for the southwest.  This list covers the midwest.  This page links to resources for multiple areas. Useful books include Xeriscape Colorado: The Complete Guide, Low Water Use Plants: For California And The Southwest, and Creating the Prairie Xeriscape: Low-maintenance, Water-efficient Gardening.

Study what plants are drought-tolerant in general.  Desert plants and dry prairie plants are good choices.  There are even drought-tolerant edible plants.  Look for books such as Xeriscape Plant Guide: 100 Water-Wise Plants for Gardens and Landscapes, Xeriscape Color Guide: 100 Water-Wise Plants for Gardens and Landscapes, or Designing with Succulents.

Buy from nurseries that grow native plants, such as Prairie Nursery or Elkhorn Native Plant Nursery.  Here’s a guide to Australaian nurseries!

Add organic matter to your soil when preparing it to receive plants.  This helps it absorb and retain available moisture.  Bark chips and compost are good choices.

Arrange plants to suit your yard, either in a natural or domestic design.  Remember that clusters attract wildlife better than solitary plants.

Apply a generous layer of mulch around your plants.  This helps keep their roots cool and retain water.

Water appropriately.  Seeds and new plants require supplemental water until well established; gradually water them less often but more deeply as they mature.  Don’t overwater an established xeriscape!

Rocks, statues, and other well-chosen garden ornaments can really stand out in a xeriscape.  Match them to the overall design.  In fact, there’s an overlap between rock gardens and xeriscapes.