Xeriscaping is a way to plan and maintain a landscape that uses water efficiently. It combines suitable plants, sensible irrigation, soil management and ongoing care. It does not mean covering the yard in gravel or promising that every plant can live without irrigation.
Start with the conditions and uses of your own yard. A water-wise design for a dry, sunny slope will differ from one for shade, seasonal wet soil or an area used by children and pets. The seven principles below work together; buying drought-tolerant plants is only one part of the plan.
1. Plan the landscape and its water needs
Draw the existing trees, turf, beds, paths, slopes and irrigation zones. Record sun exposure, drainage problems and areas you actually use. Keep useful shade and allow for mature plant size, access and changing light as trees grow.
Group plants with similar water requirements into hydrozones. A plant needing regular moisture should not force irrigation across an entire bed of dry-site plants. Include establishment needs in the plan: a newly transplanted shrub has a smaller working root system than an established one.
Denver Water’s seven xeriscape principles provide the framework: planning, soil improvement where appropriate, efficient irrigation, suitable plants, mulch, practical turf and maintenance. Adapt that framework to local conditions rather than copying a desert planting into a different climate.
2. Understand the soil before amending it
Assess texture, drainage and compaction, and use a soil test when nutrient or pH information is needed. These are different questions: a fertility report does not by itself tell you how quickly water moves through a compacted layer.
Do not automatically add sand to clay or mix compost, manure and peat into every planting area. Some dryland plants prefer relatively lean soil; excessive amendment can create unsuitable conditions. Protect existing tree roots from excavation and deep fill. Our xeriscape soil-management guide develops those decisions in more detail.
3. Select plants for the actual site
Check mature height and width, winter hardiness, sunlight, drainage and water requirements for the exact species or cultivar. A familiar genus such as salvia or penstemon includes plants with different needs. A label saying drought tolerant is not a promise of survival in any soil or climate.
Locally native plants can support wildlife, but native does not mean universally drought tolerant or pest-free. Match the species to its local habitat and your site. Consider a sequence of flowering times and useful foliage or seed heads rather than choosing everything for one season’s display.
The EPA’s WaterSense landscaping guidance discusses regionally appropriate plants and grouping by water needs. Use regional plant lists and local advice to narrow choices, checking invasive status where relevant.
4. Keep turf where it serves a purpose
Keep usable lawn for activities that need it, while considering conversion of awkward strips or seldom-used areas. A groundcover must suit the light, traffic and climate; moss, clover and creeping perennials are not interchangeable drought-proof lawns.
Convert manageable sections. Protect retained trees and reassess their water supply when lawn irrigation changes. A large paved or rock-covered replacement is not automatically cooler, more permeable or better habitat. Choose the surface according to its purpose and drainage.
Before removing turf, check whether a local incentive requires an application and approval. Our xeriscaping rebate guide explains how to check eligibility without assuming every address qualifies.
5. Irrigate deliberately and inspect the system
Choose equipment for the planting layout. Drip emitters can target root zones; sprinklers may remain appropriate for retained turf. A correctly selected system still wastes water if it leaks, runs too long or irrigates pavement.
Inspect emitters and sprinkler coverage, and adjust schedules for rainfall, season, soil and plant development. Rain sensors and soil-moisture sensors measure different things. Understand the controller’s settings rather than assuming a smart label guarantees the right schedule.
New plants may need closer monitoring than established ones. Check moisture in the root zone before interpreting wilt as a need for more water; poor drainage or damaged roots can also cause stress. Do not use low-quality groundwater, graywater or reclaimed water without checking suitability and local requirements.
6. Use mulch and manage runoff appropriately
Choose organic or mineral mulch to suit the plants and climate, keeping trunks and crowns clear. Follow local depth guidance and fire-safe landscape requirements where relevant. Mulch can suppress some weeds and reduce surface evaporation, but it does not eliminate maintenance or repair poor drainage.
A rain barrel can store roof runoff for permitted landscape uses, but it needs a secure cover, stable support and a managed overflow. Stored roof water is not automatically drinking water or chemically clean. A rain garden, by contrast, manages temporary runoff infiltration; it is not a storage tank or a universal solution for a soggy site.
Design any runoff route so it does not threaten foundations, septic systems or neighboring property. Ask the local stormwater office for help where grading or discharge is uncertain.
7. Maintain, measure and adjust
Remove problem weeds before they spread, inspect plant health and prune according to the species and purpose. Fertilize only when the plants and soil information justify it. Neither organic products nor native plants remove the need to identify a problem before treating it.
Track irrigation changes and water use across comparable seasons, allowing for rainfall and other household changes. Savings depend on the starting landscape and management; a universal 50- or 75-percent promise is not a sound budget. There is also no guaranteed increase in property value.
A phased plan makes it easier to learn what works before expanding. Use the xeriscape upkeep guide for continuing checks after installation. The goal is a useful, healthy landscape whose actual water use fits the site and available supply.
