A sustainable garden is the one in which native plants and introduced plants are adapted to the existing light, humidity and soil conditions, require little fertilizer and require little fertilizer and pesticides to grow, preserving and protecting the balance of nature, and providing aesthetic value of the art of gardening.

xeriscape_by_Susan Dussaman

The Xeriscape is a way to optimize gardening, adapted to drought-weary areas. Xeriscaping is the design of quality landscapes that conserve water and protect the environment. With common sense, you can create a lush and beautiful garden that will save you time, money and energy and avoid the pollution and waste of water.

Adaptation of gardening to a lower consumption of water and natural resources means a fundamental change in the management of gardens, in terms of the selection of species and implementation and maintenance techniques. New technologies from multiple fields of engineering and biology allow adaptation to this conceptual change of gardening, more consistent with the conservation of natural resources.
Consider the soil type, drainage, water availability and the natural landscape. Analyze and improve the land. The grass usually needs more water than any other garden plant. Use native or drought-resistant plants as much as possible.
In order to achieve this change, you must balance the needs of the plants with the surrounding environment in terms of agronomic management (soil, irrigation). In addition to taking into account the performance management human on the garden which is manifest in a design and sustainable maintenance program.
The term Xeriscape was established in 1981, in the United States of America, to define low water consumption gardening.

 

Seven Basic Principles of Xeriscape Gardening

1. Plan and design.
A well planned garden takes into account climatic and microclimatic conditions of the site, existing vegetation and topographical conditions, the intended use and the wishes of the property and, in addition, zoning or grouping of plants according to their watering needs (low , medium or high).

2. Soil amendment.
Necessary for the selection of plants, see if it needs improving soil structure or not. S recommended species that are adapted to the textural conditions, to the margins of soil pH or salinity, together with proper management of irrigation and drainage systems setting.

3. Efficient irrigation systems.
It must satisfy the water needs of the existing plant. The drip and diffusers are more efficient than a sprinkler, but must be used according to hydrozoning defined. It also can increase irrigation efficiency by using moisture sensors. The water needs can be calculated by the coefficient of garden.

4. Appropriate plant selection.
Plants are able to adapt to the area, it is recommended the use of native species or species adapted to the microclimate of the area. This should take into account environmental factors of the area where the garden. The best native.

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum2_by_julieweisenhorn

5. Mulching
The use of mulching can conserve soil moisture and control erosion, facilitating water penetration tTowards the root system. Additionally facilitates control weeds.

Landscaping,Xeriscape-www.cas-colorado.comXeriscape in france_by_Seán A. O'Hara(Xeriscape in France, by Seán A. O’Hara, Creative Commons)

6. Optimizing lawns.

The lawn should be used rationally, in areas of the garden where it will provide greater functional benefit. Watering must be controlled to the maximum. These turf areas being irrigation sectors with high need.

7. Proper maintenance.
Like everything in life, you need proper maintenance, planned and efficient.

xeriscape2_by_Patrick Standish

(Xeriscape by Patrick Standish, Creative Commons)

This idea of a desert garden was extended to different places of the planet, especially of dry and barren times and has now reached places where the water is overflowing but presents itself as a kind of renovating and original garden.

How to design a DESERT GARDEN

The xeriscape needs a quarter of what needs a usual garden , big o small gadens (jardines pequeños) ,with which water saving is widely significant. In addition to this, this kind of garden has an ecological sense in that it advocates a reduced use of machinery, oxidants and other usual processes of garden maintenance.

What do you have to consider when designing a XERISCAPE?

The most essential is the design of the grouping of plants. Species must be collected depending on the amount of water they need. You can not put a plant that needs a lot of water as well as another that does not need it so much. We can then divide our garden into three: the area of low water consumption, where plants would go with little water consumption, the area of average consumption and the area of high consumption. Or to reduce even more water, you can do only 2 areas: the low-consumption and the medium-consumption.

In the xeriscape it is advisable to plant certain genera of trees that function as shadows for certain plant genera and therefore as protection against the soil, since the direct action of this on the plants can dry them. When we have the design of our xeriscape according to the size and surface of the same it is necessary to begin to work the floor.

The pH must be measured and raised or lowered according to measurement results. In addition to this, it is necessary to confirm that the soil has the necessary nutrients, which may require the use of certain types of fertilizers or fertilizers. It is also necessary to contrast the salinity of the soil and plant species that resist this type of soil. To progress the soil of the xeriscape is useful to have Water Retainer that are products that are put in the ground and absorb the rainwater leaving the soil moist for longer.

What species can be used to plant in the desert garden?

To refer only a few; Palm trees, Tamarisks, aromatic plants, climbing plants, Aloe vera. If it comes to trees, among many others.

The xeriscape is an interesting alternative option and your house is going to be very original.

Bibliography:

coloradowaterwise.org/XeriscapeColorado

www.xerojardineria.com/#introduction

xerojardinera-climamediterrneo.blogspot.com/p/que-es-la-xerojardineria.html

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

 

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.