Texas can get very hot and it’s also prone to drought: 2011 was one of the driest years on record in the state. Climate issues like these can make it both difficult and expensive for people to maintain traditional landscapes.
If you are thinking about your lawn-and-garden options, then perhaps you should consider xeriscaping. The word itself is a compound of the Greek word xeros meaning dry and “-scape.” The term was coined by the Denver Water Department in 1981 to refer to a landscape design that has been carefully tailored to withstand drought conditions.
In xeriscaping, landscapers group plants with similar water requirements for more efficient watering. They also tend to avoid using turf grass because of the amount of water needed to maintain it. Not all practitioners of xeriscape landscaping completely eliminate lawns, however. Some simply switch to lawn grasses that demand less water. Others will relegate the lawn area to an accent on the landscape rather than maintaining it as the dominant element.
Less lawn to work with means that other elements will take precedence in a landscape.
In the Southwestern deserts, cacti, gravel and extended patios tend to dominate. An extended patio is just an enlarged patio that takes up space where turf grass would otherwise be planted. In regions like the Austin area that are dry but not quite as arid, ground covers, shrubs and mulches may take over for traditional lawns.
Xeriscape landscapes have a number of benefits.
Not only do they present fewer upkeep issues, they are also cheaper to maintain and help with water conservation.
