Smelling the roses so to speak
Today was a glorious sunshiny Colorado day. One of my homes for sale needed more brochures on the sign, so I decided to do it myself. My listing is in Turnberry, a newer neighborhood in the Commerce City area.
While I was there, I couldn’t help but notice how lovely the neighborhood looked. The developer used Xeriscaping in the common areas. Xeriscaping is a term coined by Denver Water. The practice is to use native grasses, shrubs and plants to help conserve water.
Colorado Xeriscaping has several guidelines to follow. Not only does it save time and water, but done well it is very appealing to look at.
The Seven Fundamental Principles of Xeriscape: (From the Xeriscape Colorado site)
- Plan and design for water conservation and beauty from the start
- Create Practical Turf Areas of manageable sizes, shapes and appropriate grasses.
- Select low Water Plats and group plants of similar water needs together. Then experiment to determine how much and how often to water the plats.
- Use Soil Amendments like compost or manure as needed by the site and the type of plants used.
- Use Mulches such as wood chips, to reduce evaporation and to keep the soil cool.
- Irrigate Efficiently with properly designed systems (including hose-end equipment) and by applying the right amount of water at the right time.
- Maintain the Landscape Properly by mowing, weeding, pruning and fertilizing property.
I so enjoyed the scenery today. Typically this time of year there is only one color, that drab brown. But this quaint community with it’s golden highlights was very appealing. I found myself wanting to capture what I saw and share it with others.
Xeriscape is often confused with dry landscaping using only rocks, gravel and sand. This is so NOT true. A good xeriscape will have a variety of native plants that need no or very little water.
If you are interested in conserving our precious water, I suggest you look at the Colorado Xeriscape website for additional information and resources.
Take a drive around the Denver metro area, if you see a good example of homeowner xeriscaping, snap a picture and send it to me. Help me spread the word.
Let’s all stop to enjoy the xeriscape!
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This site brought to you by Kristal Kraft, a licensed Colorado Real Estate Broker
Interesting post! I have never heard of xeriscape before. Makes total sense though, especially for areas forced to be more conscious of water conservation.
Judging by your pic, xeriscape is very appealing.
Hi Rick, xeriscaping is gaining popularity in the arid climates like Denver. It really doesn’t make sense to spend money on Kentucky Blue Grass, unless of course you are in Kentucky!