Originally published in 2008, Story and Photography by Christy Walker
Being a second homeowner means your Big Bear Valley yard or garden has to be able to survive long periods of time without care, maintenance and sometimes water. There is one style of gardening that is perfectly suited for this situation. It’s called Xeriscape landscaping. The word “Xeriscape” was coined in Denver, Colorado in 1981 and is derived from the Greek word “zeros” meaning dry and “landscape,” therefore “a dry landscape.”
Water is applied to a Xeriscape garden in well-controlled amounts and locations within the garden. Many times the thought of Xeriscape conjures up a desert-like yard of rocks and cactus with no color. On the contrary, a Xeriscape garden can be a beautiful blend of color and textures, sounds and aromas. A drought-tolerant, native plant garden or yard is both easy on water and the eyes.
While Xeriscaping principles can be applied to many settings, they are particularly appropriate in the arid west, where 40 to 60 percent of the drinking water supply is used for landscape irrigation. Here in the Big Bear Valley, 10 percent of the consumers use 40 percent of our water supply and that usage skyrockets during the dry summer months.
According to the Big Bear Lake Department of Water, residential customers use four million gallons of water per day during the summer with half of that water being used for irrigation of outdoor landscape. That’s 2 million gallons of drinking water a day for watering lawns and gardens.
Switching over to a more natural, Xeriscape yard or garden will not only save money on water but is a beautiful alternative to water-thirsty lawns and more traditional plants.
“We all need to be as water efficient as possible. Doing more with less is the key for all of us that live in the arid Southwest,” explains Big Bear Lake DWP’s water resource manager and interim general manager, Bill La Haye.
“Homeowners can expect to save 70 to 80 percent on their water bill when they eliminate their lawn. Stater Brothers reduced their landscape irrigation water usage by 96 percent when they tore out their lawn and replaced it with drought-tolerant plants,” said La Haye.
Greg Ricketts, water service worker for Big Bear City Community Service has found, “A typical weekend house, without outside irrigation, will use 1000 gallons of water per month. Their water bill will be approximately $43 for two months. Adding outside watering for a typical, non-xeriscape landscape will increase the water usage to between 7,000 and 10,000 gallons per month with a bi-monthly bill of approximately $70.”
La Haye recommends creating interesting and useful handscapes such as decks, walkways, and/or specialty areas for entertaining first, and then utilizing attractive, low water use plants as much as possible in the remainder of the yard.
Ricketts agrees. “You can avoid high water bills by reducing the amount of outdoor watering needed by using native plants, bark, rock, hardscapes with concrete, pavers or bricks. Xeriscape gardening allows the part time homeowner the time to enjoy the beautifully landscaped yard each weekend instead of mowing, weeding, or repairing irrigation.”
This is where the seven principles of Xeriscape landscaping can come into play.
1. Planning & Design – grouping plants together with like water needs ensures you are not over watering or under watering your plants.
2. Soil Analysis – if you use native plants, you don’t need to worry about the soil. But if you bring up plants that are not suited for the local soil, you may need to add soil amendments.
3. Appropriate Plant Selection – native and drought-tolerant plants, once established, are equipped to handle long periods without water. Native plants can handle the piles of snow in winter and the long dry summers, unlike other plants that may need special attention, additional water or protection from snow. There are many groundcovers, shrubs, perennials, grasses, bulbs and trees available at local Big Bear nurseries that will reduce the need for outside watering. Once established, many native plants can survive on the water they receive from Mother Nature alone.
4. Limited or No Turf – Big Bear Lake has a “No New Turf” rule currently in effect. For those who already have grass, the DWP will pay you to remove your turf. Of all landscaping possibilities, grass uses the most water. Contact the DWP for more information on their turf buy back program.
5. Efficient Irrigation – With watering restrictions in place (No watering after 9 am and no watering before 6 pm) it makes sense to have your watering system on a timer. Drip systems keep evaporation to a minimum compared to traditional sprinklers. The timers on irrigation systems need to be checked regularly to make sure all areas are being watered the right amount. Electrical blackouts and broken sprinkler heads can be nightmares for the weekend homeowners who don’t maintain their systems.
6. Use of Mulches – A thick layer of mulch will retain moisture longer, suppresses weed growth and looks great as well.
7. Appropriate Maintenance – Xeriscape gardens are low maintenance once established. A bit of weeding, a fresh layer of mulch and checking to make sure your drip system is still working is all that’s needed.
One of the best ways to see xeriscaping “in action” is to visit private and public gardens. Each year, the Big Bear Group of the Sierra Club puts on a free Xeriscape garden tour. The purpose of the tour is to educate homeowners and increase awareness of the use of native and drought tolerant plant materials in mountain gardens in a fun and informal setting Call the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce, 909.866.4607 for more information.
© 2008, Big Bear Magazine
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