#AtoZChallenge – X is for Xeriscape

If you're interested in keeping your watering bills low, talk to us about xeriscaping. The word is a portmanteau of the Greek word for dry and landscaping, and refers to landscape designs that minimize water use. Because the water department of Denver, Colorado has registered the trademark on that particular word, you can also call this specialized form of garden development water-conserving landscapes, drought-tolerant landscaping, or smart-scaping.

Typically, we encourage planting whose natural requirements are appropriate to the local climate anyway, as well as working to properly manage water flow; those are key components to making sure your property remains low-maintenance and low-cost over the long term.

Key advantages include:

• lower consumption of water, whether from the ground or the hose;
• more water available for the community;
• less time and work for maintenance (i.e. no lawns to mow);
• full advantage taken of rainfall retention in appropriate planting design, soil grading, and mulching;
• more likelihood that your landscaping will survive when water restrictions are implemented during droughts;
• can be more visually interesting than lawns.

Consider your options and ask Integrity to help you come up with a landscaping design that takes full advantage of Wisconsin's weather and temperature, while minimizing the ongoing maintenance thereafter.