Some individuals might think that xeriscaping will limit them. They won’t be able to choose plants that need to be consistently watered. Plenty of popular plants are like that.
However, many equally popular plants are commonly included in modern xeriscaped exterior spaces. Landscaping professionals have found ways to use these plants creatively when they put these gardens together. People can try a lot of different xeriscape ideas today.
Adding Plants
When many people think of xeriscaped areas, they often focus on the gravel, paved sections, stone features, and garden walls. However, most xeriscaped lawns still have at least a few plants.
Landscape professionals will specifically choose plants that don’t require very much water. These plants won’t necessarily look much different from many of the other plants that are seen in other landscapes.
Cacti of all kinds are used frequently in xeriscaping. Adding a series of short, round cacti to one of these spaces can instantly make it look greener.
Many cacti are also tall and angular. Some of these cacti can have interesting and unique shapes, and they can become the focal point for space. It’s common for xeriscaped front lawns to include very large and striking cacti and use them in this manner.
Lots of xeriscaped outdoor areas also include various agave plants. People might think that they’ll be unable to add bushes to their yards if they try xeriscaping. A large enough agave plant can create a similar effect visually.
A set or a series of agave plants can quickly fill out a xeriscaped stretch of land. Some xeriscaped areas may primarily feature agave plants of different sizes. A xeriscaped yard may only need cacti and agave plants, although it’s certainly possible for people to include more plants like this.
Different Vegetation
However, it’s important to remember that people don’t just have to choose the plants that are commonly found in deserts when they xeriscape. Desert plants obviously use less water than many other plants, but they’re not the only plants with this characteristic.
It’s quite common for landscaping professionals to add ornamental grasses to xeriscaped lawns. People won’t cover the entire yard with ornamental grass, but even a few patches of these grasses can strongly change the appearance of the land.
Ornamental grasses are typically very tall. These grasses often have more plant features than many other types of grass. The ornamental grasses tend to be arranged in patches throughout a landscape.
People sometimes use ornamental grasses to line a pathway or a garden wall. In other cases, the grasses are added to the broader sections of the landscape to make it look less empty. The strong visual contrast between ornamental grasses and rocks or gravel can be very effective.
Trees tend to use a lot of water, and many types of trees won’t be included as part of a xeriscaped lawn. However, palm trees and some pine trees are frequently used in xeriscaping.
People usually only add a couple of trees to their front lawns and gardens even if they aren’t xeriscaping. Trees can easily dominate most landscapes, and they can stop other plants from receiving all the natural sunlight that they require.
Pine trees and palm trees already won’t produce a lot of shade in most cases. The surrounding plants will get plenty of light.
Palm trees are sometimes positioned near the house itself in a xeriscaped front lawn. Pine trees are sometimes placed near the side of the house. The rest of the front lawn will be filled with other popular xeriscaping features and plants. Sometimes, only one pine or palm tree is enough.