Dry gardens with a desert-like texture are becoming the hottest trend to pop up in SoCal front yards since the invention of the garden gnome. Love the idea of having eye-popping curb appeal but hate the constant watering and attention required by a traditional garden? Xeriscaping may be the answer you’re searching for. This technique of landscaping focuses on designing gardens that require little or no irrigation.
Here are four reasons why switching to a dry garden is great for you and our watersheds:
1. Less is More
Traditional gardens and lawns are prone to overwatering, creating run-off that potentially carries pet waste, pesticides and household hazardous waste into storm drains. Plants such as succulents, aloes, yuccas, and agaves naturally store water, requiring less irrigation and reducing chances of run-off. Your plants will thrive and the watershed, as well as your water bill, will benefit!
2. Mother Nature Digs It
The native ecosystem of our Riverside County watersheds includes many plants that naturally prefer dry climates. Gardening with greenery indigenous to your watershed’s region keeps the plant-life the way nature intended it to be. Wildlife such as bees, hummingbirds and butterflies will be able to thrive in their natural habitat.
3. Back a Born Survivor
Hate it when your plants go on life support at the peak of a SoCal summer? This isn’t a worry when it comes to a dry garden. These plants will survive perfectly well in one-hundred-degree temps, as they are made to survive the driest of weather. Most of these durable plants can take whatever Mother Nature brings year-round.
The desert is beautiful in its own unique way. Dry gardens are a great way to bring more of this majestic landscape into our daily lives.
