by Matt Corrion
Here a few images I snapped from my “dry Xeriscape” garden at my home in Arvada, Colorado. This garden faces southwest, and receives little to no supplemental watering. The area was previous an irrigated lawn before I converted it to this Xeriscape.
Delosperma (Red Mountain and Mesa Verde Iceplant) and Actostaphylos x coloradoensis (Panchito Manzanita)
Dry Xeriscape Garden
Erigonum umbellatum (Kannah Creek Buckwheat)
Delosperma (Red Mountain and Mesa Verde Iceplant)
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
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by Matt Corrion
Question: How much of my water goes toward irrigating my landscaping?
Answer: In Denver, 54% of the average residential customer’s water use goes toward irrigating the landscaping.
The average person in Denver uses 128 gallons of water per day for residential use.
The breakdown of residential water use:
- 1% Dishwashers
- 5% Leaks
- 6% Faucets
- 10% Showers and Baths
- 11% Laundry
- 13% Toilets
- 54% Landscaping
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by Matt Corrion
Did you know that in Colorado over 50% of the water used on a typical property goes toward irrigating the landscaping?
Most of this is treated water that has gone through a long and expensive process of being collected and travelling through a complex system of catch basins, detention ponds and storm drains.
Next, the water is treated at a water treatment facility to the point where is certified drinking-quality tap water- often it is of better quality than what you would buy in a bottled water.
Finally, the water leaves the facility and travels through a DIFFERENT extensive system of pipes to your home or business. The system, and all of the maintenance on it, is paid for by you the taxpayer.
Why then, would you design or maintain a landscape that sheds drinking quality water every day right back into the storm drain?
Water Running off Into the Gutter
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by Matt Corrion
I often get asked to recommend Xeriscape plants for Colorado landscapes. This is a difficult task because there are so many to chose from, and I would hate to limit anyone’s pallette to a limited number. After all, it is the variety in color, textures, and form that makes Xeriscaping so attractive.
That being said, I do think a small list can be helpful to people who are new to the area, or are not familiar with the available plant choices and may be overwhelmed by a catalog of thousands of plants. Although this is a Colorado list, most of these plants can be used in many places throughout the world depending on the local climate.
- Fernbush – Chamaebatiaria millefolium Fernbush is a medium sized shrub with interesting fern-like leaves that persist throughout the winter. This shrub requires little water or maintenance, and produces clusters of small white flowers in the late spring through early summer.
- Agastache – Agastache ssp. Agastache, or hummingbird mint, is a fragrant group of colorful perennial herbs that is available in many colors mostly ranging from orange to pink. The plants are covered with beautiful tubular flowers from mid-summer to fall. Hummingbirds absolutely love these plants. (more…)
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by Matt Corrion
A little housekeeping from 2009-
Below is a photo slideshow with before and after images of a residential landscape renovation that we completed in fall of last year:
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
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