How to Plan High Desert Landscaping

Planning a high desert landscape

Desert landscapes are often memorable for their unusual cacti and succulent growth, planted on rugged natural surroundings. Many landscape their background to complement the architecture of their home. Because the high desert environment is inhospitable to a wide variety of plants that need moist soil, one of the keys to planning a landscape is to utilize the slope and valleys for watering plants through rainwater and choosing the right plants. Xeriscaping is the method employed to use native watering sources, rather than racking up huge utility bills each month. Use your landscape to your advantage when planning your high desert yard.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Paper
• Tape measure

Instructions

1. Draw a diagram of the yard and indicate all existing flowerbeds, slopes, immovable objects, home and outdoor structures. Write down the measurements to plan how much space you have to work with and where to place flowerbeds.

2. Decide whether to create slopes within the yard for driving water into flowerbeds. You can build up land to not only create an interesting landscape, but also to cut down on watering from using natural water supplies.

3. Make a list of plants you wish to include in your landscaping plans. Native plants are not only easier to grow, they can also be found around your existing landscape. In addition, they have evolved to survive the harsh summers and cold nights of the desert environment.

4. Decide on a ground cover for your yard. While many love the green expanse of grass, it can become difficult to maintain in the heat. A whole host of ground cover exists that requires little maintenance compared to grass: ornamental grass, clover, purple lantana and yarrow to name a few of the choices. In addition, you can pick a nonliving matter for landscaping such as shells, gravel or pebbles for reducing the amount of water you will need for your yard. Just make sure to install it correctly or you'll have a gravel yard full of weeds.

5. Design your hardscapes like pathways, patios, pool areas and rock gardens. You can make your flowerbeds more vibrant to the eye when they are surrounded by hardscapes.

Tips & Warnings

• Visit local nurseries to get an idea of some of the native or drought resistant plants in your area.

• Avoid wasting money on tropical plants or subtropical plants that will not be able to survive the desert heat.

References

• Backyard Landscaping Ideas: High Desert Landscaping Designs and Ideas
• California Native Plant Society: Alternatives to Lawns