The seven principles of xeriscaping are: (1) plan and design, (2) improve the soil where it helps, (3) limit turf to practical areas, (4) choose appropriate plants, (5) water efficiently, (6) mulch, and (7) maintain appropriately. Denver Water coined the term "xeriscape" in 1981, combining "landscape" with the Greek xeros, meaning dry, and the concept rests on these seven ideas. More than four decades later, they're still the difference between a yard that thrives on little water and an expensive bed of dead plants. Below is what each one means when you're standing in your yard with a shovel.
The 7 principles at a glance
| # | Principle | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plan and design | Know your site before you buy a plant | Draw a base plan; mark sun, slopes, drainage and use; set hydrozones |
| 2 | Improve soil (selectively) | Amend for the plants you chose, not by habit | Test texture; add compost for conventional beds, loosen only for natives |
| 3 | Practical turf areas | Lawn only where it gets used | Keep play and pet areas; replace decorative lawn |
| 4 | Appropriate plants | Right plant, right place | Match zone, sun and water need; group like with like |
| 5 | Efficient irrigation | Water the roots, deeply and infrequently | Drip for beds, separate zones, weather-based controller |
| 6 | Mulch | Cover bare soil | 3–4 inches of wood or gravel, matched to the plants |
| 7 | Appropriate maintenance | Less, but not none | Establishment watering, spring cutback, spot weeding, little fertilizer |
Sources order and word them a little differently. Denver Water's version, for example, lists soil improvement second and turf alternatives sixth. The ideas are the same.
1. Plan and design first
Every failed xeriscape skipped this step. Denver Water recommends starting with a scaled base plan (1 inch to 8 or 10 feet) with a north arrow, showing spigots, downspouts, outlets, fences, existing beds, trees (including the neighbor's shade) and slopes. Then note how you use each area: where kids play, where you walk, what you see from the kitchen window.
From that plan come hydrozones, groups of plants with similar water needs that share an irrigation zone. That single decision drives everything else. For layouts, browse our backyard xeriscape ideas.
2. Improve the soil, selectively
Soil is a water-storage system, but more organic matter isn't automatically better. CSU Extension horticulturist John Murgel puts the ideal organic matter for most xeriscape soils at just 3–5% and warns that over-amending can do more harm than good. He also advises against mixing sand or gravel into clay "for drainage" unless you add a lot (around 60% by volume), because small amounts don't help.
In practice: conventional perennial beds benefit from compost worked into the top several inches. Many western natives prefer lean soil, and Denver Water notes that for native plantings you may only need to loosen it. Match the amendment to the plant list. Details are in xeriscape soil prep.
3. Limit turf to practical areas
The principle isn't "no lawn." It's "no pointless lawn." Keep grass where it earns its water: play areas, pet runs, a small green foreground. Replace the decorative carpet everywhere else. If you want turf on less water, switch to a native warm-season grass such as buffalograss or blue grama (native lawn guide). The cost math is in xeriscape vs. lawn, and the removal methods are in how to remove a lawn.
4. Choose appropriate plants
Right plant, right place. Choose natives and climate-adapted species rated for your hardiness zone, then put each in the microclimate it wants: heat-lovers such as agastache and Russian sage against a south wall, plants that tolerate more moisture near downspouts. CSU's Murgel suggests asking "native to where?" A mountain native may struggle in a hot, sunny front yard, while a well-adapted non-native thrives.
Our drought-tolerant perennials list is a good place to start.
5. Water efficiently
Spray heads lose a large share to evaporation, wind and pavement. Drip puts water on the root zone instead, and Denver Water recommends zoning turf separately from other plantings. The schedule matters as much as the hardware: run drip long and infrequently so water soaks deep and roots follow it. CSU's guidance goes further. Treat irrigation as a backup plan, not Plan A, because many xeric plants can thrive on natural precipitation once established. See how to install drip irrigation.
6. Mulch everything
Mulch cuts evaporation, suppresses weeds and moderates soil temperature. CSU Extension recommends most mulches, including wood chips and pea gravel, at 3 to 4 inches, and advises against woven landscape fabric underneath. Match the mulch to the plants:
- Wood mulch works well under shrubs and trees and in partial shade. In full Colorado sun it can crust over and shed water, so rake it now and then.
- Gravel mulch lets rain soak in, doesn't break down, and suits cactus, yucca and dry-crown perennials. About 4 inches holds weeds back.
The full trade-offs are in gravel vs. wood mulch. Keep any mulch a few inches off plant crowns.
7. Maintain appropriately
Low maintenance isn't no maintenance. The real schedule is regular water the first year, a spring cutback (a mower on a high setting works for big perennial areas), occasional weeding, mulch top-ups every few years, and almost no fertilizer, since most xeric plants bloom harder in lean soil. Over time you should be watering less, not more. What kills these landscapes is usually too much care: overwatering and overfeeding. The maintenance calendar lays out the year.
Putting the principles in order
The principles work as a sequence, not a menu: plan, prepare the soil, decide on turf, choose plants, install irrigation, mulch, then maintain. We've turned them into a practical build order in 10 Steps to Xeriscaping Your Yard.
To see them working at full scale, visit a demonstration garden. Colorado Springs Utilities runs a Water Wise Demonstration Garden, and our Colorado Springs xeriscaping guide covers the local plant list.
From our installs: the principle we see ignored most on the Front Range is number 2, in the wrong direction. Homeowners work bags of rich compost into clay for penstemon and blanket flower, and the plants grow soft, flop and die young. The second most common miss is number 5: a new drip system left on a daily lawn-style schedule. When we get either one right, principle 7 almost takes care of itself.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 7 principles of xeriscaping?
Planning and design, soil improvement, practical turf areas, appropriate plant selection, efficient irrigation, mulching, and appropriate maintenance. Different sources order and name them slightly differently, but the ideas are the same.
Who created the principles of xeriscaping?
Denver Water coined the term "xeriscape" in 1981, and its xeriscape concept is organized around seven principles. Utilities and extension services across the West, including Colorado State University Extension, still teach them.
Which xeriscaping principle is most important?
Planning. Hydrozoning, the core idea of grouping plants by water need, happens at the design stage, and it determines how efficient your irrigation can be. Most failed xeriscapes trace back to plants placed without regard to sun, soil or water.
Does xeriscaping mean no grass?
No. The principle is to limit turf to areas where you actually use it, such as a play area or dog run, and to consider lower-water grasses like buffalograss or blue grama. A xeriscape can include a lawn.
