The field guide
Page 3 of 7
Denver invented the word xeriscape. The local guide: Zone 5b/6a conditions, Front Range plants that thrive on 14 inches of rain, 2026 rebate status, Denver Water's drought rules, and HOA law.
Denver Water coined "xeriscape" in 1981, and seven principles still decide whether a low-water landscape thrives or fails. Each one, explained the way it plays out in a real yard.
South-facing wall, reflected heat, all-day sun, no shade: some plants don't just survive that spot, they prefer it. 15 picks with zones, water, size and care tips.
Gravel or wood mulch? Each is right in different parts of the yard. A side-by-side comparison of water, weeds, heat, fire and upkeep, plus exactly where to use each and how deep.
Sheet mulching, sod cutting or solarization? How to remove a lawn for xeriscaping, step by step: what each method costs, how long it takes, and which one fits your project.
Every landscape claims to be low-maintenance. A realistic ranking of yard types by the work they demand each year, and the design choices that actually buy back your weekends.
Ornamental grasses are the backbone of a great xeriscape: movement, texture and four-season structure on very little water. These 10 are worth planting, with the caveats that matter.
A xeriscape can feed far more pollinators than a lawn. These 20 drought-tolerant pollinator plants keep bees, butterflies and hummingbirds fed from spring to frost.
The difference between a rock garden and a pile of rocks is design. How to bury and group boulders, build a crevice garden, mix the soil, and pick plants that make stone look like it grew there.
Zone 5 means winters down to −20°F and often dry summers too. These 24 low-water plants handle both, from perennials and grasses to shrubs, trees and cactus.
Las Vegas pays more to remove lawn than anywhere in America: $5 per square foot from SNWA, plus $2 more for LVVWD customers. The local guide to Mojave plants, watering days and HOA law.
A buffalograss or blue grama lawn looks and walks like turf on 50–75% less irrigation than bluegrass once established. How these native grasses work, their real downsides, and how to plant one.