The field guide
Page 4 of 6
More xeriscape plants die of kindness than drought. How to spot overwatering in drought-tolerant plants, which species it kills first, and the deep-and-infrequent schedule that saves them.
No study isolates a xeriscape premium, but good landscaping raises perceived value, realtors say landscape upgrades recover their cost, and western buyers increasingly expect low-water yards.
Most dry creek beds are decoration that fails in the first real storm. How to build one that actually moves runoff: routing, sizing, rock sizes, lining, and the mistakes that cause washouts.
The strip between sidewalk and street is hot, dry, salted and stomped on, which is why grass fails there. How to landscape a hell strip: rules to check, tough plants, mulch and layout.
Install drip irrigation in an afternoon: the parts you actually need, how many emitters each plant gets, and the beginner mistakes (no pressure regulator, too many emitters) that sink first systems.
A state-by-state directory of lawn removal rebates, verified September 2026: what each major program pays, whether it's open, and the one rule that disqualifies the most homeowners.
Weeds don't grow up through gravel so much as down into it, sprouting in the dust between stones. How to stop them: depth, edging, fabric (and when to skip it), flame, vinegar and a monthly habit.
Xeriscape maintenance is real but light: a few focused sessions a season instead of a weekly mow. What to cut back, when to water (including winter), what to leave standing and what to skip.
Grass is cheap to install and expensive to own; xeriscape is the reverse. A line-by-line ledger of water, inputs, time and install cost, plus the cases where a lawn still wins.
Xeriscaping cost per square foot, itemized for 2026: lawn removal, soil, drip, gravel and DG, plants, boulders, flagstone and design fees, with DIY and pro columns and the source for every number.
California turf rebates by water district, verified September 2026: Metropolitan's $2/sq ft, LADWP's $5, Sacramento's $2.50, Valley Water, EBMUD and BAWSCA, plus the rules and laws that apply.
Every major Colorado turf-replacement program, verified September 2026: Aurora's $3/sq ft, Fort Collins XIP, Castle Rock, Thornton and more, what's closed for 2026, and the HOA and turf laws.