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Find a Pro · Bend, OR

Xeriscape Landscapers in Bend

3 companies in the Bend area advertise xeriscape, native-plant, or water-wise landscaping. Before you call one, here is what the local climate asks of a low-water yard, which rebates are open, and the questions that separate a real xeriscape contractor from a rock-and-weed-fabric crew.

Growing conditions in Bend

  • USDA zone (2023)6b[2]97701: -5 to 0°F extreme min.
  • Annual precipitation11 inches[1]Bend
  • Median last frostJun 6[1]32°F, 1991–2020
  • Median first frostSep 20[1]32°F, 1991–2020
  • Frost-free season105 days[1]
  • Station elevation3,660 ft[1]

Central Oregon high desert at about 3,700 ft: roughly 10.6 in. of precipitation, mostly in winter, and a very short frost-free season of about 105 days (median last frost June 6, first frost September 20).

On the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, the ZIP codes we sampled in Bend fall in zone 6b; 97701 (zone 6b) has an average annual extreme minimum of -5 to 0°F. Choose perennials, shrubs, and trees rated at least to zone 6. The median last spring frost (32°F) at Bend is Jun 6 and the median first fall frost is Sep 20, a typical frost-free season of about 105 days.

Average annual precipitation is 11 inches (Bend, 1991–2020), and 61% of it falls November–March. Summers are dry (September is the driest month), so plants lean on stored soil moisture and supplemental water through their first summer. The average high in July is about 84°F and the average low in December is about 23°F, measured at about 3,660 ft.

Bend xeriscape pros

Sorted by tier, then alphabetically. Tiers explained below the list.

  • Listed

    A public listing we compiled from the company's own website because it advertises xeriscape or water-wise work. Listed is not an endorsement and we have not reviewed the company's work.

  • Claimed

    The business owner has claimed the profile and manages its details, photos, and service areas.

  • Certified

    The company completed the Xeriscaping.com certification course and agreed to our Code of Conduct.

Before you hire: 8 questions to ask a Bend xeriscape contractor

  1. Will you wait for rebate pre-approval before touching the lawn?

    Turf Replacement Rebate (City of Bend Water Services) requires approval before any grass is removed. A contractor who starts early can cost you $3 per sq ft of removed turf. Ask them to build the approval date into the schedule.

  2. Can I see a written plant list with hardiness zones?

    Every plant should be rated to at least zone 6 here. Ask for botanical names, mature size, and water use, and for plant coverage at maturity. Many rebates require 50% or more.

  3. How will you convert the sprinklers?

    Spray heads in a xeriscape waste water and feed weeds. Ask whether planted areas get drip on a separate zone with a filter and pressure regulator, how unused spray heads will be capped, and whether the controller will be reprogrammed or replaced with a smart controller.

  4. What happens to the sod, and how will you prep the soil?

    Ask whether they will cut and haul the sod, smother it, or use herbicide, and what they will add to the soil. Many xeric plants prefer lean soil, so heavy compost everywhere can backfire. Loosening compacted ground after sod removal matters more.

  5. What mulch, how deep, and is there plastic underneath?

    Rock and wood mulch both work, but depth matters: rebate rules in the West commonly call for about 3 inches. Several programs prohibit plastic sheeting, and it starves soil of air and water anyway.

  6. Will I get a first-year watering schedule?

    New xeriscapes are not no-water in year one. Ask for a written establishment schedule by season. Plant container perennials and shrubs after the median last frost (Jun 6), or in early fall at least six weeks before the median first frost (Sep 20) so roots can settle in before the ground freezes.

  7. Is there a plant warranty, and what voids it?

    Get the length (often one season or one year) and the conditions in writing, including whether it covers winter kill and what watering records you need to keep.

  8. Are you licensed and insured for this work?

    Ask for a license or registration number and look it up with the Oregon Landscape Contractors Board before signing, and ask for a current certificate of insurance. Oregon Landscape Contractors Board lookup.

Rebates for Bend homeowners

Get pre-approval before you remove any grass. Almost every lawn-replacement program requires photos or an inspection of the living lawn first.

Rebate programs serving Bend, verified September 2026
ProgramAmountStatus
Turf Replacement Rebate
City of Bend Water Services
$3 per sq ft of removed turf
Cap: $3,000
Open
2026 projects must be finished by Oct 15, with the follow-up evaluation by Oct 31.
Residential Outdoor Rebates (irrigation)
City of Bend Water Services
Smart irrigation controller $100 (max 1); drip conversion kit $90 (max 1); high-efficiency nozzles $4 each (max 20); pressure-regulating spray bodies $4 each (max 20)
Cap: Rebate cannot exceed purchase price
Open

Verified Sep 2026 from each agency's program page.

All Oregon rebatesEstimate your water savings

Low-water plants that suit Bend

From our plant database: hardy to zone 6 and at home in zone 6, driest first. Ask your contractor whether these are in their plan.

See every plant for zone 6

Already listed? Claim your listing.

Sources

  1. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Bend (USC00350694). ncei.noaa.gov
  2. USDA ARS 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map, by ZIP (97701: 6b, 97702: 6b, 97756: 6b). planthardiness.ars.usda.gov