Aridscape Utah
ListedSalt Lake City, UT
Delivers expert xeriscape services from the Wasatch Front to Southern Utah, including Salt Lake City, Sandy, and Draper.
Find a Pro · Salt Lake City, UT
Xeriscape Landscapers in Salt Lake City
4 companies in the Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City
- USDA zone (2023)6a–7b[2]84101: 5 to 10°F extreme min.
- Annual precipitation16 inches[1]Salt Lake City Intl Airport
- Median last frostApr 8[1]32°F, 1991–2020
- Median first frostOct 31[1]32°F, 1991–2020
- Frost-free season204 days[1]
- Station elevation4,230 ft[1]
Great Basin climate on the Wasatch Front: nearly half of the roughly 15.5 in. of precipitation falls November–March, and July is the driest month. The valley floor maps to zone 7a–7b, while bench neighborhoods such as 84121 are colder (6a).
On the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, the ZIP codes we sampled in Salt Lake City fall in zones 6a to 7b; 84101 (zone 7b) has an average annual extreme minimum of 5 to 10°F. Choose perennials, shrubs, and trees rated at least to zone 6 if you live in one of the colder ZIPs. The median last spring frost (32°F) at Salt Lake City Intl Airport is Apr 8 and the median first fall frost is Oct 31, a typical frost-free season of about 204 days.
Average annual precipitation is 16 inches (Salt Lake City Intl Airport, 1991–2020), spread across the year with April the wettest month and July the driest. The average high in July is about 94°F and the average low in January is about 24°F, measured at about 4,230 ft.
Salt Lake City xeriscape pros
Sorted by tier, then alphabetically. Tiers explained below the list.
- Salt Lake City, UT
Over 15 years of xeriscape installation converting lawns to drought-tolerant, water-wise yards along the Wasatch Front.
- Salt Lake City, UT
Crafts water-wise landscapes of native, low-water, low-maintenance plants across the Salt Lake City area.
Utah Wildflower Co.
ListedSalt Lake City, UTFull-service xeriscaping and design company using native Utah plants and drip irrigation to cut water use up to 70% vs. a traditional lawn.
- 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 Salt Lake City xeriscape contractor
- Will you wait for rebate pre-approval before touching the lawn?
Landscape Incentive Program: Lawn Replacement (Central Utah Water Conservancy District) (Central Utah Water Conservancy District (via Utah Water Savers)) requires approval before any grass is removed. A contractor who starts early can cost you $3.00 per sq ft (lawn replacement). Ask them to build the approval date into the schedule.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 (Apr 8), or in early fall at least six weeks before the median first frost (Oct 31) so roots can settle in before the ground freezes.
- 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.
- Are you licensed and insured for this work?
Ask for a license or registration number and look it up with the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) before signing, and ask for a current certificate of insurance. Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) lookup.
Rebates for Salt Lake City homeowners
Get pre-approval before you remove any grass. Almost every lawn-replacement program requires photos or an inspection of the living lawn first.
| Program | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape Incentive Program: Lawn Replacement (Central Utah Water Conservancy District) Central Utah Water Conservancy District (via Utah Water Savers) | $3.00 per sq ft (lawn replacement); $1.00 per sq ft switch-to-drip; $50 per tree (up to 10) Cap: $50,000 maximum per property (residential) | Open |
| Landscape Incentive Program: Lawn Replacement (Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District) Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District | $3.00 per sq ft (lawn replacement); $1.00 per sq ft switch-to-drip; $50 per tree (up to 10 per property per year) | Open |
| Landscape Incentive Program Utah Water Savers (Utah Division of Water Resources and partner water conservancy districts) | Up to $3 per sq ft (varies by district/city) Cap: Varies by district | Open |
| Landscape Lawn Exchange Weber Basin Water Conservancy District | $2.50 per sq ft in cities with water-efficient landscape ordinances; $1.25 per sq ft elsewhere in the district Cap: $50,000 per property (stated in the 2026 program overview) | Open First-come, first-served; the district says applications may be put on hold if funds run out. |
| Flip Your Strip (Ogden City residents) Weber Basin Water Conservancy District | $1.25 per sq ft of park-strip lawn removed and replaced with low-water landscaping | Open |
Verified Sep 2026 from each agency's program page.
Low-water plants that suit Salt Lake City
From our plant database: hardy to zone 6 and at home in zone 7, driest first. Ask your contractor whether these are in their plan.
Adam's Needle YuccaYucca filamentosaZones 4–10 · Very low water
Apache PlumeFallugia paradoxaZones 4–8 · Very low water
Blanket FlowerGaillardia aristataZones 3–8 · Very low water
Blue GramaBouteloua gracilisZones 3–10 · Very low water
Claret Cup CactusEchinocereus triglochidiatusZones 5–9 · Very low water
Gambel OakQuercus gambeliiZones 4–8 · Very low water
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Sources
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Salt Lake City Intl Airport (USW00024127). ncei.noaa.gov
- USDA ARS 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map, by ZIP (84020: 7a, 84088: 7b, 84101: 7b, 84106: 7b, 84121: 6a). planthardiness.ars.usda.gov