PLANNING AND DESIGN OF XERISCAPE

Planning and design
⁃ Attend some seminars, read up on the topic and try to get some expert opinion on how to go about the process.
⁃ Group plants with similar water needs to create distinct watering zones
⁃ Place least drought-tolerant zone closest to a water source , be it dappled shade or near a water feature.
⁃ If your yard is sloped use terraces and rain gardens to minimize runoff and erosion. Terraces over 12 inches will require some kind of support.
⁃ Incorporate water feature into highest water use zone. Try to get it into a shade area to reduce water loss from evaporation. Try using dwarf trees or shrubs to create dappled shade.
⁃ Use most drought-tolerant plants in southern or western exposures.
⁃ Minimize use of rocks, plastic and sand in high heat areas. These simply raise temperatures and cause runoff problems.
⁃ Try to plant in the fall when it's cooler and plants need less water to become established.