A Desert Landscaping Guide November 30, 2007
Posted by Peter in landscaping. trackbackSo deserts are not the most hospitable places, images of boiling hot days, cacti, dry heat and sand. Deserts aren’t just the hot places with very little life, they are also really cold. Desert landscaping mostly involves dealing with the dry and hot aspect, but your desert landscaping can look like an oasis.
The Hot and the Cold of Desert Landscaping
Plants in desert landscaping have to be extremely hardy. They have to deal with scorching hot days, and what can sometimes be bitterly cold nights. Evergreen shrubs and trees survive well in high terrain deserts, because the can take the heat and the cold. A cactus is well able to withstand both of these extreme temperatures. Despite being thought of as hot weather plants, cacti can tolerate the cold very well too.
Of course, as always, the best place to look for information is your local desert landscaping shop. Simply because they know the area and what grows well, they will have a range of plants that can take the heat. Finding plants that are native to your area where you want to do desert landscaping can save you a whole lot of grief. Firstly, these plants have survived there before, and helping them to grow will not take too much effort on your part. Picking the right plants will help to add the color or blends to your desert landscape.
Not Too Much Water
The lack of water is the main problem for many plants. Often you can make do with plants that like cooler weather by putting them near a wall, or somewhere that gets shade. You need to make sure however, that these plants get plenty of water if they are not native to your area. Vegetable gardens for example, will take a lot of effort to maintain, and they will need quite a lot of water, or at the very least, good planning. You need to check for water restrictions in your area before you start. Decide how much you want to spare. Watering by hand might be an option, but the most ideal is to have a watering system that is set on a timer. A timed sprinkler system will allow you to get water to your yard at the most effective time, which is early in the morning. At this time it is much cooler, and the ground has cooled from the day before. You will loose less water from evaporation. A drip irrigation system will make sure that you see minimal waste from the water you use.
Gravel and rocks, although not plants, can help to give contrast and color to your desert landscaping. They are low maintenance and look attractive when set with other native desert plants. Choose darker colored gravel if you like, to help keep the glare down in the afternoon, which will help you to enjoy your desert landscaping a little more.
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