Ideas For Desert Landscaping

Author — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:56:57 +0000

Desert landscaping is a unique way of making the most out of an area of your home that may be too arid. You might also just be inclined to having a desert outside in your yard. Desert landscaping is actually not as difficult as you might think. You will have to consider your region, if it is conducive to desert landscaping or if it is too chilly at times. The availability of some plants that are suitable for desert landscaping may also pose a problem for you.

Common Plants Used For Desert Landscaping

Cacti are among the more commonly found plants in the desert that can be grown for desert landscaping. There are many different varieties of cactus and they bear beautiful flowers. These are hardy plants that can go without water for several days and in fact, it is advised not to water them daily to avoid rotting.

Bougainvillea is another plant that you might want to consider for desert landscaping. It is actually a tropical plant that can grow almost anywhere in the world and does not need specific care or constant maintenance. This plant is often called a creeper because it can creep to anywhere if unchecked. It will develop a trunk if left to grow and mature and can be very hardy. It does not need daily watering but thrives well under the sun and will need to be trimmed regularly if you do not want it to grow too big for your desert landscaping purposes.

The Oleander is also one of the plants you can have for desert landscaping. It is a poisonous shrub so care must be taken when there are children or pets around. It usually has pink flowers or many different shades and is a perennial plant. You will need to regularly trim this plant in order to maintain the size and appearance that you want. These shrubs are great for hedges.

The Pampas grass is also one great for desert landscaping, not only because it looks particularly well but also because it gives your landscape a very natural look. It is not small like ordinary grass and can be as tall a several feet so you will need to trim it according to your preferences. Make sure you give it a lot of space to grow.

These are just a few recommendations of plants for desert landscaping. You might also want to go with what you think may look great in choosing plants for your desert landscape. Plants that are hardy and perennial are great for this type of landscape.

Desert Landscaping Help

Jennifer — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 01:15:58 +0000

Conservation is the key when it comes to landscaping in desert regions. In a desert climate water is very important. Therefore, many people in these climates don’t focus on landscaping since they don’t want to waste water. Although you can still have landscaping with plenty of color while conserving water in these climates. All you need is to learn proper planning for desert landscaping.

Choosing plants that are native to the area is the most important and first step in desert landscaping. In harsh climates this is an excellent way to provide a lush environment. In addition, these types of plants will give you two major benefits. First you will have a plant that is already used to the dry climate of the desert and the plants will also work well with the large amounts of sunlight they receive each day. Other plants would not survive in such a climate.

Second, these native plants won’t require you to purchase expensive fertilizers and nutrients for your desert landscaping in order to gain their maximum beauty. Native plants are made specifically to grow in the soil found in the desert which isn’t very nutrient rich. These plants will also survive well on minimal amounts of water which is important in desert landscaping. So always consider purchasing native and local plants when you are designing your desert landscaping.

Plan Ahead

Before you start desert landscaping it is important to do your research and plan ahead. You can have a lush garden in the desert and even have greenery and color. Although you should talk with a local expert about desert landscaping before you begin. They will be able to discuss the shaping of your project and offer ideas about how to bring out the colors and greenery in your desert landscaping with the smallest use of water. Even if you use an irrigation system it can be a waste of time if you have an inefficient delivery system.

Many do not realize that ponds in desert landscaping are both ideal and water efficient. When it comes to desert landscaping the biggest problem is efficiency. Grouping plants that need the same amount of water together is the best way to handle this problem. Provide a runoff area for rain through real or engineered slopes and place the plants that need the most amount of water at the bottom. If you are not using native plants then you want to choose trees, bushes, shrubs, plants and flowers that are both hardy and resilient. Always remember that the desert is rough, if you do this you can easily come up with desert landscaping that can provide you a beautiful oasis right outside your own home.

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Ideas For Desert Landscaping

Desert Landscaping Help