What do you mean, xeriscape?

11 years ago

It's looking like maybe around here there is going to be more drought and dry weather for a while.

I'm thinking that for a successful garden, planning may be a good idea. So, I'm locating most of my roses in one quadrant or so of my property. The tiny back yard will be xeriscaped. The front right quadrant is mostly grass and it won't break my heart if it dies in a drought.

From what I understand, unless in the direst circumstance, even if one is under a watering restriction one can always use bath water.

By now you are probably thinking I'm some kind of nutcase for talking about a crisis that has not even materialized yet, but I'm putting the roses in and it seems as if they are all located in the same general area and there may be only so much watering I can do, that they will do better that way. One part of the hedge and the yet to be planted mailbox area are the only roses outside the quadrant.

Of course, if the drought possibilities resolve, I can order more roses:)

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Comments (6)

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
11 years ago
I think you're being very wise, especially since more drought and less water are a foregone conclusion as we speak. I would like to suggest, though, that you also add some non-rose companion plants to avoid boredom. Roses by themselves, especially the modern ones, are not necessarily all that beautiful or interesting. Adding some day lilies, everblooming irises (I have several blooming right now) and other easy-care plants can really add to the beauty of a rose garden.
lucillle
Original Author
11 years ago
I agree, and it's already planned. In my thread about hedges and RRD (yeah, not only drought but disease it looks like we got to worry about) I decided to plant roses in clusters, so the hedge for example is 2 roses, then something else, 1, then something else, and so on. Have around 20 day lilies in the ground already.
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well ... moist is NOT sodden ... wait.. that not on your list.. lol ... roots need air.l. as much as water ... and if you water so much.. that you remove all air.. they will drown .... lets start with your soil type ... clay and sand are opposites with drainage ... and everything else is beautiful.. and in between ... i would suggest .. you dig 3 to 6 inch holes.. with a hand trowel .. around your plant ... and when its drying at 3 inches .... its time to wet it deep again .. make it MOIST ... lol ..... see where you finger wont work ...?? we need to keep moist.. that whole root ball you planted ... until the plant can put its roots. where it can take care of itself..this is usually accomplished in one or two years... and i would only worry about a hard drought in year 3 .... defining how it all works in your soil.. in your garden.. simply can not be answered.. with any certainty.. except by you.. and your hand trowel ... it probably.. wont take you long to intuit it all.. after a few weeks of those small holes ... it will all become rather predictable .... but one thing for sure.. they can look bone freakin dry on the top two inches.. and simply have enough moisture at depth .... its what i had to do.. when i laid down drip irrigation for my hosta beds.. no one could ever give me a good answer.. so i had to resort to digging holes .... so get to it ... [there was an old seinfeld.. where there we peeps who dug in central park at night;.. that cracked me up ...] whatever you do... they can not stand in water in bad clay.. they are trees.. not bog plants ... advise if those are your circumstances [i presume.. on some level you think i recall your whole project.. i recall the name.. and i recall i like helping you .... but i dont recall the project specifics ] go dig some holes.. and report back.. what you find .... ken ps: when deep watering.. once you are sure there is deep moisture... i would not be surprised.. if you should need to be watering more than once every other week or three ... with a good mulch ... subject, of course.. to intense heat.. drought.. ambient rain.. etc ....
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jerijen
11 years ago
Lucille, I'm with Ingrid.
You are being wise. And every prediction I read tells me that we must all be equally wise.

Take advantage of grade changes, and catch-barrels, and laundry water, and shower water, and anything else of the sort available to you. Pioneer women did it, in order to have the joy of roses, and so can we.

Jeri
catsrose
11 years ago
Fortunately, roses, once established, can tolerate dry weather pretty well. So do a lot of the Mediterranean herbs, including lavender and may of the agastache, and they make great companion plants to roses. High Country Gardens (website same name) carries lots of xeriscapic plants and even if you don't buy from them it is worth looking at their catalog.
Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
11 years ago
Because of my soil, many of my roses are in containers. I asked a friend of mine the other day, who stole October? where had it gone? Then she pointed out that because of the continuing drought, that I had spent about a month more doing nothing but watering. True to form, yesterday, before we went for Thanksgiving dinner, I spent the day watering again (the soil is also bone dry now). A friend of mine in Kansas is closing her plant nursery because of the drought. The stock animals and the wild animals are in bad shape. So what does my DH choose to show last night after dinner. A taped recording of Ken Burns the "Dust bowl"....... The drought will end one day, but until then do what you can to save the plants. I was told once that droughts go in groups of 3 years, 7 years and 10 years. Let's hope it's the 3 year cycle this time.....Maryl
bluegirl_gw
11 years ago
If I knew how to use my camera properly, I'd post some pics of my roses growing in the same beds with lavender & cacti.

I plant the roses deep in improved soil & heavily mulch. The cacti, lavender & artemisa grow in the surrounding unimproved caliche & gravel. Looks cool.

What do you mean, xeriscape?

Comments (6)

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9

lucillle
Original Author

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jerijen

catsrose

Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)

bluegirl_gw

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What do you mean, xeriscape?

Comments (6)

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9

lucillleOriginal Author

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jerijen

catsrose

Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)

bluegirl_gw

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lucillle
Original Author