Admitting Defeat - Xeriscaping?

19 years ago

Some of you know me from the Texas forum.

I've been gardening on fast-draining caliche for more than three years. Prior to that, I gardened on clay (only 5 minutes away from this house) with much success.

Where I live now, I water every 4 days and by the 3rd day after watering deeply, the soil is completely dry despite compost, mulch, and expensive soil amendments.

I don't want a cactus garden, but I have to admit since many of my plants aren't doing well--even some of my natives--that something needs to change. Many plants haven't bloomed in all three years that I've had them.

What is doing well for me are the plants that don't need water. I never water my culinary sage, rosemary, Mountain Laurel, oregano, lantana, and another gray-leafed plant whose name I can't think of. They are all happy.

So, here are my questions: Does anyone have pretty pictures of xeriscape gardens without yuccas and agaves? I did a Google search and couldn't find anything. Can one do cottage gardening with xeriscape plants?

Anyone know where the xeriscape groups are in Austin, TX?--I went to the local xeriscape club site, and they no longer exist. I also went to the Native Plant Society website for Austin, and their links also no longer connect.

By the way, last month's water bill (hold your breath) was $155.00 and that was only for the water portion. I'm not neccessarily looking for low-maintenance gardening though. Instead, I'm looking for healthy/happy plants that like my dry, shallow conditions which probably means xeriscaping.

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Comments (32)

cactus_dude
19 years ago
Redthistle-

Here in Albuquerque many people prefer to go xeric without cacti and yuccas. I've seen really beautiful xeric gardens that are soft and colorful (lots of flowers, green leafy plants, etc.). I would recommend checking out High Country Gardens (www.highcountrygardens.com) in Santa Fe. They have an incredible selection of really beautiful xeric plants that are probably what you are looking for. And they have an on-line catalog that you can order from. Hope this helps. Good luck.
AzDesertRat
19 years ago
Redthistle,

xeriscaping does not equal zeroscaping as many people here do. Some gravel, and a couple of cactuses, and they consider their project complete.

I gather you are from the Austin area. Here is a link from the Austin Chapter of the Texas Native Plant society. IMHO, native plants and trees make up "true" xeriscape landscapes. If they grow in nature, they shouldn't need supplemental watering while in your garden, except while they are trying to get established.

I am trying to do the same here in my front yard. Right now it consists of some bougenvilla, a canary palm, and a prickly pear cactus, all growing in the lovely gravel. I plan on planting a neem tree and 2 Sissoo trees, as well as some other vegetation around the area. None of those trees are native to Arizona, but have some of the qualities that I need: low water use, and high heat tolerence. I figure the shade I get from the trees over the house in the summer and the lower electric bills will make up for any increase in water use while they are being established.

Good Luck--I hope I sent you the information that you were looking for.

Here is a link that might be useful: Austin Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas
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Redthistle
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks for the info., cactus dude & AzDesert Rat. Funny when I did a search for Xeriscape, High Country Gardens came up, so I will definitely look at what they have to offer.

I emailed the Austin Chapter of Native Plant Society but never got a response, then their links didn't work, but I will try again.

Bouganvilla is such a beautiful plant, although it's not supposed to survive our winter temps here. However, that being said, I know of two people who have it in the ground in protected areas, and it over-wintered just fine. The little nursery up the road from me has it on sale...Maybe I'll buy one too. :-)
jio1
19 years ago
Red -- I second the High Country Gardens (or is "third"?) -- anyway, they are a great source! I also highly highly highly very highly recommend using gray water (any water that does not contain human waste). Depending on the soap you use, which you might have to change, you can use the run-off water from your washer cycles, I keep a basin in every sink and a bucket in my bathtub to catch the water that runs while you're waiting for the hot water. I keep a pitcher in the kitchen sink for left-over water: rinse water, cold tea, that sorta thing and use my dish water too. I have only a 3'x21' balcony plus indoor plants, live alone and for the last three years have been looking for someone to take my extra water, I save so much. And the plants that die usually expire from over-watering. And then there are cachment systems for rain water (High Country might be a good source for that info too). Hope this helps! jo
Linda_8B
19 years ago
If you'll go to the contact page, there's lots of emails there. I'd try the Membership/Hospitality person first. If you don't get an answer try the phone number for the president. Believe me, I know that any NPSOT chapter would want to hear from you! Evidently, their site wasn't being maintained properly.
Redthistle
Original Author
19 years ago
jio1, Although my city frowns on the use of gray water, I did use gray water where I used to live.--We pumped it from the washing machine into a 55 gallon metal barrel and we were careful to use only "clean" loads of laundry (no dirty diapers, etc.) and used a biodegradable detergent. Unfortunately, I don't have such a set up any more where I live now, but I'm not opposed to trying to set something up like that again.
:-)

I'd love a rain barrel system, and have talked to my DH extensively about one, but can't afford the size of the system we need.--We have 2/3rd of an acre with two 85 foot beds in the back and one 100 ft x 10 ft. bed in the front.

I have a neighbor who has two black plastic 1,000 gallon rain water collection tanks. They are huge, and sit directly behind their house, above ground. I think I need what this neighbor has, but I also have to figure out where to put something like this because we have other structures in the way.

Linda, I'll try contacting NSPOT again.
jio1
19 years ago
Opps -- preaching to the choir! Erk! jo
mesquiteent
19 years ago
Redthistle, my husband and I are working on a xeriscape cottage garden here in West Texas, and while we use some cactus, yucca, ocotillo, etc., there's no reason why you would have to. There are so many pretty plants that are native or adaptable to our conditions! Right now, we're in love with all the different autumn sages, Gregg's mist flower (butterflies LOVE it), flame acanthus, globe mallow, Faasen's catmint, desert willow, Mexican bird of paradise...lots of stuff.

I have a cottge gardening book by Toby Musgrave, and he has pictures of different types of cottage gardens, including a Southwestern CG in AZ or NM, can't remember which, that uses xeriscape plants.
luvs2plant
19 years ago
Redthistle,
While Googling for plants suited to my TX climate (hot, dry summer-cool, wet winter), I came up with "Mediterranean gardening". As opposed to more "typical" xeriscape plants, mediterranean plants seem more suited to the 'wet winter' aspect of our climate.
The link below has an excellent list of plants suited to a mediterranean climate, & may give you some ideas to work with.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plants for Mediterranean Climates
chicago90
19 years ago
Greetings from phoenix - you need to come visit to get lots of interesting ideas!

Try yellow bells, orange jubilee and I'm sure bouganvillea would work the vast majority of the year.
cindy_ash
19 years ago
I have a xeriscape yard with the following plants: in the front, Palo Verde in the middle, surrounded by Cacia bushes, Rosemary, Emu Bush (from Australia), Ocotillo, Golden Barrell, and Honey suckle. The walkways are bordered by Mexican Primerose (also known as moss rose), and I have a flower bed in the front of the yard for annuals, and desert wildflowers for the spring.

In the back (and I have a HUGE backyard) two African Sumacs, Mesquite, Bottle Brush tree, Desert Willow, all in separate brick bordered wells. Within the wells are Texas Sage, Cacia, Brittle Bush, Globe Mallow, Salvia, Pentstimon, Mexican Birds of Paradise, Cape Honeysuckle, Lady Sage, Bouganvilla, Lantana Creosote Bush and Ruella. What I love about these perennials is that they are at their peak at different times of the year, so even in the heat of the summer, I still have color. I also have Aloe Vera. I also sow native wildflowers seeds in the wells and along borders at this time of year, so in Februarly, my yard is filled with drought tolerant and low water use color.

Desert wildflowers include desert marigolds, Mexican poppies, Zinnias, Blanket Flowers, African Daisies, Desert Lupine, Desert Bluebells, Cosmos, Flax, verbena

Hope that gives you a few ideas to consider. My yards definitely are not Zeroscape. There is color and shade and green all year long.
Redthistle
Original Author
19 years ago
Wow, all of you are making me feel a lot better. Seriously, I was really bummed out for about a week and felt like giving up. I am one of those people who do use other people's advice--so if you suggest something, I guarantee I'll look into it. Thanks everyone, I'm saving your posts.
nrynes
19 years ago
Also check out plantsofthesouthwest.com if you're into starting plants from seed.

My climate is vastly different from yours (southern Colorado) but I xeriscape as well. You CAN get a cottage look from plants that don't need much water - it's really a matter of how you structure your garden - not necessarily the plants.

Some general plant groups that might do well for you are penstemons (I think these were mentioned), artemesias (sages), herbs like lavender, santolina, agastaches, ephedra, salvias, etc. look for desert plants and Texas natives (there HAVE to be some books at the library on Texas native plants). If you have one, check with your county extension agent too - he/she might have some resources too.

Good luck!!

Nancy
hawaiisam
19 years ago
Chicago90 mentioned one of my favorites - Yellow Bells. (it's a hummingbird favorite too). If you would like to try growing this shrub from seed, let me know and I will pop some in the mail. sam
Pagancat
19 years ago
... one more Phoenician, here - I also love using the big, ornamental grasses for a soft look - they tend to be much more xeric than their turf cousins (and much prettier, IMHO).

I'd also say not to throw out the entire idea of agave and yucca. We in the south west have access to an incredible range of accent plants that many others can't grow. That doesn't mean that you have a prickly pear forest, it could just be that a sprinkling - something tall and straight to add a vertical element? Something sculptural in a too soft area? etc. if you know what I mean...

I also recommend taking a look at your local Borders/Barnes and Noble in their xeriscaping books - Sunset has a ton of ideas, typically. I also suggest using the plant finder, PLANTIS, at www.mswn.com - it's a local wholesale grower here that also distributes to some of the Texas region- regardless, the PLANTIS thingy works a lot like the plant finder at High country gardens, just a little more specific.

HTH!
jio1
19 years ago
It just occurred to me (duh!) to recommend that you try Winter Sowing (see related Garden Web forum) as a marvelous way of getting your seeds up and ready for the growing season -- jo
ilikemud
19 years ago
Doesn't your water comp. still offer price breaks for xeriscape gardeners? One plant I always enjoy in my folks N. Austin garden is scuttelaria-skull cap. I'm trying it here in my drought tolerant garden.
My folks have a small and very steep back yard xeriscape garden. They are older now and have alot of trouble working on it-does anyone know any good maintanance people in the Canyons?
irisgirl
19 years ago
EVERYONE!
This is the ORIGINAL and (IMHO) best resource for Xeriscape info: http://www.denverwater.org/bookstore/bookstorefrm.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Denver Water Xeriscape
Redthistle
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Yellow Bells are pretty and we just bought one about six weeks ago along with some Mexican Oregano that seems to do well on little water, so I think we're on the right track.

ilikemud, our water company (City of Austin) does, indeed, give breaks for planting low-water usage plants, but you have to keep receipts to be reimbursed and we've planted so much already without keeping receipts (over three years worth of plants), it doesn't seem worth it for what we might buy.

Actually, we do physically save on water usage in a different way--even though our water bill can be high-- because we don't water our "lawn" which is a mix of mostly native grasses.
pjcalgirl
19 years ago
Hey RedThistle! It's PJ from the TX forum. I live in Xeriscape country...Mojave Desert CA.(I'm moving from the High Desert to TX soon.)Did you see my garden pics out here? I grow roses,cosmos,canna lilys,gadzinia,pinks,aztec grass,oleanders,herbs,bird of paradise,desert willow,honey suckle(asian everything else dies).,ice plant,rabbit bush,portocula mix,potatoes,celery,spinach,and bermuda grass.PJ
lyfia
19 years ago
RedThistle, you might want to stop by The natural Gardener which is located in southwest Austin by Oak Hill. They have a lot of plants that can be used as they specialize in low water gardens. They have a real nice garden set-up that reminds me of a TX version of a cottage garden. You could get some ideas by walking through there.

I don't have any agave's and only one cactus right now, but that one actually has made me want to make a cactus garden that is a mix with other plants. The natural gardener has been real helpful to me in picking plants as I can't plant anything that isn't deer proof. The deer where I live doesn't know what deer resistant means.
natvtxn
19 years ago
I too live in the hill counrty, just a bit South of you...Bulverde. I also have the limestone caliche soil. After a discussion on salvias, I decided that mine is indigo spires. It has beautiful long dark blue spires. It gets very little water. In the hottest time of summer I do occasionally have to give it a drink. It is so pretty that I have had people stop to ask what it is. It gets about 4 ft. tall and now covers about a ten ft. area. Not the base, but the top at it's fullest.

Another plant to try are cemetary whites iris. I have some that I got from an ancestors grave. They had to have been planted around 1870. They spread and multiply. Mine are beginning to bloom right now. The buds are a very pale lavender until they open. They bloom only for a short time but you still have the green of the fans the rest of the time.

Desert willow

antique roses, these roses have survived for years and years at abondoned sites. In particular lady banksia. Mine gets only what rain there is, of course right
now it is a lot.

Texas fragrant mimosa. A true native, not the imported one.
It is a shrub that blooms puffy pink blooms a couple of times a year. Mine was growing on a hill here when we cleared the lot. Obviously a survivor as this was virgin land. It does have vicious claws like cat claw mesquite.
Chaltalpa is a cross between desert will and catalpa and supposed to be a good one, but mine has been in the ground less than a year.

If you have not seen Sally and Andy Wasowski's book, "Native Texas Plants", go find it It is fantastic.
kittyfern
19 years ago
I found some good stuff at www.westongardens.com

They claim to do English gardens Texas style. They are only about 30 minutes away from me so I plan a visit there this spring.
DivaHerHighness
19 years ago
It sounds like you have your work cut out for you with your type of soil but since some of the 'usual' suspects of low water use plants are doing well there is hope.

One book I have found very useful in learning about plants that are suited to my area (Glendale, CA) is Plants for Dry Climates by Mary Rose Duffield.

It has a map at the begining of the book of the southwest. You can identify your area as being low, mid or high zone.

There is a half page description for each plant (size, soil, zones)as well as a nice color photo.

There's a short chapter on landscaping with a couple of nice shots as well although I would probably mostly use this book for its plant information.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plants for Dry Climates on Amazon
aikanae
19 years ago
some great ideas! it's good to others realizing xeriscaping doesn't mean catcus and gravel - only.

i had rotten luck when i first moved to az, even following what you were "supposed to plant" rules. too much water and then not enough water, all the stuff - it wasn't that at all. my yard is humid due to a tree canopy and living w/i a mile of a river + monsoons (then). i switched to heatloving plants that tolerated humidity and did fine, immediatley. i didn't even have to add water. bananas and cannas do better for me than cactus. i got the idea from an old 1950's s.w. garden club book. a mile away in any direction and i wouldn't be able to grow the same things. there is a lot of variation within any area.

don't assume too quick what the problem is. i dig a hole apx 6" deep, fill it and wait for it to drain to help me deciede how long i need to water. if your soil is fast draining, it should show up doing that. you try using some shade cover to reduce evaporation rates, larger leaf plants that use moisture through leaves (and trap it with shade canopy). i've also heard of layering plastic under the roots to help retain water (never tried it).

the additives that retain water work very well - esp the kind that look like they turn to a jelly when wet - but it sounds like you've tried those. that's what makes me suspicious that something else might be going on if you've seen no results using things like that.

if previous owners used some of the "kill everything" weed killers, it can take awhile before that's worked out of the soil (if it ever is).
vrgotx
19 years ago
Think Zinnia and Cosmos for summer color and heat tolerance. Check out Wildseed Farms in Fredericksberg, TX. They have a web site, however, as close as you are I'd drive there and take a tour.
amester
19 years ago
Don't give up! I'm a novice gardener and I tore out my entire front lawn to put in only Xeric plants last year (east slope, all day sun) and everything's going gangbusters! I know everyone says this but do try highcountrygardens.com - they have great plant listings specifically for low water use and highly draining soils. I'm in clay and there are some beautiful penstemons that I can't grow because they hate wet feet. Work WITH your site, do a little homework - you'll be amazed at what you can do!
quercus_abq
18 years ago
A caution from someone who lives in Albuquerque: most xeriscapes here that leave out cacti or yuccas, as previously mentioned, look "wimpy" in the short, chilly winters we have---their designers try doing all the work with flower color, gravel, and grasses or shrubs. (and oddly, many such gardens over time add yuccas, agaves, sotols, cacti, etc., as the owners realize what a big impact they were missing---sometimes (1) such accent plant is all that is needed)

Leaving out sculpture plants and only using trees-flowers-shrubs-grasses is like running a 4 cylinder engine on only 3 cylinders: the car does not run as smoothly.

But if you do not care what your garden looks like all year, then leave out the evergreen and sculpture plants.

So, I urge you to not rule out something if you are admitting defeat---especially that which will reward so much for so little water. Also, most people end up preferring the very features they were initially uncomfortable with.
User
18 years ago
Well, let me say this--with gardening, patience is a virtue. I've had many success and a fair amount of failures. Anyway, I guess I have basically a Xeriscape garden (if needing little water is what you mean). I still have to water regularly the first year to get the plant established, but after that most things that I have I water infrequently or even sometimes not at all.

I try all sorts of things. Cactuses, Agaves, Yuccas, Didiereas, Alluaudias, Cistus, Aloes, Euphorbias, you name it.

Anyway, here are some pics and look at my personal page too (I have a couple linked). I live on a very steep and rocky hill and it is heavy clay and rocks. You just keep plugging away at it.

Once in awhile I go through phases where I've lost a number of plants in pots before I could get them in the ground (or even sometimes after I get them in the ground). So, it can get discouraging. Don't give up though--it sure is worth it afterwards.

-Ron-

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cactus_dude
18 years ago
Wow Ron- what a spectacular garden! If only we could grow stuff like that here in ABQ. The Aloe dichotoma is especially impressive. Thanks for sharing.

cd
sjv78736
18 years ago
RT - i am way late to this thread and hope your garden is doing better now (tho we've had the most brutal summer i can remember in awhile). just today i saw a huge bouganvilla in oakhill - streetside not protected - and going gangbusters. also, since you desire a cottage style garden, not cacti, please check out Native American Seed. they offer only Texas natives. if you check into this, Please take note of the conservancy plants.
http://www.seedsource.com/
HTH -
Jo
kamerakim
18 years ago
RT,

I am also way late but it's hard to believe someone gardening
in Austin thinks you can only grow cactus here. If you are growing xeric plants and are watering every four days you are watering too much. Go to the library and check out the Wasowski's books and Scott Ogden (gardening in difficult soils). Also of great help are the wonderful organic gardening radio shows every Sat and Sun. mornings from 8-11am
on KLBJ 590 AM. Tom Spencer also has a gardening tv show Central Texas Gardener on PBS and has an incredible web site with lots of links soulofthegarden.com

Good Luck,

Kim

Admitting Defeat - Xeriscaping?

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