Xeriscaping is a weird-looking word, and you might assume this drought-tolerant landscaping style isn’t important in Idaho. We have plenty of water, right?
Is xeriscaping needed in Idaho Falls? Are homeowners interested?
“Yes, for sure,” says Kirk Jeppesen, landscape designer for Outback Landscape. “Many cities are starting to monitor water use, so lots of people are asking for it.”
What are the best plants for xeriscaping for Idaho? Are there any downsides to this water-saving landscape design?
Keep reading to learn Jeppesen’s top plant picks and his pro thoughts on the value of xeriscaping.
Xeriscaping is landscaping designed to minimize the need for irrigation by using drought-tolerant plants and other materials like gravel, rocks and mulch.
What’s up with the weird word?
It combines “xeros,” the Greek word for “dry” with “scaping,” which refers to landscaping.
Xeriscaping is a way to create beautiful, functional landscapes that require little water. This low-water landscape design is gaining popularity as climate change causes more municipalities and homeowners to reduce water use.
It does. How? A smart combination of drought-tolerant plants, efficient irrigation, and other low-water landscaping practices:
Drought-Tolerant Plants
Xeriscaping uses plants that require less water than traditional lawn grass and other thirsty plants.
Efficient Irrigation
Xeriscaping often incorporates water-wise irrigation techniques like drip irrigation and soaker hoses that use less water.
Strategic Planting
Xeriscaping involves planting plants strategically to match their water needs with available local rainfall and soil moisture.
Boise, Idaho Falls and the surrounding Treasure Valley have historically experienced dry summers and multiple droughts.
Climate change is making water conservation efforts here even more important.
Boise and Idaho Falls get much of their water from the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer, a large underground water source in southeastern Idaho. A vast expanse, covering approximately 10,800 square miles, it’s a major water source for southern Idaho.
However, groundwater levels in parts of the aquifer have declined since the 1950s, leading to concerns about water availability and a growing interest in low-water landscaping.
The City of Boise reports multiple challenges to its water supply, from city growth to climate change. Water conservation has become a top focus for the municipality in reducing water demand.
The City of Idaho Falls has begun a concerted effort to reduce water waste. It offers residents water-saving tips that include xeriscaping.
Saving water is a top xeriscaping goal, but it’s also popular with homeowners looking for low-maintenance landscaping or interested in reducing their carbon footprint.
Due to the type of plants used, xeriscaped landscapes use less water and typically require less mowing, weeding, and fertilization.
Which brings us to…
If you’re picturing a barren landscape of rocks and cactus, you’ll be surprised at the bounty — and beauty — of plants Jeppesen uses for xeriscaping:
Take a closer look at just one of the impressive trees Jeppesen loves:
Serviceberry
This native tree, also called Shadbush or Juneberry, is a stunner, with impressive four-season interest. Enjoy its pretty white blossoms in the spring, fruits in the summer, colorful foliage in the fall, and attractive bark color in the winter. Birds love its purplish-black fruit.
Other trees on Jeppesen’s Idaho xeriscaping list:
Meet rabbitbrush and Russian sage, two of Jeppesen’s best low-water plants for landscapes:
Rabbitbrush
This perennial shrub boasts much more than a fun name.
It bursts into color in the late summer with an impressive display of yellow flowers. When it’s in full bloom, butterflies can’t resist it. They love its nectar.
Birds will be frequent visitors, too, feasting on the seed heads in winter and nesting in its branches when it’s time to start a family.
Russian Sage
Gardeners love this popular plant even when it’s not xeriscaping. Dreamy drifts of lavender-blue flowers bloom from midsummer into fall.
The pretty tubular flowers are a favorite of hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.
This flowery relative of mint has silvery-green leaves. Crush one, then sniff for a minty fragrance.
Other great drought-tolerant shrubs Jeppesen loves for Idaho xeriscaping:
Think xeriscaping plants are all grayish and spiny?
Jeppesen’s top picks, Sea Thrift and Ice Plant, will change your mind:
Sea Thrift
This is also called sea pink, which seems a better name, as it’s covered with a profusion of pink flower clusters that bob atop sturdy stems.
Bees love it.
Its pom-pom blooms steal the show, but its low mat of grassy green foliage makes it look good even when it isn’t in bloom.
Ice Plant
Fun fact: Its name comes from tiny hairs on the plant's leaves and stems that reflect light in a way that resembles ice crystals.
However, it is known for its vivid purple, pink, or yellow daisy-like flowers that bloom throughout the summer.
Other water-saving perennial favorites:
While xeriscaping is usually associated with dry conditions and saving water, it can also be adapted to other climates, including those with plenty of rain.
Xeriscaping is about using water wisely, not just creating gardens in dry areas.
The key is to choose plants that will thrive in your local climate, considering local rainfall patterns.
Xeriscaping can also involve managing rainwater runoff effectively, using features like rain gardens or dry creek beds.
A rain garden is a shallow depression planted with deep-rooted native plants and grasses. The plants collect rainwater runoff, allowing the water to be filtered by vegetation and slowly soak into the soil instead of pooling up.
Like a xeriscaped landscape, a rain garden is usually designed to be dry, holding water only during and following rainfall.
A dry creek bed is constructed from rocks ranging in size from river rocks to small boulders, providing a designated place for extra water to go. When it’s not needed to handle excess water, a dry creek bed fits in nicely with the xeriscape vibe.
Jeppesen is a big fan of xeriscaping, as long as it’s designed well, and he doesn’t see many downsides.
But he points out a couple:
A Less-Usable Yard
A xeriscaped yard doesn’t have the multi-function usable space that a grass lawn offers. No soccer games or letting the dog romp wild, or strolling on cool, soft grass in your bare feet.
Expense
“Many people are aware of the reduced functionality of the yard, but many are unaware of the budget,” Jeppesen says.
“Xeriscaping a yard doesn't save money up front,” he says. “There are a lot of costs associated with rock and decorative boulders, and the initial cost can be equal to or greater than that of a traditional Idaho landscape. People don't realize that part.”
Add the cost of professional Idaho xeriscape design if you want it to look great and function well.
“If it’s done poorly, I think it reduces curb appeal,” Jeppesen says. “There needs to be a good initial investment.”
While gravel is a popular xeriscaping material, using too much can make the landscape look bare and uninviting.
Experts consider sun exposure, wind protection, and soil conditions to ensure plants thrive.
Jeppesen says xeriscaping isn’t just replacing your lawn with rocks and the best low-water plants for landscapes. Expert design is crucial if you want your xeriscaped landscaping to have good curb appeal.
Drainage is important, too.
“If stormwater isn’t directed properly, it can cause issues,” he says.
What kind of issues?
If water pools and doesn't drain, “Waterlogging” can suffocate plant roots and cause diseases. Proper drainage allows excess water to move away from the roots.
Water-wasting runoff can happen if water doesn’t efficiently sink into the ground. Good drainage helps ensure valuable water is used by the plants rather than running off or sitting in puddles.
Excess water runoff can erode soil, potentially harming the landscape.
It Uses Less Water
Lower water bills are good for your wallet and the environment. The Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer will thank you—or it would, if it could.
Xeriscaped landscapes generally require less watering, mowing, fertilizing and weeding.
Support Wildlife
The native plants often used in xeriscaping are favorites of bees, birds and butterflies, who love the nectar, seeds, berries and habitat they provide.
As water conservation continues to be a concern here in Idaho, low-water landscaping like xeriscaping will be part of the conversation about planting and landscape design in Idaho Falls.
Outback designers are ready to help, with plants that look great while using less water and the skills to create curb-appeal xeriscaping that’s both beautiful and functional.
Outback Landscape offers full-service landscape installation in Boise and Idaho Falls. Our comprehensive services include landscape design, construction, maintenance, lawn care, snow and ice removal, lighting, and irrigation.
We install beautiful, functional landscapes, but our work doesn’t stop there. We’ll stay with you for the long haul, caring for your property throughout all four seasons.
We serve residential and commercial properties in Idaho Falls, Rexburg and Pocatello, Idaho, as well as Bonneville, Madison and Bannock counties, call us at 208-656-3220 or schedule a no-obligation meeting with one of our team members. We can’t wait to hear from you.
Image Sources | Serviceberry, Russian Sage, Ice Plant