Stranger in a Dry Land

This lens is for the purpose of my own education in living and gardening in a desert environment, now under severe drought conditions. We have just moved here to Albuquerque after years of living on the Atlantic coast, and it is truly like another planet. Here in the city there is still access to water, even for watering yards and gardens, but plants and animals in the wild are undergoing serious trauma from the lack of water. My challenge is to convert this yard into a Xeriscape, instead of the mishmash that it currently is. I hope to chronicle this journey here.

Current photo is of native wildflower, Mexican Hat.

What Is Xeriscape?

The word Xeriscape was coined in 1981 by an environmental planner for the Denver Water Company. Taken from the Greek word, Xeri, meaning dry, xeriscape embodies the principles of water conservation through creative landscaping.

Xeriscape Links

Xeriscape Council of New Mexico: The Council's primary goal is to offer education and training about water conservation, primarily through efficient irrigation of xeriscaping utilizing native and other low-water plants.
Xeric Garden Club of Albuquerque: The Xeric Garden Club of Albuquerque is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting landscapes that conserve and use water as efficiently as possible
Sourcebook Xeriscape: Sourcebook for Green and Sustainable Building (Austin) page with technical Xeriscape info.
Giannangelo Farms - Xeriscape Page: From the Giannangelo Farms Southwest site, a great page of informtion on Xeriscape principles and plants.
What is Xeriscape? - City of ABQ: Good primer on the subject, with info on the city's programs and rebates for residential and commercial xeriscaping.

Native Plant Materials

...and Where to Get Them

What is a native plant?
"All of our native plants evolved here and been subjected to long periods of natural selection. They are perfectly adapted to the climate and habitats of New Mexico. Native plants are in balance with the ecosystem, provide cover and food for native animals, and have developed a surprisingly diverse array of relationships with soil fungi and other native microorganisms. What better plants to grow on any patch of ground than the species that have evolved upon that spot?"

High Country Gardens: High Country Gardens specializes in waterwise ("xeric") perennials (sometimes spelled perrenials) and other plants that need very little or no extra water once established. We have spent years offering and developing unusual garden-tested perennials, bulbs, cacti, succulents, trees, grasses and shrubs that ship right from our greenhouses to your landscape. The fragrant and colorful blossoms and foliage on many of our flowering xeriscape plants, such as Lavender, Penstemon, and Agastache, attract hummingbirds and butterflies
New Mexico Nurseries: New Mexico tree and plant nurseries. Find a garden center and nursery.
Low Water Use Landscape Plants for the Southwest: Extremely useful list of plant material (some photos) on web pages developed by faculty, students and staff in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, NMSU
Giannangelo Farms - New Mexico Plants: Great list of NM plants, from wildflowers to trees, accompanied by gorgeous photos.
Denver Botanic Gardens - Water Smart Plants: At Denver Botanic Gardens, the term water-smart is used to describe the methods employed to achieve efficiency in irrigating gardens
Plants of the Southwest: Presented here for your joy and independance - from extensive watering, fertilizing and mowing - are beautiful, powerful Southwestern plants. (AND a recipe for Chiles Rellenos!)
Native Plant Society of New Mexico: The purpose of the Native Plant Society of New Mexico is to promote the conservation of our native flora, plant habitats and encourage the appropriate use of native plants in New Mexico
Desert USA: This is the "Plants and Wildflowers" page of this site, an encyclopedia of information about the American deserts.
Pueblo of Santa Ana Garden Center: The Santa Ana Garden Center is your source for native and xeric perennials, shrubs and trees. Our plants are the natural choice for landscaping. Most of our stock is grown from locally-gathered seed and raised on our nursery on the Santa Ana Reservation, which ensures the hardiness of our plants for north central New Mexico and the Rio Grande Valley.
The Cactus and Succulent Plant Mall: An internet resource for all growers of cacti and succulent plants, an amazing international resource.
Mesa Garden: Native cactus and succulent plants and seeds.
Rio Grande Cacti: Growers specializing in native southwestern cacti.

Living in a Dry Land

One Day at a Time

June 7 - We arrived here on Saturday, in extreme heat (unusual for so early in June, they tell us), to find everything in the yard crisped and burnt. The plantings are a mishmash of appropriate (native) and inappropriate shrubs, trees, perennials, and worst of all - grass. The grass is totally dead, as I asked the guy who was caretaking for us during our lengthy process of moving NOT to water it at all. There is no sense to have grass here at all, especially now. We will remove the dead grass, compost it, and cover the areas with gravel, stone paths and some manner of ground cover that doesn't need water. Right now I am considering iceplant, but that may change.

It is too soon to do anything but try to keep the good stuff alive, and observe what's going on in the yard during these summer months. I've started a compost heap, and am saving grey water to use on things like roses. An amazing thing happened yesterday - a storm came up over the mountains, wind and clouds, thunder and lightening, and ultimately even rain. Not much rain, but the first rain here for a good while, evidently.

Books I Covet

The Zen Of Gardening In the High & Arid West: Tips, Tools, and Techniques

Gardens to Visit

...and hands-on learning.

Xeriscaped Gardens to Visit: A list of demonstrations gardens and natural areas, mainly in the ABQ region.
Rio Grande Botanic Garden: The lush and peaceful Rio Grande Botanic Garden represents an oasis in the desert. The Garden currently encompasses 20 developed acres, including a 10,000 square foot glass conservatory housing native and exotic plants from desert and Mediterranean climate zones.
Desert Botanical Garden (Phoenix, AZ): The Garden's commitment to the community is to advance excellence in education,research, exhibition, and conservation of desert plants of the world with emphasis on the Southwestern United States. We will ensure that the Garden is always a compelling attraction that brings to life the many wonders of the desert
The Water Conservation Garden: Promoting water conservation in the southern California landscape through excellent exhibits and programs that educate and inspire the public. (El Cajón, CA) Lots of info and links at this garden site.

Water Conservation

...how to save and reuse a precious commodity

Water Conservation Portal: Just what it says - a doorway to everything you could possibly want to know about water, and how to keep it around on the planet.
Water Conservation - City of ABQ: The future of Albuquerque depends greatly upon the availablilty of water for the generations to come. Water conservation is one of the surest, cheapest ways that Albuquerqueans can insure that future. Programs, rebates, city services.
Using Greywater in New Mexico's Residential Landscapes: PDF file with good greywater info.
Greywater: An astounding resource of links to everything you ever wanted to know about greywater: uses, systems, etc.
Safe Use of Greywater: Publication from NM State Univ. on exactly what it says.

Squidoo

Stranger in a Dry Land

What Is Xeriscape?

Xeriscape Links