THE STREAMER NEWSLETTER

Streamer: Spring 1999

Do you find yourself thumbing through garden catalogues this month or eyeing the yard for signs of sprouting bulbs? Then it may not be too early to think about ways to improve your garden during the coming season.

Why not consider xeri-scaping? Derived from the Greek word "xeros" meaning dry, xeriscaping is a creative form of landscaping that uses a minimum of water. Xeriscaping produces attractive landscapes that use less water because they're based on designs and plants suited to the locale.

Water-thrifty landscaping does not mean yards with rocks, cactus and tumbleweed. Through careful planning, xeriscaping can yield a garden of color and beauty that does not strain our water supplies during summer months.

Certainly with seasonal drought conditions and lengthy water bans in many watershed communities the past few summers, our yards could benefit from some gardening techniques that conserve water. Xeriscaping not only decreases demand on our limited water supplies, but it cuts down on yard maintenance and costs, as well as runoff that ultimately carries soils, fertilizers and pesticides into the Charles.

Xeriscaping incorporates these basic principles:

Planning and design. Your plan should take into account the possibilities and limitations of your yard. Be aware of average rainfall during the growing season and site-specific conditions created by wind, sun exposure, slope and drainage. Plan your gardens and plantings accordingly. Most importantly, cluster plants that have similar water requirements for more efficient watering. 

Soil analysis and improvements. Get to know your soil by having it analyzed professionally (call University of Massachusetts' Soil Testing Lab at 413-545-2311) or by testing it yourself with a soil test kit, available at most garden centers. Check for nutrient content, relative acidity or alkalinity, water holding capacity and porosity. These factors will help you select the best plants for existing soil conditions, or, if necessary, recondition your soil to improve its quality. Add organic matter when necessary to increase your soil's water holding capacity.

Appropriate plant selection. Preserve as many existing trees and shrubs as possible because established plants usually require less supplemental watering and maintenance. Choose local or regional plants known for their beauty, water efficiency, and resistance to disease and pests. Consult Waterwise Gardening by Laura Springer or The Water-Thrifty Garden by Stan DeFreitas, or call the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority at (617) 242-SAVE for lists of plants that naturally do well in the Northeast.

Limited lawn. Grass is a water hog, so limit the amount of lawn in your yard. For those plots that remain, try grass seed varieties that can withstand drought periods and become dormant in hot, drier seasons. Lawns planted with fescue grasses do better than bluegrasses in dry conditions.

Efficient irrigation. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses are efficient methods for watering many trees, shrubs, flowers and groundcovers. To promote the strong root growth that supports plants during drought, always water deeply and only when plants need water, preferably during early morning hours. Drip irrigation can save 30 to 70 precent of water used by overhead sprinkler systems.

Mulching. Cover plant beds with composted leaves, grass, pine bark or salt marsh hay to help retain moisture, particularly during July and August.

Appropriate maintenance. Water and fertilize only as needed. Established lawns and shrubs and most vegetables and flowers need just one inch of water a week. Too much water promotes weak growth and increases pruning and mowing requirements. Cutting grass when it reaches two to three inches promotes deeper root growth.

Ground Covers - Large Areas

Ajuga
Daylilies
Sedums
Low Shrub Roses
Junipers

Ground Covers - Crevices and Walkways

Ajuga
Phlox Subulata
Dianthus
Sedum
Lambs Ears
Thymus

Edging Plants: Stay Low and Neat

Epimideium
Lambs Ears
Iberis
Grasses (Blue Fescue, Fountain Grass)
Sedum `Autumn Joy' Coreposis' Verticillata
Lavender
Dicentra `Eximia'
Cotoneaster
Ilex `Crenata Heller'
Hosta

Vertical Accents

Yucca
Salvi
Iris
Daylilies
Taller Ornamental Grasses

Exceptionally Long-Blooming

Achillia
Coreopsis `Verticilata'
Dicentra `Eximia'
Daylilies
Iberis
Phlox Subulata
Geranium
Spirea `Gold Mound'
Sedums
Rudbecckia `Goldstrum'
Shrub Roses
Ornamental Grasses

List Provided by: Brown and Associates, West Newton