Q: What plants are you using to reduce landscape water use?
A: The use of drought-tolerant or water-conserving plants starts with a good landscape design and plan. Acacias, palo breas, and mesquites are good choices for low-water trees. Some of the more popular shrubs include the red bird of paradise, Baja fairy duster, and Texas sage. Many varieties of agaves have become so popular, we have replaced some of our annual beds with permanent desert focal points, including the agave desmentiana, one of my personal favorites.
By reducing the vast turf areas and replacing those with low-water-use plants, we can show a water reduction of up to 25 percent. Normally the landscape maintenance rates will remain the same, but the cost of seed, fertilizer, irrigation parts, and water provides a significant savings in itself. We save hundreds [of dollars] each season by reducing the size of our annual flower beds and incorporating an arid backdrop design. The result is a permanent natural infusion of bougainvillea, lantana, hesperaloe, and surface-select granite boulders.
–Rod Pappas is president of Xeriscapes Unlimited, a landscape firm based in Phoenix, Ariz., that works on properties for Sentinel Real Estate Corp.
–To participate in future Q&As, contact Rachel Z. Azoff at razoff@hanleywood.com.