It is the season of ‘dog days’, days so hot and humid that you can cut the atmosphere with a butter knife. Or, as our grandparents said, “days fit for a dog’s activity – lying in the coolest spot available.” At one time a phenomena exclusive to the Mid-Atlantic region, presently from the rain forests of south-east Alaska to the deciduous forests of the Mid-Atlantic region, all are challenged to keep their self and landscape gardens cool.  

    For most, the answer is to “create a Xeriscape”. Nevertheless, this term was so severely abused related to plants that ‘xeri’ was replaced with ‘zero’ and landscapes became the host for a pile of rocks. Well, guess what? Rocks don’t cool the atmosphere! Living green, plants, mediate the ongoing effect of climatic extremes. So, we need to ‘plant more plants’, www.plantmoreplants.com, creating eco-frugal landscapes that conserve water and are filled with colorful varieties of drought tolerant flowers, shrubs and trees which enable a showplace garden without depleting an area’s water table or resulting in jaw-dropping water bills.

     Interested in installing a Xeriscape, a ‘dog days’ garden? Start by selecting drought tolerant plants that work well for your area. Install trees and larger shrubs in such a way that these plants provide filtered light and avoid competing for vital nutrients. While aesthetically, eye pleasing landscapes have a backdrop of taller and/or larger shrubs or perennials, these plants more importantly serve as anchors for a design providing layers of cooling habitat for ourselves and the critters that live with us.  Pick colors which blend and carry the anchor plant’s color from top to bottom of the design. For contrast and texture, select plants or décor items that introduce difference. And, because the underlying goal of a ‘dog days garden’ is to create a space that appears cool, use shades of color in the ‘blue-green family’.

During installation,  

•           Identify sunny and shady areas, slopes, and views. Then, group plants with similar water needs into zones to make watering easier.

•           Test the soil for nutrient content and makeup. Good soil absorbs and retains water much better than poor soil.

•           Irrigate efficiently. Even the lowest water-using Xeriscape needs supplemental water during extended hot, dry periods.

•           Limit turf areas. Use wildflowers and native grasses as lawn substitutes, especially in large open spaces and low use areas.

•           Use mulch. Mulch covers help reduce erosion, retain moisture and minimize the fluctuation in soil temperature.

•           Select eco-chic plants. Be aware using an eco-efficient plant does not necessarily mean a drab gray plant with lots of thorns or just cactus.

•           Maintain it. Properly maintained spaces are hardier and better able to withstand drought, freezing, and pest problems.

     Properly installed, a Xeriscape – eco-frugal garden - is not simply a beautiful economical water-wise space but a place where as our grandparents said, provides a retreat for “a dog’s activity – lying in the coolest spot available.”

About the author – Recipient of the Turning America from Eco-weak to Eco-chic Award, Sylvia Hoehns Wright challenges all to move their life-styles from eco-weak to eco-chic – ‘green’ life’s garden, one scoop at a time! For details, link to a review of her book, http://blog.thewrightscoop.com/2011/04/28/from-eco-weak-to-eco-chic-landscape-green---book-review.aspxf or visit web site www.TheWrightScoop.com.