7 ways to make your xeriscape garden a true oasis

A xeriscape garden is like a desert garden and is well suited to terrain that is seasonally semi-arid or arid, but not full-blown desert.

Xeriscaping is a way of landscaping that requires little to no watering, fertilizer or labour.

• Based on the Greek word xeros, which means "dry," a xeriscape garden is built with plants that naturally thrive on the normal rainfall of the region.
• Don't limit your garden to cacti and rocks: A well-designed xeriscape can be eye-catching and lush all year.
• If you limit the size of the garden, you can set aside a small portion for a vegetable or flower-cutting garden, both of which demand more water.
• It's best to avoid outright desert-like xeriscapes with large areas of gravel and only a few succulents for interest. Such a sparse layout offers no respite from the sun and raises temperature by radiating heat back into the environment.

A small fountain is a refreshing addition to a xeriscape garden in hot, dry climates. Even the sound of splashing water is restful. A recirculating pump keeps water use to a minimum.

Lawns require more water than most ground covers, but you can save water by confining your turf to a single focal point off the patio or between flower beds.

• Choose dry, land grass species that need less water, such as tall fescue, blue grama or buffalograss.
• Elsewhere in the garden, replace your lawn with drought-tolerant ground covers, such as common yarrow, Portuguese broom or sea thrift.

Annuals that adapt to xeriscaping in both warm and cold climates include marigolds, cockscombs, African daisies, dusty miller, gazanias, moss roses, sunflowers and zinnias.

Zone your xeriscape garden according to the water needs of the plants.

• Group those that need more moisture where they can benefit from the runoff water from downspouts, driveways and patios.
• Put plants that don't need full sun under the dappled shade of tall trees. This will keep the soil temperature down, minimizing the need for water.

• Put plants in the ground just before the rainy season to take advantage of natural precipitation.
• Space them far enough apart so that roots will have plenty of room to spread and won't have to compete for moisture.

• Shape soil into basins around the base of new trees and shrubs to help catch water.
• Water infrequently and deeply to encourage deep roots.
• After two years you can fill the basins, install a low-volume irrigation system and add mulch. By keeping soil temperatures cool, a five- or eight-centimetre (two- or three-inch) layer of organic mulch significantly reduces water loss.

Low-volume irrigation systems operate at low pressure and deliver a low but steady amount of water.

• They include soaker hoses, controlled drip emitters, miniature sprayers and sprinklers, and root irrigators that soak the soil beneath the surface.