A to Z Challenge; x is for Xeriscape
I live in south Texas. At the edge of a desert. At the edge of the Great Plains. Not on the Great Plains, just off the Great Plains. Just off the Coastal Plain. We are lucky if we get 13 inches of rainfall a year. And that’s now considered a good year. So why are we still insistent on planting grass and plants like roses that need gallons of water to survive? Why does everyone have lawns? Have these people never been to Phoenix?
People in Phoenix understand that you can’t live in the middle of a desert and expect to have lawns and also have enough drinking water. It’s impossible. So let’s decorate our houses with something different. Let’s use cacti. They grow well here. There are other plants that thrive in this climate Let’s embrace them.
My apartment complex fights the good fight using recycled water every week to water the lawns here. It’s a losing battle. Give it up. Xeriscape the place. Already we have large rocks stacked around the place. It’s a start. We don’t need pansies and snapdragons. Plant cacti and you’re set for the year. You’ve just cut down on the landscaping bill. Rocks and pebbles can look nice. It just takes a little getting used to.
In south Texas, xeriscaping is the way to live. We can’t afford people opening catfish farms and large golf courses. We have to live with the environment we have.
