Published: April 26, 2018, 11:34am | Modified: June 18, 2019, 5:46pm
Regardless of your water supply, xeriscaping, also known as “zero-scaping”, can help you create truly incredible and drought-tolerant gardens. The professionals at A One Stop Garden Shop can help you design a low maintentance, beautiful garden for your Florida home.
When you think about a garden, you might envision lush grass and trickling streams surrounded by bright flowers. This is one of the more common images that comes to mind. For many people in Palm Beach County and the surrounding areas, however, that vision is one that must remain unfulfilled. Due to terrain and water supply, gardens that require large amounts of water are often simply out of reach as water conservation is vitally important to our ecosystem. Keep in mind, however, that this doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to create a beautiful, memorable garden. Let’s take a look at some zero-scaping tips that can help you create the garden of your dreams!
Pay Attention to Soil Quality
One important, yet often overlooked, aspect of a successful drought tolerant garden is soil quality. You want to invest in soil that retains moisture as well as possible while still draining well. Some Florida homeowners already have a sandy, dirt soil mix that is natural to the area and makes it the perfect environment for succulents and other low maintenance plants.
The right kind of soil can sustain the life of your plants while requiring less water than more traditional gardens. Depending upon your space and budget, this might mean adding organic material like shredded bark or compost to the first few inches of the soil in question. Alternatively, there are some plants that actually thrive in rocky, dry soil. Take your time to research your options before making a decision!
Eliminate Water-Wasting Plants
Zero-scaping is designed to help create gardens that thrive in dry conditions. It makes sense, then, that one of the most important tips we can give you is to rid (or reduce) water-wasting plants like turf grass. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have any lush grass or similar plants anywhere in your garden. If you can’t give up your dream of a bright green lawn, then you must simply reduce it down to a manageable size given the water resources you have available. A full lawn might not be manageable, but artfully placed smaller patches of grass can really make your garden pop.
St Augustine grass is a popular choice for homeowners who want a green lawn that will be easy to maintain. The landscaping artists at A One Stop Garden Shop can discuss the different types of grass, or sod, you can work into your landscape design without needing to devote hours of watering time to keeping it alive.
Opt for Native Plants
Finally, make sure to take your time and carefully consider the types of plants you want to include in your garden. We all have favorite plants and flowers, but that doesn’t mean that we necessarily have the means to grow them ourselves. Some of the most popular native Florida plants include Palm Trees, Blue Agave, Firebush, Beautyberry and Saw Palmetto are only a few of the hundreds of options you'll have to choose from.
Before you commit to a certain plant or have your heart set on a specific design, step back for a moment and take a look at what kinds of plants thrive in your region. What plants are hardy enough to survive even in the worst environments? How much time do you have to commit to tending to your garden? These are the plants that you should think about including in your zero-scaped garden. They will typically demand less water than other plants and can help fill out the majority of your space while the rest is complemented by lawn or other water-heavy plants.
The professionals at A One Stop Garden Shop can help you create the garden landscape you've always dreamed of! Our plant nursery in Loxahatchee, Florida has trees, plants, flowers, shrubs, sod, decorative rocks and so much more. We have products you won't find anywhere else in the area. For more information, give us a call or stop by our garden shop to see our huge collection of plants in person.