Xeriscaped Gardens: A Viable Alternative - Essay Example

?Client’s Xeriscaped Gardens: A Viable Alternative One of the primary resources that are in short supply in the California region is that of water. California is expected see an increase of 11 million new residents in the next 25 years posing a hazardous impact to the amount of water that is used every year (Hanek and Davis). One of the ways in which the demand for water can be decreased is through the use of landscaping that has plants and features that require less water than a typical lawn and set of flower beds might use. Through the use of a more environmentally friendly ‘dry’ landscaping, the reduction in water usage can be significant. In looking at the prospect of xerisaped gardens for the state of California, a healthy reduction in the use of water can be achieved while still maintaining an esthetically pleasing appeal for residents. Abuse of Water and the Problem in California The population growth and the excuses that lead to high levels of water usage have created a challenge for the urban water utilities in California. It is difficult to cultivate new sources of water and can incur a high level of cost. In addition, the search for new water sources can endanger the wildlife in the areas that are utilized for increasing the amount of available water (Hanek and Davis). With the weather being typically warm and the hydration evaporating from lawns in the dryer California regions, an excess use of water quickly depletes resources at a quicker rate than they can be replenished. As populations increase, this is going to be an increasing problem in a state that has already experienced shortages on a regular basis. As an example, in 2009 California experienced water shortages which resulted in disruptions in the economics of the state as farmers experienced losses due to a lack of water for crops (Cody i). There are a great many excuses that are used for the over use of water. One of those excuses might be that if one resident agrees, and then the home owners association sees it and the benefits to that type of garden, they may insist that all homes have a xeriscaped garden. This is an excuse that represents the slippery slope type of refutation against a claim of abuses of water usage. On the average, California residents within city limits use about 232 gallons of water per person per day (Hanek and Davis). This excess combined with expected population growth endangers the amount of water that is available and could end in serious shortages. While it would be civically minded for an HOA to require this type of landscaping for all residents, it is not rational to believe that people are going to be forced into using this type of landscaping. Often people will rationalize their over use of water through an emotional appeal. Because of the style of their home or the existing style of their landscaping they contend that they need to use extra water to maintain the lawn. In addition this excuse may be extended to an economic appeal in that they must maintain their lawn at a high level of hydration in order to continue the existing property values. Both of these appeals are short sighted and act on the idea that the needs of the individual are overriding the greater needs of the population. They are attempts to appeal to someone’s feelings of compassion in relationship to the losses that might occur due to this change. Lawns and landscaping are an obsession in the United States in which “60 million Americans, more than half the nation’s households, engage in some form of do-it-yourself gardening or lawn care; 26 million more spend a combined $17 billion a year hiring professionals to seed, fertilize, and mow their lawns for them. The land mass occupied by American lawns totals more than 25 million acres, an area about the size of Virginia” (Ratliff 39). In some ways the excuse to use a great deal of water can be interpreted as the ‘bandwagon fallacy’ because as most people believe they have a right, obligation, or need to have a lawn that both requires a great deal of watering, they believe that this is an excuse for using too much water and exceeding what is reasonable as a personal usage. The Case for Xeriscaping Xeriscaping the exterior of a home has a great number of advantages over having a hydration gluttonous lawn. The upkeep on landscaping that is xeriscaped has less attention required in addition to the amount of water needed to keep the plants looking healthy and fresh. Bennett writes that through the use of water-conservation strategies and ground cover nurturing, the development of xeriscaping can make the maintenance of a lawn satisfying and relatively worry free (2). The plants and styled areas that are not designed to need a great deal of water can be artfully created with a number of different types of plants, many of which look similar to those where water is a daily requirement for their survival. With the development of a severe and continuing threat to the resources of water in California, it is clear that a switch from a water gluttonous lawn to one that is xeriscaped is the responsible action for a citizen who owns a home to take. In using lawns that little to no additional hydration, the strain on resources is lessoned with the threat of a shortage being effectively minimized if widespread use of the dry landscaping techniques are put into place. Two counter arguments to changing over to a xeriscaped garden is that they are less attractive than a traditional garden and do not blend with the themes and styles of many homes. Both of these statements are untrue. The first and second argument can be refuted by looking at the many varieties of xeriscaped gardens that exist. Figure 1 can be seen to show that Xeriscaped gardens can be aesthetically beautiful as well as designed to fit into the style of any home whether it be a traditional home of the desert or a cottage that has the flavor of New England. One of the various reasons to encourage the use of xeriscaped gardens is that while it has a tradition in desert inspired themes; it can be transformed through creativity into something that is beyond its traditional formations. There are flowers, greenery, and all forms of foundational elements that can be used to make it look just as appealing as a traditional form of landscaping. Through the use of a good landscaper or if one has a knack for designing three dimensional spaces, the development of a xeriscaped garden can become a source of pride in one’s home. Being responsible can show a sense of pride about participating in the conservation in the environment. Types of Xeriscape Appropriate Plants Three types of examples for plants that can be used in a xeriscaped exterior are the rhus integrifolia, the myrica californica, and the arbutus menziesii. These three plants are good examples of the kinds that would fit perfectly into a xeriscaped garden in the California climate. These types of plants create the perfect balance of beauty and low maintenance that create this type of garden. The rhus integrifolia is not only a beautiful plant, but it also has a history for its practical uses (see Figure 2). The plant has berries that Native American tribes in the region boiled down into a tart drink. The plant is more often found nearer the coast with its flat leaves that have what is described as “marginal teeth” (Clarke 268). The plant is considered an evergreen and it has pale pinkish flowers from which are born pale berries. The plant is a beautiful addition to a garden as it can act as shrubbery, creating dimension and depth to mimic the types of gardens found in the more seasonally changing environments of the Midwest and East. The myrica californica grows to be about four meters tall, but sometimes can grow much larger (see Figure 3). The flower is without petals but the plant bears a fruit that has one seed at the center (Beidleman and Kozloff 258). The leaves are long and on the thinner side, clustering around the fruit in such a way as to create a lovely pattern for the garden. The striking color of the fruit would punctuate the landscape during its growing periods, providing for hue and tone. The arbutus menziesii is an evergreen with deeply colored orange-red bark that peels away to reveal a beautiful under coat of silver. The wood can feel cool, part of the natural way in which it retains enough hydration without excessive watering needed. The way in which the plant can perpetuate its survival is through the barbs that form on the dried up berries that are then taken from plant to new location for growth in the fur of larger animals. These plants can grow very tall, trees that can reach from 10-24 meters tall (Beidleman and Kozloff 352). The oval leaves are dark green in hue, creating a pleasing overall color to the landscaping within the xeriscape. As an addition to the garden they create shape and height, adding to the overall dimension of the dry garden. Conclusion The nature of the xeriscape is to be cultivated to first conserve water, but then to also provide for a beautiful exterior to the home. California is experiencing water shortages on a regular basis through the decades and with the increase in population it is necessary for homeowners to rethink their plant choices. Even partial re-development of a landscape helps to lessen the amount of water that it requires. The excuses that people use are primarily not acceptable as they try to turn the debate so that they do not have to admit that they are selfish in continuing to water lawns that are high water users. The plants can be dimensional and full of color as seen in the three examples described within this paper. There is little that can be argued that supports traditional water gluttonous lawns in California. It is possible that all lawns should be required to utilize plants and landscaping that does not use high amounts of irrigation. Figures Figure 1 Cottage Themed Yard with Drought Tolerant Planting Plan (Hall). Figure 2 Rhus Integrifolia (National Resources Conservation Service) Figure 3 Myrica californica (Netarts Bay) Figure 4 Arbutus Menziesii (National Resources Conservation Service) Works Cited Bennett, Jennifer. Dry-land Gardening: A Xeriscaping Guide for Dry-Summer, Cold-Winter Climates. Willowdale, Ont: Firefly Books, 1998. Print. Beidleman, Linda H and Eugene N. Kozloff, Plants of the San Francisco Bay Region: Mendocino to Monterey. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2003. Print. Clarke, Oscar F. Flora of the Santa Ana River and Environs: With References to World Botany. Berkeley, Calif: Heyday Books, 2006. Print. Cody, Betsy A. California Drought: Hydrological and Regulatory Water Supply Issues. Congressional Research Service. Washington D. C.: CRS Report for Congress, 7 December 2009. Print. Hall, Ian. Xeriscaping. The Plantsense Blog. 14 March 2011. Web. 31 July 2012. Hanek, Ellen and Mathew Davis. Laws and Water Demand in California. Public Policy Institute of California, 2.2, July 2006. PDF. National Resources Conservation Service, 2012. Web. 29 July 2012. Netarts Bay. A Guide to Wildflower between the Capes. 2012. Web. 29 July 2012. Ratliff, Evan. Turf Wars: The Battle over the American Lawn. Readymade. 39-44. PDF. Read More