Image – Wikimedia Commons / Patricia Vegas
Having a piece of land where you can design a beautiful garden is always a source of joy, but if you live in an area where the rains are rather scarce, it is highly recommended, both for your pocket and for the environment, to choose those species that can be adapted without problems to live in those conditions.
Thus, not only would there be a natural paradise, but it would also be a xerophilous garden where the water and available resources would be used much better. But, how are these types of gardens characterized?
What is a xerophilous garden?
A xerophilous garden is a garden made up of plants that have low or very low water needs.Whether they are cacti, succulents, climbing plants, bulbous plants, trees, palms … In all types of plant beings -except carnivorous and, obviously, aquatic- we can find species that we can plant in this type of garden.
But in addition to taking into account the needs of plants, The orography of the land is also very important, as well as the corners of light and shadow in order to make better use of resources. For example, if there is a slope, at the end of it those species that want more water can be planted; in the sunny and most exposed places are those that need direct sun; and in the most sheltered areas those that require protection against the direct light of the star king are used and planted.
The idea is to respect, as far as possible, the characteristics of the place and take advantage of them to achieve a garden that ‘fits’ well in the area, that is, if it has to stand out in something, it is in how well it harmonizes with the environment.
How is it designed?
Designing a xerojardín is not really complicated, but to make it even less so, we are going to give you some tips that, we hope, will be very useful when designing it:
Choose the right plants for your climate and area
Plants that can adapt to living in low or no maintenance conditions should be chosen.and for that there is nothing better than to investigate what they are, either by asking directly to a nursery or consulting in this same blog.
You must bear in mind that, apart from their water needs, there are other factors that will determine whether or not some plants can live in a certain area, such as their resistance to cold and / or frost, whether it is shade or sun, and even its size once it reaches adulthood.
Even so, if you want to have more or less an idea of which ones you can put in your xerophilous garden, here is a small selection:
yucca rostrata
The yucca rostrata is an evergreen plant native to the southern United States and northern Mexico that reaches a height of 4,5 meters. The leaves form rosettes and are leathery, with a sharp bluish apex. Towards autumn it produces white flowers grouped in inflorescences that emerge from the center of the stem.
It is perfect for sunny places, being able to resist frosts down to -15ºC.
strelitzia augusta
Image – Wikimedia Commons / Frank Vincentz
Also known as white bird of paradise flower, or by its former scientific name strelitzia alba, It is a rhizomatous herbaceous native to South Africa that reaches a height of 10 meters. Its leaves are large, up to 1 meter, whole and wide, green in color. The flowers are white, and axillary, sprouting in summer.
It is a plant that loves the sun, although it can be in semi-shade. It tends to produce suckers, but these can be removed, so it does not take up much space since its trunk is about 30 centimeters in diameter. Of course, it resists only up to -2ºC.
Osteospermum ecklonis
Known as Cape daisy or dimorphoteca, It is a perennial or perennial herbaceous native to South Africa that reaches a height of up to 45-50 centimeters and an extension of up to 1 meter if grown on land. The leaves are green, oval and stormy in shape, and it blooms in spring and summer. The flowers are in the shape of daisy, in very different colors: yellow, orange, pink, red, bicolor …
It is an excellent cover plant, provided it is planted in an area where it receives direct sun. Resists up to -5ºC.
Choose an irrigation system that allows you to save water
In addition, choose an irrigation system that allows plants to extend their roots so that they are able to withstand droughtLike drip irrigation. Likewise, in order to save more water, it is very important to mulch the soil with pine bark or clay, for example.
Avoid putting grass
The lawn, due to its high water needs, is not advisable. However, yes that you can choose to have a green carpet composed of native herbs such as poppies or daisies.
Respect the cycles of your plants
Maintenance has to be adequate; that is, you have to respect the cycles of each plant and prune, water and fertilize whenever necessary. Thus, during the summer the waterings for example will be more followed than the rest of the year, since it is when the plants will need more water; for the same reason, during all the warm months it will be advisable to fertilize, with organic fertilizers, in order for them to grow healthily; Formation pruning will be left until late winter to minimize the risk of infection, while small or pinching pruning can be carried out whenever necessary.
Use natural products
Image – Flickr / uacescomm
Although this has nothing to do with xerogardening, the truth is that The use of natural products to control pests as well as to fertilize the plants is highly recommended. Ultimately, it is about a certain harmony, both in the garden itself and in the environment.
Therefore, do not hesitate to use home remedies in case of plague, and products like compost, mulch, manure and / or guano, among others, to fertilize your plants.
