Blue grama was a great solution to a tough problem in this landscape. This yard had too much square footage for the homeowner to easily maintain a traditional landscape while committing to lower water use. Since the grass area had infrequent traffic, and full sun, it was an excellent candidate for seeding a blue grama turf that requires less water and maintenance after establishment. Temporary irrigation was installed in order to establish the seed, and will then be removed and the blue grama lawn will receive natural precipitation and watering from a sprinkler only when needed. However, if a dense blue grama lawn is desired, a sprinkler system is recommended. On the far end of the yard is the DIY patio complete with a berm for planting colorful perennials and creating privacy.

The stonework and hardscape in this yard help add structure and planting space while allowing the landscape to blend into the surrounding native areas. The planting beds closer to the house and near the patios are slightly higher water using and have a pop of color that accents the entrance. The plants outside of the courtyard require less water and maintenance and help blend in with the Colorado landscape that surrounds this yard. This is a great example of a no-grass yard that instead features courtyard gardens, patios and a pathway around the house.

This backyard needs to be durable enough for this family of adults, kids and dogs. Kentucky bluegrass can be a great option for high traffic yards, just make sure to keep the area under 1000 square feet, and till and amend the soil before planting seed or sod. This yard also features shrubs, perennials and vegetables around the grass and is watered with efficient spray heads and nozzles in the grass area and drip irrigation in the planted areas.

The parkway in this downtown neighborhood was a great candidate for a conversion to xeriscape from turf. Parkways like this can be difficult to water because of the narrow width, and are a great place to start with xeriscape. This parkway features a small ornamental tree and flowering perennials, ornamental grasses and delicate groundcovers. The middle of the parkway has a stone pathway which accommodates the foot traffic to and from the street. Most of the plants in this parkway should be cut back in the spring and the parkway should be mulched to help the soil retain moisture and curtail weed growth.

Xeriscape is a great opportunity to showcase plants with different colors and textures. This yard uses ornamental trees, evergreen shrubs, striking ornamental grasses and a native grass lawn to breathe life into a yard that used to be all Kentucky bluegrass. The parkway strip is home to the existing juniper that has been partnered with large maiden grasses and a pathway which accommodates foot traffic from the street parking. A native grass turf covers about half of the remaining yard with planting beds around the perimeter that feature low water perennials, grasses and groundcovers.