Hang Them Out To Dry: Xeriscaping Basics Minnie Shelor Garvan - - PDF document

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Hang Them Out To Dry: Xeriscaping Basics

Minnie Shelor Garvan Woodland Gardens Garden Manger mshelor@garvangardens.org

 Late 1970s to 1980s – Denver Water Department  Xeros – “Dry”  Limited additional watering once established.

Philosophical Roots

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 Start with the soil….

 Add compost/organic mater  Plant to the soil type or amend

 Layer the plants  Mulch it in!  Water deeply

Knowing is Growing

 Low water needs  Native plant materials  Design style

Pick You Plants

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 USA averages  Arkansas weather variability  https://www.uaex.edu/c

• unties/pulaski/docs/dro

ught_tolerant_plants.pd f - handout provided  Not all will work every year

Plants for Dry Spaces

 Southern Red Oak  Hawthorne  Vitex  Redbud  Winged Sumac

Set a Ceiling

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 Beautyberry  Crapemyrtle  Flowering Quince  Holly  Peegee Hydrangea  Yucca

Build Your Backdrop

 Muhly Grass  Big Blue Stem  Ravenna Grass  Blue Oat Grass  Reed Grass

Frame Your View

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 Echinacea  Daylily  Lamb’s Ear  Russian Sage  Sedum  Stoke’s Aster  Yarrow  Iceplant

Dressing Up

 Lantana  Verbena  Portulaca  Cuphea  Angelonia  Marigold

Annual Color

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Questions??

Minnie Shelor mshelor@garvanwoodlandgardens.org