Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
DIY Desert Landscaping
DIY Desert Landscaping. Desert landscaping is an easy way to renovate a yard without a lot of continued maintenance, and offers a simple way to make your landscaping more eco-friendly, by drastically reducing water consumption. Best of all, the lack of complicated drip systems or large-scale plantings means that most of your new desert landscaping...
Desert landscaping is an easy way to renovate a yard without a lot of continued maintenance, and offers a simple way to make your landscaping more eco-friendly, by drastically reducing water consumption. Best of all, the lack of complicated drip systems or large-scale plantings means that most of your new desert landscaping can be done yourself, without the need to hire costly labor or landscape workers. In arid climates, where desert plants thrive, a desert landscape can even help blend your home into the environment, providing a natural, beautiful look.
Things You'll Need
Shovel
Potting mix
Landscape plastic
Scissors
Gravel
Desert plants
Other decor (optional)
Plan your design carefully, before any ground is broken. Consider multiple layout options and how they will work in your yard. Research potential designs on-line or at the library, and consider your plan of attack in detail. Sketch a few possibilities out to help solidify the idea, before purchases are made on plants or materials. Working out possible kinks now will save time and energy later.
Remove any unwanted plants that will not fit into your new desert landscape theme. Any trees or shrubs that consume large amounts of water should be dug out, as should any grass present in the yard. If desired, now is a great time to make alterations to the terrain by adding small hills and elevation changes to the dirt.
Group plants together based on how much water they require to make the occasional watering process easier, and plant with a mixture of half native soil and half well-draining potting mix.
Cut landscape plastic to fit the remainder of the yard, leaving holes for the plants to come through.
Spread landscape gravel in the color of your choice around the yard at a depth of one to three inches, covering the plastic and tucking it in beneath the plants.
Add boulders, rocks and other decor to the yard to complete your DIY desert landscape.
Tips & Warnings
Select plants that require minimal water, such as agave, salvia, bougainvillea, lantana and various cacti. Be sure to consider the full size of the plants in their placement, so that they do not become too large and obscure windows or pathways. It is also wise to keep cacti away from sidewalks and drives, to avoid potentially painful run-ins.
