Xeriscape Gardening Conservation Programs
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- Carol Wallace
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- Carol Wallace
- max_read
- Carol Wallace
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- hummingbird
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- bindweed
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» max_read - Date of Xeriscape(TM) and techniques useful in other areas
Thanks for your question and comment Jojo!The year I've heard discussed as "the beginning of xeriscape(TM) is 1981, and yes, Colorado reports on THE XERISCAPE HISTORY on its webpage: http://www.xeriscape.org/
Many of the xeriscape(TM) techniques are adaptable to other regions. You may want to add compost and organic matter around your plants. This absorbs any available water and gives it to the plants as they get thirsty. You can also water your lawns using what I call "The Lawrence Welk" method. LW was a band leader who started the music saying "Ah One - and Ah Two!" He counted to four, but you only have to count to two: By giving your lawn some water, then turning your water off for the same amount of time and watering a second time, you give the water a chance to be absorbed by the roots and move deeper into the soil.
Thanks for telling me about Water Wise! I'll be looking for information on WaterWise programs and I'll write a future column on them.
-- posted by max_read
» Carol Wallace - Northeast PA, Max
coming out of one of the worst droughts in the state's history. Believe me, I combed the web for information! We've always had somewhat dry summers, but last year's was ridiculous - and we were on severe water restrictions - so I unearthed every bit of emergency info I could to help people salvage their gardens.-- posted by Carol Wallace
» Carol Wallace - What advantage is there to Denver
in hording a word that describes something so well and would be so useful to nurseries and gardeners? I can't really understand why they trademarked it in the first place. If they had a special brand ofplant that no one else had called a Xeriscape plant that would beone thing - but it describes both a plant type (and no one really owns the type) and a gardening method which lots of people use - some even useit instinctively without knowing the term. So what's the reason behind keeping the name sacrosanct?-- posted by Carol Wallace
» max_read - Creating a word and word hording may be different?
I think there's some room for Denver to limit the exploitation of the name by maintaining Xeriscape's(TM) relationship to civic water conservation programs. The root word xeros has a public domain word: xeric. A garden shop can identify it's product as xeric without affecting the integrity of Xeriscape(TM) programs. That's one of the reasons I call my slightly different dry landscaping techniques Xeric to the Max, for example.-- posted by max_read
» Carol Wallace - Hording the name again
I don't know Max - the more I think about it, the more I think restricting use of the word Xeriscape is counter-productive. To force other people into using a different word for the same thing lessens the possibility that the word will become meaningful to most gardeners. And if the diea behind Xeriscaping is truly water conservation, then anything which helps to spread the idea, and which communicates it easily, should be promoted, not restricted.-- posted by Carol Wallace
» max_read - To a certain extent I agree with Carol -
I'm all for supporting xeric landscaping. I think the point to me is that the city staffs and task forces have carefully thought about what water conservation is to them - and what they can get their communities to support. As long as they control the use of the word, Xeriscape(TM) will stand for something specific and won't be "watered down," if you'll forgive my non - dry sense of humor, and they'll have something they can defend in their local communities. It's the same reason Canon can't call it's photocopiers "Xeroxes." Sure, Xerox Corp may have lost something in not becoming the Kleenex or Aspirin of the modern age, but Canon can't infringe on their turf. I like to talk about "Xeric Landscaping" in part because it gives me, as a person concerned about the environment, room to take a stronger stance than Albuquerque does without offending them or of being accused of trying to confuse people about what their program is about.-- posted by max_read
» hummingbird - Great Article!
Wow, I'm slow...just now getting around to reading this! (Been very sick) What a great article! I had never even heard of Xeriscaping before, but suspect we will all be hearing much, much more if the weather patterns don't change soon! Here in Texas we are way behind in rainfall!I just came from visiting your state (Ruidosa), it was beautiful, breathtaking! Wish I were still there!
-- posted by hummingbird
» bindweed - WHOOPS2
Hi Max,I just answered a xeriscaping question and thought I was poaching in your own territory. I addressed my comments to the reader and Max.
I then realized the question was on Carol's column. Would you go and visit her and save my poor misplanted keister!
Anyhow, I am sure you have links and suggestions to add to what I posted!
Also if you have a moment, check out the poll on my site, and give it a poke. I would appreciate it.
So embarrassed,
Herbert Senft <img src="http://www.fritech.com/skyline/images/gardenerstroll3.jpg">
Visit the friendly Pacific Northwest
-- posted by bindweed
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