Enter The Xeriscape

Barley, a dog, steps off the sidewalk onto a patch of small, rough stones in what appears to be a low-water yard.

I really appreciate a xeriscaped yard, especially when it has been done well, but I think that’s in large part because they’re always the stand-out yard on the block. Sure, the idea of landscaping that minimizes water needs and looks good year-round is sound in its own right, but I’m also a sucker for novelty, so any yard that stands out gets extra credit. When passing this house, though, I was struck by what the neighborhood would look like if everyone took this approach, with each plot having its own sunken bed filled with a different type of loose stone purchased in bulk. I suspect it would feel stifling and dystopian, like a housing project on the moon. The real culprit, in that case, would be the lack of color, so my advice to any one considering this design is to make sure there are some splashes of color that re visible from a distance. You maybe can’t compete with the GREEEN of a whole lawn, but even a modest concrete bench with some tastefully inlaid ceramic tiles makes a big difference.