Landscape Edging and Xeriscaping: A Match Made in Heaven
Are you considering making the leap from a traditional grass-covered yard to a xeriscaped oasis? If the answer is “yes,” you’re in good company! Many homeowners are finding the cost to a) their wallet and b) their conscience a burden-and-a-half.
Planning a xeriscape yard (aka xeroscape) can be exhilarating and daunting at the same time. Multiple factors come into play, triggering many questions that might cause you to second-guess yourself. What native plants do I use in which areas? Should I use mulch or rock as filler between plantings? Tidy concrete blocks or natural stone pavers? Do I even know enough about xeriscape landscaping to do it properly?
The pale green of Fringed Sage sets off the purple of Santa Fe Asters.
The myriad of choices in planning xeriscaping can make your head spin, but one thing that can help you get started is choosing to include steel landscape edging. Take accurate measurements of your yard or project area. Then the visualization fun begins. Whether you render your ideas on a piece of paper, a drawing program on your computer, or an app on your smartphone, you’ll begin by segmenting areas for specific purposes.
Let’s say you have a southwest-facing corner of grass plagued with dry patches and weeds. Your imagination takes you to ornamental tufts of butterfly-attracting Fringed Sage, peppered with cool purple Santa Fe Aster blooms planted next to Native Blanket Flower for a fun pop of yellow. Here your lawn edging can be used to create a protective (not to mention decorative) barrier between the plants and the existing healthy grass…and, presto! That section is planned!
The pale green of Fringed Sage sets off the purple of Santa Fe Asters.
Need to make a landscaping change near a downspout? Nobody wants the hassle of stopping to turn off the lawnmower because you forgot to lift the elbow extention or splash block and move it out of the way. Replace that headache with drought tolerant native perennials and cedar mulch—the cedar will smell amazing when it rains! Use perforated edging to allow water from the downspout to freely flow its course and not cause your mulch to float away.
Creek cobbles used with perforated edging direct water away from concrete slabs.
There’s no rule that says you must do front yard xeriscaping all in one go. You can allow yourself space to develop your ideas one section at a time. Perhaps start at the edge of your front yard and work your way in. Or just enhance only the area along a walkway to immediately add curb appeal and welcome your guests. Either way, steel edging can play a part in helping to establish a low maintenance xeriscape yard.
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