Xeriscape landscaping in Colorado Springs is a yard planned around less water. Affordable Services Inc. has planted and rebuilt yards here since 1996. We are family owned and operated, and every estimate is free. Xeriscape is one part of our affordable landscaping in Colorado Springs.
What Xeriscape Means Here
People hear "xeriscape" and picture a gravel pad. That is not what we build. A xeriscape still has plants, a place to walk, and usually some lawn. The difference is that the plants are chosen for this climate, the soil is covered so it holds the water it gets, and the sprinkler is not asked to keep a huge lawn green through August.
The useful version has three layers. Plants that can take the sun and the dry spells. Mulch or rock so the soil is not bare. Hard surfaces, such as a path or a patio, so you are not watering a place you only walk on. Our retaining walls and hardscaping page covers that built layer, and hardscaping in a xeriscape shows how the two go together.
Drought-Tolerant Plants
We plant shrubs, perennials, and grasses that are used to Colorado Springs conditions. The list is not endless, and that is a good thing. A short list of plants that live is better than a long list that has to be replaced.
Before we plant, we look at the soil. Clay that has never been worked will not hold a new shrub just because the tag says drought-tolerant. We improve the planting area so the roots have somewhere to go. Start with drought-tolerant plants for Colorado Springs, low-maintenance plants for spring, and drought-resistant landscaping.
July is the test. If a bed looks finished in May and fried in July, the plant choice or the watering was wrong. Plants that hold up in July is the check we use when a homeowner wants color in the hottest month.
Rock, Mulch, and Gravel
Cover is what keeps a low-water bed from becoming weeds and dust. Mulch holds moisture and breaks down into the soil. Rock stays put in wind and on slopes, and it does not have to be topped up as often. Gravel can be a path or a bed, but it needs an edge or it walks into the lawn.
We do not default to one of them. A slope in full sun may want rock. A shrub bed on the north side may want mulch. Read rock versus mulch and the gravel notes in gravel garden upkeep and keeping a gravel landscape weed free. Material you want to pick up yourself is on our products page.
Lawn in a Xeriscape
You can keep a lawn. We usually make it smaller and put it where it gets used. The rest of the yard becomes beds. If the grass area is new, we can install sod and irrigation for that piece only. If the lawn has already failed, artificial turf or a planted bed is the more honest option. We will say which one fits when we see the yard.
A low-maintenance summer garden is the homeowner version of this same idea: less area to water, plants that can take a missed week, and beds that do not need a weekend every Saturday.
How We Build a Xeriscape
- Walk the yard and mark what should stay, including any lawn you want to keep.
- Fix grade and drainage so the new beds are not mud bowls.
- Set paths, edging, and any walls.
- Plant, then cover with the rock or mulch we agreed on.
- Walk it with you so you know what gets water and what should be left alone.
The plan can be the whole yard or one side. A front yard xeriscape is a common first phase because that is the side you see every day. Design help for the layout is on our landscape design page.
Xeriscape Questions
What is xeriscaping?
Xeriscaping is landscaping planned to use less water. It uses plants that can live in this climate, covers soil with mulch or rock, and keeps lawn to the area you actually use. It is not a yard of bare gravel.
Is xeriscape a good fit for Colorado Springs?
Yes, for a lot of yards. Summers are dry, the sun is strong, and clay soil does not forgive a thirsty lawn on a slope. A xeriscape can still include flowers, shrubs, and a small lawn.
Do you only use gravel?
No. Rock is one cover. Mulch is another. We choose rock where it holds a slope or a path, and mulch where it helps the soil. See our rock versus mulch guide.
Can I keep some lawn?
Yes. Many plans keep a small lawn and convert the rest to beds. If that lawn needs sod or sprinklers, we can include it. See sod and irrigation.
Will drought-tolerant plants look bare in winter?
Some go quiet in winter. We mix in shrubs, rock, and a path so the yard still has shape when the perennials are down. We can walk that through on the estimate.
Do you give free xeriscape estimates?
Yes. Call 719-572-1768. We look at the sun, the soil, and how much lawn you want to keep, then we give you a free estimate before any work starts.
Request a Xeriscape Estimate
Call 719-572-1768 or request a quote. We will look at the yard and tell you what a lower-water plan would include. The rest of our outdoor work is on the landscaping page.