St. Pete Xeriscape

Fall 2019

How to bring more life into an area blasted by sun, wind, and high temperatures? At risk of being forever boring or even lifeless, this space is surrounded by hard, reflective surfaces and has no protection from the elements.

Yet it has plenty of potential to be something much more exciting and alive without resorting to sod and a high water bill. This approach is referred to as xeriscape, which defines a landscape requiring no irrigation and little upkeep.

To ensure this space could sustain on its own with no watering and little maintenance, a layered mulch technique was applied. The technique is known as “sheet mulching” and provides assistance with moisture retention, builds biological diversity in soil, and helps with weed control.

White Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum), Agaves (Agave weberii and Agave ‘Mr Ripple’), and Aloe (Aloe saponaria) were chosen to withstand the blistering heat and neglect and for their ability to expand into the available space and cover it with living layers and textures.

To bring a softer touch to this harsh environment and provide bright color, the Shinshine Ligustrum (Ligusrum sinense ‘Sunshine’) pokes up over a ground plain of Purple Pixie (Loropetalum chinense ‘Purple Pixie’).

Before:

Installation Contractor: Green Harmony, Inc.