Water is such a precious asset to the desert and finding ways to reduce water usage is important.
“As someone born and raised in Arizona, I always knew the importance that water holds here,” said Sofia Lomeli, an Arizona State University landscape architecture student.
This is why the City of Phoenix teamed up with ASU landscaping architecture students to create a free xeriscape design guide for everyone in Arizona to use.
“As we know, water conservation is a very large conversation right now. A lot of people have a misconception about xeriscaping but all it means is that it includes landscape plants that don’t drink a lot of water,” said Lomeli.
It lays out a plan to help teach residents to practice more sustainable landscaping.
“It is important to save water because it’s part of the Arizona lifestyle,” said Emilie Brown, a City of Phoenix water resource specialist. “We’ve heard from the community that landscaping and desert landscaping is a priority."
The xeriscape project includes three possible designs based on average-sized lots for homes in Phoenix. It shows residents how they can transition to native and drought-tolerant landscaping.
“What is included in each of them is a sort of preliminary design of what a yard would look like and a list of plants that are easily available to find,” said Lomeli.
It showcases the lush beauty of the Sonoran Desert.
“They have blooms, and they are green. They are variable depending on the season, so they are very dynamic,” said Brown.
Big changes can start small and impact Earth for future generations.
“We are very fortunate to live in one of the most bio-diverse deserts in the world. We can really make a difference just one yard at a time,” said Lomeli.
