From Arid to Zones - Desert Landscaping

Swimming Pool

Courtyard Fountain



When I moved to Barstow 15 years ago, I was surprised to learn that the climate here is the same as in Conway, Arkansas where I had been living - except for rainfall and humidity.  The lows are the same and the highs are the same.  But Conway is humid.  Because of the lack of humidity, Barstow is a much more comfortable place to live! 

With the same temperature range, everything I could grow in Conway, I can grow here.  That's not true the other way around.  Plants that grow in Barstow do not necessarily grow in Conway because you can add water, but you can't take it away.  However, God provides the rain at no cost in Conway, whereas Golden State Water charges a lot for water.  Sooooo, except for vegetables, I needed to find substitutes for the plants I  was used to, that would give the yard the same appearance. ( As far as I know, there are no dry climate equivalents for vegetables.)



Koi Pond



Indoor Goldfish Pond



The books always tell you to plant in zones, putting the plants together that need the same amount of water and arranging the zones so that those needing the most water are closest to the house.  The zone needing the least watter would then be farthest from the house and closest to the desert, if  you live on the edge of town.  However, that doesn't quite work in Barstow as flowers and vegetables needing the most water also need to be protected from the afternoon sun.  So I put my high water zones on the north and east sides of walls, for shade and sun plants respectively.



Patio Fountain

 I live in the part of Barstow where it doesn't rain.  It may pour at Wal Mart or in Lenwood, or in the river bottom, but 1/3 the way up the hill, it doesn't do any more than speckle the sidewalk.  So I had to learn to go from arid, i.e. natural, to zones of watering: regular water for patches of flowers and vegetables and lawn, moderate water for California natives, low water for plants from other deserts, and only an occasional hand sprinkling for plants native to the Mojave Desert. However, even native ephedra, creosote bush, and rabbit brush  need a little water when they are first planted.  In this dry climate, I have only been able to  grow plants needing abundant water in a hot house.



Dry Pond



In hot arid climates there is nothing nicer than the sight and sound of water.  And so, despite an evaporation rate of 2"/day, I have my water features.  This blog shows a variety of water features from a dry pond to a swimming pool.  Anything you can imagine, is possible providing it has a recirculating pump, and a water source that maintains the water level. The Moors who built the Alhambra in Seville, thought that every room should have running water.  The Italians surrounded their villas with gardens which had fountains and ponds.  We can do the same -- and pretend we live on a tropical island.