University of Alberta
OP-T2-47: Xeriscaping

The principles of xeriscaping are considered and incorporated into all landscape design initiatives, whether in landscape rejuvenation or in new capital projects. The underlying objective is to reduce dependency of all plant materials, whether trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals or turf grass on potable water. The following eight practices of xeriscape landscape design and maintenance have been part of the Buildings and Grounds Services maintenance philosophy for the past three years: - Design for water conservation and water harvesting by directing rain water and surface run-off to planting beds - Design groups of plants rather than single plants with similar water needs - Amend soil to improve nutrient availability and water retention capacities; this provides for healthier plants that can survive with less frequent watering - Practice water conservation for lawn areas through irrigation schedules that provide water at optimum times of the day and in optimum quantities to avoid water waste and plant dependency on too much moisture - Reduce lawn areas, wherever practical, by replacing grass with mulched shrub beds or expanding shrub beds to remove the narrow strips of grass along sidewalks and boulevards - Increase mowing heights to three inches to decrease evaporation of moisture, encourage deeper plant roots, and promote more vigorous, weed-resistant growth - Explore the extensive selection of drought tolerant plant materials available for prairie climates and incorporate them into campus landscapes - Place organic mulch on all soil surfaces in shrub beds, borders and tree wells to conserve water, improve water retention, reduce weeding and improve soil nutrient composition Two examples of new construction projects that incorporate xeriscaping principles are the Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science (CCIS), completed in 2011, and the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (ECHA), which will see the addition of prairie grasses to the south plaza in spring of 2012.