Wholesale Nursery News

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Planting for Arid Climates

No matter where your customers are working, chances are they are looking to save water in their landscape projects. For much of the country, water restrictions may be affecting your customer’s bottom line in a big way.

When landscaping in arid climates, or in areas with periods of drought, it’s important to focus on plants proven to perform under local growing conditions. Here are few tips and plant suggestions to help your customers keep low-water landscapes looking great:

Focus on plants that don’t use a lot of water: By choosing plants that don’t use a lot of water, or use water more efficiently, customers can create beautiful low-maintenance landscapes. When you’re looking to create a lush feel in an arid environment, shoestring acacia is the perfect fit. This beautiful evergreen tree offers up the look of an upright weeping willow, but without the water requirement! Once established plants have low water needs and require little maintenance.

Create windbreaks: If you live in a windy area plants will dry out faster due to evaporation. Consider planting windbreaks for the property that will help cut down on water loss. If you’re looking to create an attractive wind-break consider using bottle tree, or Kurrajong. This Australian native is a popular choice for shade in park areas or public spaces and in large residential landscapes. Trees have very dense foliage and canopies that makes them perfect for use as a privacy screen or wind-break.

Grow shade: If you live in a climate with intense summer sun, keeping landscapes hydrated can be a tough challenge. Growing shade around a home will not only cut down on indoor energy usage, but it will help give surrounding landscape plants a break from the heat. African sumac is an excellent small tree that can be grown for shade in urban landscapes. Plants grow to about 35-feet tall with a spreading canopy and beautiful weeping branches.