Beating The Heat
Many people mistakenly think that xeriscaping is all about cacti and rocks. This is not really the case. Xeriscaping means using plants that are drought tolerant to enhance your water-wise landscape.
Drought tolerant plants are not limited to cacti and succulents. Did you know that roses are considered a xeriscape plant? How about Indian Hawthorn? Both are very drought tolerant, and can add beautiful color to any landscape. Xeriscaping is all about making the most of your water resources, and saving water where you can. It generally means limiting the amount of turfgrass and replacing it with shrubs and perennial and annual flowers. This is not to say that you cannot have grass to have a water friendly yard. There are several types of turf that are very drought tolerant including Bermuda Grass, and Buffalo Grass.
Being water-wise does not mean you cannot have a beautiful lawn or garden, it simply means making smart choices about the plants you use. (It also saves on the water bill). Below is a link to a Xeriscape site put together by Texas A&M. Be sure to check it out.