What gardening technique reduces water usage in arid climates?

The gardening technique that reduces water usage in arid climates is xeriscaping. It is a landscape-design approach that reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation by matching plants and maintenance practices to local conditions.

Xeriscaping emphasizes drought-tolerant or climate-appropriate plants, efficient irrigation, suitable soil preparation, mulching, and careful grouping of plants with similar water needs. It also limits losses caused by evaporation and runoff. Although especially useful in dry regions, the principles can be adapted to many climates.

The term was coined in 1981 by Nancy Leavitt, an environmental planner working with Denver Water. It combines “landscape” with the Greek root xero-, meaning “dry.” The word is sometimes confused with “zero-scaping,” which usually suggests using very few plants or none at all.

Xeriscaping does not mean replacing every garden with cactus and gravel, nor does it require only native plants. A well-designed xeriscape can include flowering perennials, shrubs, trees, and lawns where appropriate, while still using substantially less water than a conventional irrigated landscape.