It's only natural that Florida
gardeners are in the vanguard of the emerging xeriscaping
movement. In Florida, more than 14 million residents and
40 million annual visitors each use an average of 150
gallons of water per day. Anything that can help reduce
the flood of wasted water will delay the day when water
is more precious than gasoline. Xeriscaping is nothing
more than using common sense in landscaping, or
"landscaping with a conscience." It involves
improving the soil's ability to retain water by adding
organic material, using mulch to reduce evaporation,
selecting plants that are adapted to the region's
rainfall, reusing waste water for irrigation, reducing
the extent of thirsty turf-grass lawns, designing the
landscape into zones of plants with similar water
requirements, watering efficiently, and other common
sense practices. This book contains hundreds of
water-saving ideas and a table of drought tolerant plants
with information on size, growth rate, cold hardiness,
salt and wind tolerance, flower and foliage
characteristics, light and nutrition requirements, uses
in the landscape, wildlife values, and more. Xeriscaping
for Florida Homes is a practical and informative guide to
creating beautiful and productive landscapes without
wasting water, and its utility is not restricted to
Florida gardeners. The methods and plans in this
well-written book will work for anyone anywhere who wants
to be a more responsible gardener.
