Our rental comes with the responsibility of this side yard, but l've never lived in this climate so l'm looking for some guidance on methods or species to create a low maintenance space that doesn't die every year.
Located in very dry southern British Columbia (Okanagan) with 35+C and -15C common throughout the year. Sagebrush/ponderosa pine area with frequent wildfires. Lots of vineyards and orchards and I think hardiness zone ба-7a.
Any recommended species that we could seed or plant in here? Preferably xeroscape-esque or otherwise minimal maintenance. No coniferous and preferably fire resistant species. The top will likely be grass/gravel and potentially a seating area if we can level it. But the tiered benches need work.
There are often water use restrictions and I wouldn't want to rely on having to water regularly.
Thanks in advance for the help!
by sprucejam
2 Comments
There are too many to mention here, but just Google Okanagan native plants. Think about height and spread for each as well as flowering times and colors for your planting design. You may have to water them a bit to get established before you turn off the water. Grass requires a lot of watering and gravel requires a lot of weeding, which is even harder if you put landscape fabric under the gravel, which anchors the weeds making them really tough to pull. Stick to natives, and make a nice path through the beds. Check planting season, as the spring time may be best in your area in order to get them established before winter freeze.
This area isn’t what I know. However, if you want that top area flat, you can pull up that awful black plastic and rent a tiller for the weekend. Till that area and you can flatten it out at the same time.