39.08° N · 108.62° W Elev. 4,650 ft · Grand Junction, CO (970) 555-0148
High Desert Xeriscape Co.

Water-wise landscaping guide for Grand Junction, CO Plant less water, grow more garden.

A practical field guide to water-wise gardening in the Grand Valley: estimate what a lawn conversion could save you, then browse the plants we rely on most.

01Savings calculator

What would your lawn save?

Enter the square footage of lawn you are thinking about converting. Estimates use typical Grand Valley watering needs for cool-season turf compared with an established native garden on drip.

sq ft

21,000

Gallons saved per year

Estimated water cost saved per year
$137
Hours of mowing you get back each year
18
Bathtubs of water, every year
525

Estimates only. Your actual savings depend on your current watering habits, soil, exposure and water rates. Factors can be adjusted in the site admin.

Plan my conversion

02Plant palette

Specimens we plant again and again.

Every plant here thrives on little supplemental water once established, handles our alkaline soils and shrugs off July heat.

  • No. 01 Grass

    Blue grama

    Bouteloua gracilis

    Water
    Very low
    Sun
    Full sun
    Size
    12–18 in
    Bloom
    July – September

    Colorado's state grass. Eyebrow-shaped seed heads catch the evening light.

    Colorado native

  • No. 02 Perennial

    Palmer's penstemon

    Penstemon palmeri

    Water
    Very low
    Sun
    Full sun
    Size
    3–5 ft
    Bloom
    May – June

    Tall spikes of fragrant pink trumpets that hummingbirds cannot resist.

    Regional native

  • No. 03 Succulent

    Parry's agave

    Agave parryi

    Water
    Very low
    Sun
    Full sun
    Size
    2 ft × 3 ft
    Bloom
    Once, after many years

    A sculptural, cold-hardy rosette that anchors a bed all year.

    Regionally adapted

  • No. 04 Shrub

    Apache plume

    Fallugia paradoxa

    Water
    Very low
    Sun
    Full sun
    Size
    4–6 ft
    Bloom
    May – September

    White roselike flowers followed by feathery pink seed plumes.

    Colorado native

  • No. 05 Perennial

    Globemallow

    Sphaeralcea coccinea

    Water
    Very low
    Sun
    Full sun
    Size
    6–12 in
    Bloom
    May – August

    Low, silver-green mounds covered in apricot cups.

    Colorado native

  • No. 06 Grass

    Little bluestem

    Schizachyrium scoparium

    Water
    Low
    Sun
    Full sun
    Size
    2–3 ft
    Bloom
    August – October

    Blue-green in summer, copper and rust all winter long.

    Colorado native

  • No. 07 Tree

    Desert willow

    Chilopsis linearis

    Water
    Low
    Sun
    Full sun
    Size
    15–20 ft
    Bloom
    June – August

    Orchid-like blooms on an airy small tree; ideal for a patio corner.

    Regionally adapted

  • No. 08 Shrub

    Rabbitbrush

    Ericameria nauseosa

    Water
    Very low
    Sun
    Full sun
    Size
    3–5 ft
    Bloom
    August – October

    A golden fall show and a late-season feast for pollinators.

    Colorado native

  • No. 09 Perennial

    Hummingbird mint

    Agastache rupestris

    Water
    Low
    Sun
    Full sun
    Size
    2–3 ft
    Bloom
    July – October

    Licorice-scented foliage and sunset-orange flowers for months.

    Regional native

  • No. 10 Shrub

    Mountain mahogany

    Cercocarpus montanus

    Water
    Very low
    Sun
    Sun to part shade
    Size
    5–8 ft
    Bloom
    Spring; silvery seed tails in fall

    A tough, evergreen-looking screen shrub for slopes and borders.

    Colorado native

  • No. 11 Perennial

    Desert four o'clock

    Mirabilis multiflora

    Water
    Very low
    Sun
    Full sun
    Size
    1–2 ft × 4 ft
    Bloom
    June – September

    Magenta blooms that open in late afternoon on a sprawling mound.

    Colorado native

  • No. 12 Perennial

    Blackfoot daisy

    Melampodium leucanthum

    Water
    Very low
    Sun
    Full sun
    Size
    8–12 in
    Bloom
    April – October

    Honey-scented white daisies tucked between flagstones and boulders.

    Regional native

03Field notes

Five habits of a water-wise yard.

  1. 01

    Group plants by thirst

    Put the very-low-water plants on one drip zone and the low-water plants on another, so nothing is overwatered to keep a neighbor happy.

  2. 02

    Water deep, not often

    Long, infrequent drip cycles push roots down into cooler soil. Once established, many natives need water only every one to two weeks in summer.

  3. 03

    Mulch everything

    Two to three inches of gravel or shredded bark keeps roots cool, slows evaporation and keeps weeds down.

  4. 04

    Respect the first two summers

    Even the toughest natives need regular water while they establish. After two seasons, cut back gradually.

  5. 05

    Let it be a little wild

    Leave grasses and seed heads standing over winter for structure, birds and snow-catching beauty. Cut back in March.