ProjectXERI, a program started by five DU students to address the issue of water use in Denver, partnered with Denver Water to hold a community education and planting day last Saturday as they created new and water-saving landscaping for a house at 1985 S. High Street.
According to sophomore Jill Hamilton, head of marketing and communication for projectXERI, the landscaping method, called “xeriscaping”, is “a type of landscape design that uses native and drought resistant plants to reduce the amount of water that is needed to maintain a yard.”
Hamilton says projectXERI hopes to promote xeriscaping in the Denver community.
“The whole idea behind this project is to create an example of a successfully xeriscaped yard for the community to potentially copy and learn from in the future,” said Hamilton.
Allison Boyd, a sophomore and projectXERI’s xeriscaping events and volunteer coordinator, said six families came to the home during the day to learn how they could “xeriscape” their own yards. The event was advertised in community newspapers and newsletters, as well as the Denver Post and in local schools. Hamilton said members of projectXERI were excited about the response.
“We’ve had a really good turnout of people that are either interested in starting a xeriscaping project or have xeriscaped in the past and would just like some more information on how they can get involved,” said Hamilton.
Approximately 10 DU students from a variety of majors volunteered to help create the new landscape, which involved putting in the plants for the yard and placing rock and mulch. Additionally, a drip irrigation system was installed.
Hamilton says the drip irrigation system is an important aspect of the yard’s water conservation.
“It’s really cool because [the water] goes directly to each plant instead of having the standard large water system that goes through the air and a lot of it evaporates,” said Hamilton.
Martin Quigley, professor in biology and landscape designer for the landscape house, said just because the plants in the yard will use less water does not mean the lawn will be boring. He said the plants in the yard were selected to provide color during every season and will eventually grow to cover the entire yard. Although it will depend on drought conditions, Quigley says the lawn should be able to survive on whatever natural moisture is available and will, therefore, need no extra watering once the plants become well established. He expects this will take about three years.
“The problem in Denver is that many people think xeriscape is just rock, mulch and a couple of plants,” said Quigley. “The idea here is, we are mulching, but eventually the [plants] will spread and … you’ll have a thick coating of plants that in three years will need no extra water.”
Saving water is something that another sponsor and partner for projectXERI—Denver Water—is especially interested in achieving. Mark Cassalia, Water Conservation Specialist with Denver Water, attended the planting day Saturday to answer any questions from the community about xeriscaping and other current water conservation initiatives by Denver Water. Cassalia said Denver Water helped sponsor the $4,500 xeriscape on the High Street lawn and that the students organizing projectXERI have “done the right things” throughout the project.
“They’re running it all themselves,” said Cassalia. “They’ve been educating the community, they’ve been out here creating the [landscape] design, working with faculty, and getting the group organized.”
Cassalia says Denver Water hopes this xeriscape will be an example for other Denver homeowners.
“I think that’s the really exciting part—if this project works and if people are happy with it and if it’s maintained and if it continues, it sets a standard,” he said.
This standard is one that project XERI hopes to see DU as a whole follow, especially with the university’s recent commitment to a significant reduction in water use in the next year. Hamilton says projectXERI is currently working with the DU Center for Sustainability to create a presentation that they plan to give to upper management at DU. The presentation will focus on showing how xeriscaping could be a tool for water conservation for the university.
“I think the big thing that we were saying is that in order to have a beautiful college campus it doesn’t have to be all green grass,” said Hamilton. “On the east coast, those schools can get away with having those lush, green lawns, but it’s just not practical or cost effective or environmentally friendly in Denver.”
Additional information about the project can be found on the projectXERI facebook page.
