Definition of xeriscape
: a landscaping method developed especially for arid and semiarid climates that utilizes water-conserving techniques (such as the use of drought-tolerant plants, mulch, and efficient irrigation)
Explore M-W
xeriscape was our Word of the Day on 02/12/2015. Hear the podcast!
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Did You Know?
Xēros is the Greek word for "dry" that is the base for a handful of English words related to mainly dry printing ("xerography") and dry, or xerophilous, habitats and their plants. In the early 1980s, the Greek adjective was used to name a type of landscaping practiced primarily in the arid western regions of the United States. (The Water Department of Denver, Colorado, is credited with the word's coinage.) "Xeriscape," as it is called, uses plants that require little water and techniques that efficiently use water and reduce evaporation.
1982
First Known Use of xeriscape
1982
Learn More about xeriscape
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up xeriscape? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!