Why can xeriscape proposals vary so much in price when everything else appears to be the same?
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Two proposals can cover roughly the same area, use similar decorative rock and plants, and create landscapes that look comparable when they’re first installed.
So why can the proposals be so different?
Because xeriscaping isn’t simply removing grass, putting down rock and adding a few drought-tolerant plants.
A successful xeriscape depends on thoughtful design, climate-appropriate plant selection, proper soil preparation, efficient irrigation, drainage, grading and careful installation. Some of the most important work happens before the decorative rock ever arrives.
At Wall & Company, xeriscaping means creating a complete landscape designed for the conditions of the Inland Northwest—not simply covering the ground with rock.
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Wall & Company vs. Common Shortcuts
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| Construction Detail | Wall & Company | Common Shortcuts |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Landscape designed around the property, plant growth and long-term appearance | Filling available areas with rock and plants without considering how the landscape will mature |
| Plant Selection | Climate-appropriate plants selected for Inland Northwest conditions | Choosing primarily by appearance, price or immediate availability |
| Soil Preparation | Soil properly prepared for the plants being installed | Planting directly into existing soil with minimal preparation |
| Plant Installation | Attention to planting depth, root conditions and spacing | Digging a hole just large enough to install the plant |
| Irrigation | Efficient irrigation designed around plant needs | Minimal irrigation planning or relying on existing coverage |
| Grading & Drainage | Site conditions addressed before finish materials are installed | Installing over existing grades without correcting problem areas |
| Edging & Transitions | Clean, durable separation between landscape materials | Minimal edging that allows materials to migrate over time |
| Materials | Quality rock, plants and landscape materials selected for long-term performance | Selecting primarily around initial material cost |
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What You’ll Never See
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When your xeriscape is finished, you’ll notice the plants, decorative rock, boulders and clean landscape lines.
You probably won’t notice:
• Soil preparation around the plants
• Underground irrigation lines
• Grading beneath the finished surface
• Drainage improvements
• Properly prepared planting areas
• The work required to establish clean transitions between materials
Yet these details can determine whether the landscape becomes easier to maintain as it matures—or increasingly difficult.
They’re also areas where two apparently similar proposals can represent very different amounts of work.
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Xeriscape Is More Than Decorative Rock
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One of the most common misconceptions about xeriscaping is that it simply means replacing grass with rock.
That’s certainly one way to reduce watering. It doesn’t necessarily create a great landscape.
Wall & Company’s approach combines plants, decorative rock, boulders and other landscape elements to create a finished space that feels intentional.
The goal is to reduce unnecessary water consumption and maintenance without creating a yard that feels barren.
Good xeriscape design should still look like landscaping.
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The Right Plants for the Right Place
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Plant selection makes an enormous difference.
The Inland Northwest gives plants a lot to deal with: hot, dry summers, cold winters and substantial temperature swings.
Wall & Company considers more than how a plant looks at the nursery. Plant selection can include:
• Cold hardiness
• Heat tolerance
• Sun and shade exposure
• Water requirements
• Soil conditions
• Mature height and width
• Seasonal color and interest
• Long-term maintenance
Mature size is particularly important.
A plant that looks perfectly spaced when it’s installed may become overcrowded several years later if its mature size wasn’t considered. Conversely, spacing everything too far apart can leave the landscape looking unfinished for years.
Good design considers what the landscape will become—not just what it looks like on installation day.
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Healthy Plants Start Below Ground
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Buying quality plants doesn’t guarantee a quality landscape.
The roots need an environment where they can establish and grow.
Depending on existing conditions, Wall & Company prepares planting areas to provide the soil conditions necessary for healthy establishment. We also pay attention to proper planting depth and the condition of the root ball during installation.
These aren’t visually dramatic steps.
But a $200 shrub planted incorrectly is still an incorrectly planted shrub.
We’d rather put the effort into giving the plant the best opportunity to thrive.
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Irrigation Should Match the Landscape
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Xeriscaping means water-efficient landscaping, not necessarily landscaping that never receives water.
Even drought-tolerant plants need water while becoming established, and many benefit from supplemental irrigation during hot, dry periods.
Wall & Company designs irrigation around the needs of the landscape.
Where appropriate, drip irrigation can deliver water directly to planting areas instead of spraying large areas of decorative rock.
A properly designed system can:
• Put water where plants actually need it
• Reduce unnecessary evaporation
• Limit overspray
• Support healthy establishment
• Make ongoing watering easier to manage
Once installed, most of that system disappears beneath the landscape.
That’s exactly why it needs to be planned before everything else goes on top of it.
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Grading and Drainage Still Matter
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Replacing lawn with xeriscaping doesn’t make drainage problems disappear.
Water still needs to move appropriately across the property.
Before installing finish materials, Wall & Company considers existing grades and drainage conditions. Where necessary, those conditions are addressed as part of the installation.
Otherwise, beautiful decorative rock can simply hide a drainage problem rather than solve it.
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Clean Edges Make a Big Difference
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One of the easiest ways for a landscape to begin looking tired is for its materials to migrate.
Rock moves into lawn. Mulch works into decorative stone. Planting areas lose their definition.
Proper edging and carefully constructed transitions help keep those materials where they belong.
It’s a relatively small construction detail, but it has a significant impact on how finished and maintainable the landscape looks several years later.
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The Details You Do See Matter, Too
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Xeriscaping should be practical, but it should also be beautiful.
Wall & Company pays attention to:
• Plant groupings
• Spacing
• Color and texture
• Boulder placement
• Decorative rock selection
• Curves and bed lines
• Transitions between materials
• How the landscape relates to the home
The goal isn’t simply to use less water.
It’s to create an outdoor environment that looks intentional, complements the property and becomes more attractive as the plants mature.
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Where the Wall & Company Difference Shows Up
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Many xeriscape shortcuts are difficult to recognize when the project is new.
Fresh decorative rock looks clean. Nursery plants look healthy. Everything has just been installed.
The differences often become more apparent over time.
Plants mature. Roots encounter the surrounding soil. Irrigation gets tested through hot summers. Water follows the property’s grades. Rock begins moving. Plants either thrive in their locations—or they don’t.
That’s why Wall & Company puts so much emphasis on what happens before the landscape looks finished.
Thoughtful design. Climate-appropriate plants. Proper soil preparation. Efficient irrigation. Appropriate grading and drainage. Quality materials. Careful installation.
Those details require different amounts of planning, materials and labor, which is one reason two xeriscape proposals that appear similar can be priced differently.
The objective isn’t to build the cheapest or the most expensive xeriscape landscape. Our objective is to build a xeriscape landscape that will stand the test of time.
At Wall & Company, we aim to build you a xeriscape landscape that you can enjoy for years to come.