How cultivating local plants can help San Antonio residents save water

“We're trying to battle that misconception, which is, it doesn't mean zero plants. It means choosing the right plants and the things that are going to survive and do well within the climate that you're working with,” Jimenez said.

Xeriscaping involves multiple components that utilize space, strategic plant placing, natural elements, shade, sun, shrubs, trees, natural grasses and ground cover, such as mulch, gravel and rocks. Common plants include the orange-and-red-blossomed Pride of Barbados, Red Yucca and lantana, which spread out and provide great ground cover.

Jimenez said xeriscaped landscapes can also impact the local ecosystem by using pollinators to attract butterflies, humming birds and local wildlife, or plants that can act as either deer-friendly vegetation or deer-repellents.

How it works

Jimenez said the process of xeriscaping begins with removing all non-native vegetation. Then his company works with their clients to craft a yard using a variety of design elements.

Common xeriscaping mistakes include:

• Lack of understanding plants’ water needs
• Neglecting periodic pruning
• Improper positioning of plants

“If somebody wants to [get SAWS rebates}, they can go out to SAWS.org and look at what those specific plants are. At Rainbow Nursery, you'll see a lot of the plants will have the SAWS logo on them saying, if you plant these, you'll get a credit from us,” Jimenez said.

Quote of note

“[This] concept could work in any other part of the country, which is just looking at what in that climate survives the best, and choosing the plants that are going to do best in that particular environment,” Jimenez said.