Xeric Garden Calender - FallChores, Tasks and Plans for Autumn Xeriscaping
Fall can be a season of rabid racing around trying to finish up projects that got started and never completed, or clean up of abandoned items in the middle of the garden. Anywhere that gets lots of snow can trigger this hysteria. If you're lucky enough to have cleaned up your projects as they were finished, you can smugly go about the fun things still to do in the fall. Chores in the Xeric GardenRaking fall leaves for composting is one of my favorite Autumn activities out in the fresh brisk air, with the smell of falling leaves, and the knowledge that this is a crucial part of a xeric gardening year. Making compost with the leaves and debris from my xeric garden gives me a feeling of pride and accomplishment just knowing that they'll be fermenting away all winter to be ready for my further attention in the spring.The one big difference between humans and other animals is the unique ability to plan ahead. Planting bulbs for next springs display comes under this category. The certainty that the bulbs I plant from September until November (as long as the ground stays unfrozen) will bloom in the warming days of spring gives a gardener hope through the long dark winter nights. Other things that really should be done now are accumulating some firewood, especially if you rely on wood heat in your home; cleaning and putting away your garden tools after you retrieve them from their various parking spots around the garden; greasing the wheelbarrow and putting it under cover; storing paint and any other non-freezable items such as batteries for the string trimmer inside. Start a worm farm in a plastic container and keep it in the basement or other cool place to overwinter it. Put shredded newspaper, leaves, finely shredded compost and sawdust in before adding red wriggler worms from your outside compost or a bait shop. You can add your finely cut kitchen waste as the worms eat and multiply. Take note of things that did well, or not so well and should be re-worked next season. Moving shrubs can still be done now, as long as you water well if no rainfall happens. I like to move and divide hardy succulents at this time of year as they can still make roots in the unfrozen ground even as the top growth is dying back or going dormant. Some that do the best being divided in the fall are Sedum for borders and Sempervivum. 
I don't trim back perennials and grasses as I like the idea that they'll attract birds and be an overwintering haven for insects if they're left until spring, but you may like a neater appearing garden. Keep in mind that if you leave the seasons growth it will capture snow and help soil conservation too, but it's ultimately your choice. Thoughts about XeriscapingThe Xeric Garden is readying itself for a winter's rest, the wheel turning more slowly now, the engine winding down to an idle.Xeriscaping requires this hiatus, to replenish the soil moisture with fall rains, and in northern climates anyway, a chance to assimilate recently spread compost or other soil amendments. Look on this as a time of rejuvenation, and enjoy the break from the summer's frenetic pace.
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Xeriscaping - Landscaping with Less Water
Gardening with a Light Hand on the Land
The focus is on landscaping with easy care drought tolerant plants like Sedum, Sempervivum and thyme and using natural materials to build rock retaining walls and it's easy to see why.
It used to be that once in a while these kinds of plants would come to the fore, and successfully maneuver dry summers, but now it's obvious that these are the most suited to what is becoming the norm.
Interested in learning how to build a patio? See this page for patio design ideas.
Seeing how beautiful these unique landscapes are and how well they perform in challenging conditions will encourage others to find unique plants to use in their own xeric garden.
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