The Okanagan Xeriscape Association
Welcome
You have just opened the door to a whole new way of looking at your landscape, whether that’s the yard around a house; the landscaping around your condo; the entrance to your business; or the welcome to a new home or subdivision you’ve built.
The Okanagan Xeriscape Association is a registered charity founded in 2009 to help people Garden with Nature, conserving water and energy in the process, but creating beauty.
Join us.
Support us.
Enjoy our website and extensive plant database of waterwise plants.
Come to a class or workshop.
Visit our Xeriscape Demonstration Garden in Kelowna.
Learn while volunteering. Ask questions of our experts.
By learning more about xeriscape, you are learning how to create colourful, attractive outdoor spaces while minimizing your use of water—a resource that’s in short supply in the arid Okanagan climate, as well as elsewhere.
That means you save money on water, but at the same time, when you employ xeriscape principles you also save money on pesticides because you’re growing plants that suit their natural environment so they are less vulnerable to insects and diseases.
We would love you to join us! Find out more.
Plant of the Month-
October
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Leadwort
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, commonly known as leadwort or plumbago is a star in the late Summer and Fall garden. This herbaceous perennial ground cover is native to Western China and is hardy in zones 5-9.
Leadwort can be grown in either a full-sun or part-sun location where it spreads by rhizomes reaching 6-10 inches tall with a spread of 12-18 inches.
This perennial features two-inch long shiny green leaves topped by bright blue flowers. The brilliance of the flower colour rivals that of Gentians and Delphinium. As the nighttime temperatures dip, the foliage turns shades of scarlet red fading to bronze and makes a stunning contrast to the long-blooming starry blue flowers.
This perennial is tolerant of clay soil and is excellent used for erosion control. However, as with many xeric plants, it is intolerant of winter wet. Leadwort is not reliably hardy in Zone 5 where it benefits from a winter mulch.
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides is virtually pest-free and has been a recipient of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Our Blog
Our new blog, On The Dry Side, is an opportunity to share information on how to garden with nature while conserving water in the Okanagan Valley.
As a group blog and forum, we welcome your contributions and comments and hope to create a blossoming community of xeriscape gardeners as well as a valuable archive of articles.
Learn
About Xeriscape
What is xeriscape and why it is perfect for the Okanagan environment? Learn how you can start conserving water in your own landscape.
7 Principles of Xeriscape
Xeriscape Classes
Get Inspired
The UnH2O Garden
Xeriscape Stories
Resources
We would like to thank the Okanagan Basin Water Board and Okanagan WaterWise for their support and funding
Did you know?
- There is LESS water available per person in the Okanagan than anywhere else in Canada
- The Okanagan has one of the highest rates of water use per person in Canada
- The 2nd largest use of water in the Okanagan is for watering our household lawns & gardens
Here’s a reminder to check out the Make Water Work website to make your pledge to reduce water waste. Xeriscape is a very effective way to make water work.
