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.
Events
As a group blog and forum, we welcome your contributions and comments and hope to create a blossoming community of xeriscape gardeners well as a valuable archive of articles.
Did you know that the 2nd largest use of water in the Okanagan is used on 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.
Plant of the Month
Galanthus nivalise
Nothing says Spring like snow drops, Galanthus nivalise.
These charming little bulbs are one of the first bulbs to flower in the spring and offer a wonderful early start to the growing season. Their nodding white heads are easy to incorporate into your design plan as a wonderful neutral and, like many early blooms, are more ‘drought avoidant’ than ‘drought tolerant’.
Their dainty appearance belies a tough workhouse that is so appreciated by all of us looking to put winter behind us.
When happy, this bulb will naturalize by both seed and bulb offsets. These bulbs look beautiful planted in drifts under deciduous trees and are equally comfortable in a rock garden setting. Their bloom time corresponds with Eranthis (winter aconite) and offers a nice contrast of colour.
Because Galanthus blooms so early in the season, it makes sense to plant it close to the house where it can be appreciated from the warmth of your home.
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
