Saving Water with Grass
Landscape water use is a significant portion of most every community’s total water consumption and is therefore an important part of a holistic approach to water conservation. Almost every Colorado city and town lives under the reality that as each community grows finite water resources become stretched and conservation becomes increasingly important to maximize the benefit of that water to the community.New and exciting trends in landscape as well as age-old common sense are creating amazing opportunities to constantly reduce outdoor water usage.
The lawn is, in most cases the largest area of the landscape and therefore offers some of the greatest potential for water savings. New advances in turf breeding as well as a renewed understanding of proper ground preparation and lawn maintenance are driving a new era in water conservation. We are excited to be a part of this new era and to be in the turf industry now and to be a part of all of the new advancements that are happening all around us.
The push for conservation did not start overnight. Xeriscape is a term that was coined in the early 1980’s right here in Colorado that describes seven landscape principles that when orchestrated in concert provide for a foundation for outdoor water conservation. Thoseseven essential components of xeriscaping are: appropriate planning and design; appropriate/practical turf areas; appropriate soil preparation and analysis; appropriate plant selection; appropriate watering methods; appropriate use of mulches; and appropriate landscape maintenance.
The lawn has been a centerpiece of the landscape for well over 100 years. The lawn is a functional, aesthetically beautiful part of the landscape. No other part of the plantscape that makes up the landscape is as functional and practical as is the turfgrass component. A nice lawn truly is an invitation to the outdoors. It’s a retreat for children to play some catch or a place to throw a Frisbee to Fido. In this world of urbanization, technology, video games, and social media, the lawn is a reminder of our roots. In so many ways the daily activity that goes on in the family backyard is a healthy and therapeutic escape from an ever-hurrying life that often leaves us asking if we’re actually moving in the right direction.
Especially over the last twenty or so years our goal has been to grow varieties and species of grasses that fit the lifestyle of our community while being suited to our unique environment. We are always evaluating new grasses in the market. We have on-site testing at our farm as well as a keen eye on national and regional turfgrass testing facilities and evaluations. The results are striking. The strides in the last 20 years are amazing. The blends and mixes that we sell today are significant improvements from what was state of the art 20 or 25 years ago. These strides are what allow me to say with confidence that the Colorado lawn will continue to be a part of our way of life for a very long time to come.