Arid landscaping, or xeriscaping (from the Greek word xeros, meaning dry), is the integration of practicality and beauty in drought-prone public and private gardens. Xeriscaping is part of a larger trend among environmentalist gardeners to incorporate native rather than imported species within local ecosystems.

In drought-prone areas like California, where water conservation is imperative and lawns and flower gardens are at risk, gardeners have taken several steps to cope with drought. A 20-by-40-ft (6-by-12 m) green lawn requires about 2,500 gal (9,475 l) of water a month, enough for a four-member family for 10 days. Some arid landscapers eliminate lawns altogether and replace them with flagstone or concrete walkways; others aerate the soil or cut the grass higher for greater water retention. More popular is replacing imported grasses with native grasses, already adapted to the local climate, and letting them grow without being cut.

Some big trees, such...