Almost half a century ago, Dwight Eisenhower noted that water
was "fast becoming our most valuable, most prized, most critical
resource." Today, urbanization and increased population, as well
as continuing drought conditions in much of the Plains and the
western United States, have made Ike's analysis particularly
prescient. Traditional home landscapes can account for up to 70
percent of residential water use, but you don't need to hog the
H2O to create a lush and colorful garden. Pioneered in the
1980s, the technique known as drought-resistant, waterwise, or
Xeriscape landscaping can be implemented anywhere. And a
waterwise garden is not necessarily an arid one: It's simply one
that conserves water by planting native and other site-
appropriate species. It also saves money by eliminating the need
for the automatic irrigation systems and heavy fertilizer
applications usually required by traditional lawns. Whether
redesigning your current landscape or starting from scratch, you
should first consider the charact