• Desert landscaping offers a unique, low-maintence yard.Cactus image by Martin Garnham from Fotolia.com
  
  A desert landscape offers the perfect solution to creating beautiful, unique landscaping in even the smallest of yards. If you live in a drought zone or love the dusty look of the Southwest, a desert theme lends itself well to xeriscaping, which offers a low-maintenance solution for your yard while utilizing less water than traditional landscaping ideas.
  
  

Landscaping for a Small Space

• Landscaping for a small space is best when based on a repeating color scheme or structure that will give your small space a cohesive feel without becoming cluttered. Including a focal point like a statue or plant will highlight the aspect of your yard you want people to focus on. For desert landscaping, the focal point could be a unique cactus or an outcropping of rocks. You can also install a deck or a patio to enhance the dimension and depth of your yard.
  
  

Desert Theme

• Xeriscaping is another way to describe landscaping methods that conserve water. Desert landscaping makes the perfect option when deciding to xeriscape. The word "xeriscape" itself comes from the Greek word "xero," which means dry, and is a popular method of landscaping in parched areas, as well as a popular way to simply create landscaping that requires little water.
  
  In addition, incorporating a rock garden is not only essential for a desert landscape, but also works well to inhibit soil erosion and requires little watering. Placing larger rocks throughout the garden beds will add to the effect of a desert. However, when placing rocks in a small space, avoid excessive rock configurations as that only adds confusion to what should be a simple landscape solution.
  
  

Plants for the Desert

• If desertscape makes you think of sparse, ugly cacti, think again. Not only do brightly flowering cacti exist, a wide range of other plants that can live in low-water zones can be utilized. Flowering cacti include those like the jumping cholla and the calico cactus, which produces bright purple flowers during the blooming season. Other plants great for desertscaping are the Joshua tree, bottle brush, palo verde, agave and the ocotillo.
  
  If you live in a cold zone, creating a desert landscape is still an option. You just need to make sure that the plants you choose can weather the cold. Some winter-hardy cacti include the echinocereus Triglochidiatus, also known as Claret Cup and Strawberry Cactus, Echinocereus Viridiflorus, green flowering hedgehog and the Escorbaria Vivipara, beehive cactus. Keep in mind that desert plants need well-drained, sandy soil.