Sustainable Landscape Designfor Water Conservation
by Tom Barrett ● Green Water Infrastructure
30% of household water use
is used outdoors
(in the Midwest)
60%waterwasted
wastedwater
waterwasted
wastedwater
It Starts with Soil
less than1%
runoff
Compacted Soils
Without Top Soil
ADD ORGANIC MATTER
7% TO 12%
Native Plants
Practical Turf Areas
Natural Look
Grasses & Sedges
Yellow Fox SedgeCarex
brachyglossa1’-2’
Brome Hummock SedgeCarex bromoides
1’
Frank’s SedgeCarex frankii
1’-2’
Meadow SedgeCarex granularis
1’
TextText
Courtesy of Fischer Design
Grasses & Sedges
Fox SedgeCarex
vulpinoidea 1’-2’
Tufted Hair GrassDeschampsia
caespitosa1’ - 2’
Reddish BulrushScirpus pendulus
3’-4’
Prairie DropseedSporobolus heterolepis
1’-2’Courtesy of Fischer Design
Wild Flowers
Blue Flag Iris
giganticaerulea
1’-2’May-June
Marsh MilkweedAsclepias incarnata
3’-4’July-Aug
Autumn SneezeweedHelenium
autumnale L.3’-4’Sept-Oct
MonkeyflowerMimulus ringens
2’-4’July-Aug
Trees
Black MapleAcer nigrum
60-70’ tall
Shagbark HickoryCarya ovata
60-80’ tall
HackberryCeltis occidentalis
60-80’ tall
Thornless Honey LocustGleditsia triacanthos f.
inermis40 -70’ tall
Larger Shrubs
Indigo BushAmorpha fruticosa6-15’ tall
Gray DogwoodCornus racemosa
8-10’ tall
Staghorn SumacRhus typhina
15-25’ tall
Prairie WillowSalix humilis
6-712’ tall
Low Growing Shrubs
LeadplantAmorpha
canescens2-4’ tall
New Jersey TeaCeanothus americanus
3-4’ tall
Bush-HoneysuckleDiervilla lonicera
3-5’ tall
Sweet-fernComptonia peregrina
2-64 tall
Water
Contrary to popular wisdom
plants will not extend roots from dry soil into
moist soil
Soil Probe
ALTERNATE SOIL PROBE
Alternate Water
Sources
Rain Water
Gray Water
HVAC condensation• 15 gallons of water per hour.
• 360 gallons of water per day.
• 2,520 gallons of water per week.
• 10,000 gallons of water a month.
