Weekly Green Tip: Thriving in the Dry 🌞

http://eepurl.com/jsRPAUView this email in your browser (*|ARCHIVE|*) RESERVE YOUR SPOT! (https://communityfoodscapes.org/products/permaculture-design-certificate) Thriving in the Dry November 25th, 2025 Another day patiently waiting for rain… These dry moments can be a true test of your landscape’s resilience. That’s when xeriscaping comes into play or in other words landscape design with the intention of water conservation. We often consider this style of design when we have a client with a combination of these landscape qualities: * Fast-draining, rocky/sandy soil * Intense full sun * Erosion-prone topography * Hard-to-reach areas without practical irrigation options An area with these characteristics screams for a low-maintenance, drought-adapted, stone-supported system. One way to achieve this is with a rock garden, which pairs drought-tolerant plants with stone, gravel, and intentional grading. And when rainfall disappears for weeks at a time, you can trust that your rock garden will be doing just fine. Why Go for a Rock Garden? * Reduced water demand: Drought-tolerant species and efficient water capture reduce irrigation. * Lower maintenance: Slower weed emergence, no mowing, and minimal upkeep. * Heat buffering: Rocks store heat during cooler nights and shade soil during hot days. * Erosion control: Strategic grading and stone placement help stabilize and protect bare soil. * Supports drought-adapted native plants: Ideal habitat for species that naturally thrive in rocky, thin, or fast-draining soils. * Creates microhabitats: Crevices, warm stones, and shaded pockets are great for many native reptiles, insects, and fungi. What We Plant * Prickly Pear (Opuntia humifusa) — A sun-loving, drought-proof cactus with edible pads and fruit. * Yucca filamentosa (Adam’s Needle) — Evergreen, pointy rosettes with filamented leaves. They’re extremely drought-tolerant and ideal for creating texture in rock gardens. * Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) — These make it onto many of our quotes. A super tough and pretty grass with airy pink fall plumes that contrast beautifully with stone. Check out the CoFo project below to see a palette of these plants! Whether your site struggles with sun, slope, or limited irrigation, a well-designed xeriscape turns challenges into opportunities. Instead of waiting for the storm, start brainstorming! AND REMEMBER! For the rest of fall, all CoFo consultations are half off! The cold weather is quietly the best season to make big landscape moves. Roots keep growing long after leaves drop, low soil temperatures reduce stress on new plantings, winter rain keeps everything hydrated, and pests take a break. This is also the perfect moment to start planning for the busy spring and get expert eyes on that tricky corner of your landscape. Cooler weather = peak planning season, and we’re here to help you make the most of it. Book now and let’s build next year’s landscape while nature is on your side. CLICK HERE TO BOOK WITH US! (https://communityfoodscapes.org/pages/consultation) BEAUTYBERRY SAVINGS! WHY WE LOVE IT AND MORE The berries. Neon-purple clusters that hang out through fall and light up shady spaces. Birds like catbirds and cardinals go nuts for them. Native roots. Beautyberry is a true Southeastern native, naturally found from Maryland down through Florida and west to Texas. It thrives along woodland edges and in open woods. Some history: Indigenous communities used the roots and leaves in traditional teas, and both they and early settlers rubbed the crushed foliage on their skin (and livestock!) to repel mosquitoes. Thrives in tough spots. Dry shade, sandy soil, clay, woodland edges… beautyberry is extra resilient. Wildlife-friendly. Flowers for pollinators, berries for birds, and great cover for small wildlife. Quick stats: 4–8 ft tall and wide. Part shade to sun (more sun = more berries). Drought tolerant once settled as a Southeastern U.S. native. CLICK HERE FOR BEAUTYBERRY (https://communityfoodscapes.org/collections/plants/products/beautyberry) https://facebook.com/communityfoodscapes/ https://instagram.com/communityfoodscapes https://communityfoodscapes.org mailto: Copyright (C) *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*. All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|**|LIST:DESCRIPTION|**|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences (*|UPDATE_PROFILE|*) or unsubscribe (*|UNSUB|*) Community Foodscapes · 848 Oglethorpe Ave SW · Suite 115512 · Atlanta, GA 30310 470-600-2636 · cofo.info@gmail.com · www.communityfoodscapes.org https://www.communityfoodscapes.org/