Best drip irrigation for Denver Water high mineral content water - Ask Extension
I’m helping my son and grandkids plan a low water landscape. What is the best strategy for converting the front lawn to (river rock?) xeriscape? Wha...
Knowledgebase
Best drip irrigation for Denver Water high mineral content water #926669
Asked March 24, 2026, 2:45 PM EDT
I’m helping my son and grandkids plan a low water landscape. What is the best strategy for converting the front lawn to (river rock?) xeriscape? What are possible strategies for irrigation of a few shrubs and succulents? In back they have <500 sqfeet of lawn, no automatic sprinklers. They hope to have some veggies at the fence. There is a small pond which is prone to algae when it gets hot.
Thank for your advice.
Grandma Elizabeth
Arapahoe County Colorado
Expert Response
Hi there and thank you for using Ask Extension.
Sounds like a fun project! Here are some articles that you may find useful.
Xeriscaping: Retrofit Your Yard This article gives a very detailed step by step description of what to do. There is also a list of xeriscape plants we recommend.
Xeriscaping: Trees and Shrubs This article lists additional trees and shrubs that you could plant.
Xeriscaping: Ground Cover Plants This article lists ground cover plants that are short in height. The Delosperma ..plants (ice plants) are succulents.
With regards to irrigation, you can use a variety of spraying heads and drip emitters. Water Wise Plants is a site created by Colorado Springs Utilities. Their section on "Watering Your Yard" has some good videos to check out. It can get pretty complicated. If you decide to "hire out," you can search for a "landscape design/irrigation" company on the
Denver Better Business Bureau site.
Finally, with regards to river rock, we don't recommend using that for a mulch. Although it can be aesthetically pleasing, at times it can inhibit plant growth because it gets too hot. Check out this article on Mulching. It describes all of the options.
Thanks again for reaching out. Have fun and let me know if you have additional questions.
Sounds like a fun project! Here are some articles that you may find useful.
Xeriscaping: Retrofit Your Yard This article gives a very detailed step by step description of what to do. There is also a list of xeriscape plants we recommend.
Xeriscaping: Trees and Shrubs This article lists additional trees and shrubs that you could plant.
Xeriscaping: Ground Cover Plants This article lists ground cover plants that are short in height. The Delosperma ..plants (ice plants) are succulents.
With regards to irrigation, you can use a variety of spraying heads and drip emitters. Water Wise Plants is a site created by Colorado Springs Utilities. Their section on "Watering Your Yard" has some good videos to check out. It can get pretty complicated. If you decide to "hire out," you can search for a "landscape design/irrigation" company on the
Denver Better Business Bureau site.
Finally, with regards to river rock, we don't recommend using that for a mulch. Although it can be aesthetically pleasing, at times it can inhibit plant growth because it gets too hot. Check out this article on Mulching. It describes all of the options.
Thanks again for reaching out. Have fun and let me know if you have additional questions.
