Skip to content Evergreen Landscape Pros designs and installs water-wise xeriscaping in Santa Fe that thrives in our high-desert climate while cutting outdoor water use by 50 to 75 percent.
Xeriscaping is the most practical landscaping solution for Santa Fe’s high-desert climate because it reduces outdoor water use, lowers maintenance costs, supports native ecosystems, and creates landscapes that stay beautiful through drought, intense sun, and winter freeze-thaw cycles. Investing in a specialized Santa Fe designed landscape is a great investment for the short term as well as the long-term value and appeal of your home.
As local xeriscape landscapers, we build sustainable, low-water landscaping using native plants, efficient drip irrigation, gravel, and smart design, so your yard looks authentically New Mexican and costs far less to maintain. From full desert landscaping to low-water garden conversions, this is the xeriscaping Santa Fe homeowners rely on to save water and thrive year-round. Let’s take a look now at how low-maintenance landscaping can improve your Santa Fe home.
A xeriscape is a landscaping approach designed to dramatically reduce, or eliminate, the need for supplemental water beyond natural rainfall. The word comes from the Greek xeri, meaning dry, combined with landscape. Xeriscaping uses drought-tolerant native plants, efficient drip irrigation, mulch, smart soil management, and thoughtful design to create beautiful, low-maintenance outdoor spaces.
Many homeowners assume xeriscaping means replacing grass with gravel. In reality, professionally designed xeriscapes combine colorful native plants, flowering perennials, ornamental grasses, and other elements. Additional features can include natural stone and efficient irrigation, all of which combine to create landscapes that feel vibrant rather than barren.
In Santa Fe, this kind of desert landscaping is not a compromise; it is the right approach. At 7,000 feet elevation with limited annual rainfall, a well-designed xeriscape performs better, costs less to maintain, and looks more authentically New Mexican than a water-dependent lawn. It is why water-wise landscaping has become the default choice for so many local homes.
Outdoor irrigation is often the largest source of household water use during Santa Fe’s growing season, making xeriscaping one of the most effective upgrades for reducing long-term utility costs.
Few approaches suit Northern New Mexico better than xeriscaping in Santa Fe, and the xeriscaping Santa Fe homeowners request keeps growing each season. Our thin mountain air, intense sun, alkaline soils, and roughly fourteen inches of annual rain punish thirsty turf, while native and desert-adapted plants flourish.
One of the most common problems we see is homeowners installing plants that thrive in lower elevations but struggle in Santa Fe’s combination of intense UV exposure, alkaline soils, and winter temperature swings. Choosing plants adapted specifically to Northern New Mexico dramatically improves long-term success.
Water-wise landscaping works with that climate instead of against it, so a professionally built xeriscape needs a fraction of the irrigation a lawn demands and holds its beauty through drought, monsoon, and freeze-thaw alike. It also reduces erosion, supports pollinators, and gives you back time and money every single season.
From the first site visit to the finished landscape, our skilled and experienced crew handles every phase of your low-water landscaping project.
Before installation begins, we verify drainage patterns, identify utilities, evaluate existing irrigation, and confirm plant placement to ensure your new landscape performs as intended for years to come. Then we can get into the nitty-gritty of your xeriscape design:
We visit your property, assess sun exposure, soil, drainage, and existing plants, and listen to your water goals, budget, and style, at no cost and no obligation.
We develop a custom plan with native plant selection, hydrozones, mulch and gravel layout, drainage, and hardscape integration specific to your Santa Fe property.
You receive a detailed written proposal with materials, plant list, irrigation plan, and timeline, transparent and complete before any work begins.
We handle turf removal, soil amendment, grading, and drainage prep, the foundation that determines whether your xeriscape thrives over time.
We install native plants, set up drip irrigation, and apply gravel and mulch, every element placed for long-term plant health and water efficiency.
We finish with a walkthrough, a watering schedule, and care guidance, and the same crew can maintain your landscape as it matures.
Note: Newly installed xeriscapes require more frequent watering during establishment. Once plants mature, irrigation schedules are gradually reduced to encourage deeper root growth and long-term drought tolerance. A little extra care initially will ensure your water-wise landscape thrives for seasons to come.
As a full-service xeriscape company, we cover every part of a water-wise yard, and each specialty below is part of the xeriscaping Santa Fe homeowners count on, with its own dedicated page for more detail.
Full desert landscaping is handled right here on the hub: authentic gravel landscaping for Santa Fe homes, with ornamental grasses, cacti, yucca, decomposed granite, and Southwestern hardscape integration.
We provide xeriscaping for both homes and businesses across Santa Fe. As an established xeriscape contractor and xeriscape company, we deliver water-efficient landscaping and sustainable landscaping for HOAs, offices, retail centers, and multi-family properties, alongside residential yards.
Commercial clients get the same durable, low-water design, transparent written estimates, and careful installation, scaled to larger sites and irrigation systems.
Every property is different. During your consultation we’ll recommend whether a complete xeriscape installation, a partial lawn conversion, native plant enhancement, or targeted irrigation upgrade will provide the best results for your budget.
The right plant selection is the foundation of every successful xeriscape. These are the Santa Fe native plants and materials that define Santa Fe xeriscaping, all adapted to 7,000 feet elevation, freeze-thaw cycles, and limited rainfall. From decorative stone to rock landscaping and natural boulders, the right materials tie the whole look together.
Selecting plants simply because they are drought-tolerant isn’t enough. We also consider mature size, bloom season, winter hardiness, sun exposure, soil conditions, wildlife resistance, and long-term maintenance before recommending species for your property.
Our designs combine spring blooms, summer color, autumn texture, and evergreen structure so your landscape remains attractive throughout the year instead of peaking during only one season.
Santa Fe water rebates may be available for qualifying xeriscape conversions, turf removal, drip irrigation, and mulching. Ask our xeriscape landscapers about current programs during your free consultation.
While every property is different, small planting-bed conversions are naturally less expensive than complete lawn replacements that include grading, irrigation upgrades, decorative stone, and mature specimen plants. During your consultation, we’ll explain which investments provide the greatest long-term value for your property.
Larger conversions need more plants, gravel, irrigation, and labor than a single bed.
A lawn replacement or lawn conversion means sod stripping, hauling, and soil prep before planting, so more turf means more cost.
Decorative gravel landscaping, decomposed granite, and river rock vary in price by type and coverage.
A new drip irrigation installation costs more than adapting existing lines to your new plan.
Large accent boulders and a dry creek bed add material, equipment, and placement costs.
Grading and swales that move runoff safely away from the house add to site prep.
Larger, established plants cost more up front than younger specimens that fill in over time.
We walk you through every line of the estimate so there are no surprises, at no cost and no obligation.
Because low-water landscaping slashes irrigation, mowing, and replacement costs, most homeowners find it pays back over time, and some lawn conversion projects may qualify for local water rebates.
And although the initial investment varies, many homeowners recover costs over time through lower irrigation bills, reduced lawn maintenance, fewer plant replacements, and less fertilizer use.
A professionally installed xeriscape is designed to stay beautiful with minimal maintenance, but a few simple seasonal tasks will keep your landscape healthy, water-efficient, and thriving year after year.
Following this simple seasonal checklist helps keep your xeriscape attractive, healthy, and efficient while protecting your investment and ensuring it continues to thrive in Santa Fe’s high-desert climate for years to come.
From native garden conversions in Tesuque to desert courtyards in Eldorado and river-rock designs in White Rock, we have built water-wise landscaping for homes throughout Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico. From a compact desert garden to a full-property conversion, we design at the scale that fits your property and budget, so ask to see recent xeriscaping Santa Fe projects near you.
A few things set our team apart from other xeriscaping and drought-tolerant services near you. We work exclusively in Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico, so we know which native plants thrive at 7,000 feet, which amendments work in high-desert clay, and which designs complement local architecture.
We work exclusively in Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico. We know which native plants thrive at 7,000 feet elevation, which soil amendments work for high-desert clay, and which designs complement Santa Fe's architecture.
Every xeriscape we plan is built around hydrozones, grouping plants by water needs, using efficient drip irrigation, and choosing materials that minimize evaporation.
We know New Mexico natives intimately: chamisa, Apache plume, desert marigold, blue grama, and penstemon, and which combinations work together for color, bloom sequence, wildlife habitat, and low maintenance.
Santa Fe has offered water conservation rebates for qualifying projects. We help homeowners document qualifying work and maximize the long-term value of their investment.
Evergreen Landscape Pros is fully licensed and insured for residential and commercial work in New Mexico. Every estimate is detailed, written, and provided at no charge.
Our reputation comes from results, not promises. Read our Google reviews from Santa Fe homeowners who trusted us with their projects.
Every xeriscape we plan is built around hydrozones and efficient drip irrigation, and we help homeowners document qualifying work for Santa Fe water rebates. We are the xeriscaping Santa Fe families recommend because our reputation comes from results: a 4.8-star rating across 18 verified Google reviews, honest written estimates, and clean, tidy sites. Evergreen Landscape Pros is fully licensed and insured for residential and commercial work in New Mexico.
Every xeriscape we build comes with the fundamentals done right.
Fully licensed for landscaping work in New Mexico.
Carrying insurance for both residential and commercial projects.
One Santa Fe-based team from estimate through final walkthrough.
Clear, itemized costs with no hidden fees or surprises.
Every quote detailed, in writing, and provided at no charge.
We stand behind our installations and the plants we place.
Xeriscaping isn’t simply planting drought-tolerant shrubs. Successful projects require understanding grading, drainage, irrigation efficiency, plant compatibility, soil preparation, and long-term maintenance. Our team plans every landscape with those factors in mind from the very beginning.
Because elevation, soil composition, and weather conditions vary throughout Northern New Mexico, every landscape is designed specifically for the property’s location rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
We are based at 105 Cienega St in downtown Santa Fe and install xeriscaping across the region, including Eldorado, Tesuque, White Rock, Española, Galisteo, Pecos, Pojoaque, Seton Village, Lamy, Los Cerrillos, and more than eighteen Northern New Mexico communities. If you are nearby and do not see your town listed, call us anyway: we very likely serve your area.
If you do not see your town on our map, reach out. As we often serve many individuals from outside this area!
Xeriscaping is one part of a complete outdoor space. To finish the whole landscape, explore hardscaping for stone walls, patios, and walkways, irrigation and drainage to run efficient drip lines, and landscape maintenance to keep it all looking sharp.
Stone walls, patios, walkways, and retaining walls that give a water-wise yard its structure and usable outdoor rooms.
Efficient drip lines, smart controllers, grading, and drainage improvements that move runoff safely away from the house.
Seasonal pruning, weed control, irrigation checks, and cleanup that keep the whole landscape looking sharp year-round.
Many homeowners combine xeriscaping with patios, retaining walls, drainage improvements, landscape lighting, or irrigation upgrades to complete their outdoor living space in a single project.
Common questions about planning, planting, water rebates, upkeep, and what to expect from a project in Santa Fe, NM.
A xeriscape is a landscaping approach designed to reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental water beyond natural rainfall. It combines the Greek xeri, meaning dry, with landscape, and uses drought-tolerant native plants, efficient irrigation, mulch, and smart design to create beautiful, sustainable outdoor spaces. In Santa Fe, xeriscaping is the natural choice because plants are adapted to 7,000-foot elevation, freeze-thaw cycles, and limited annual rainfall.
Xeriscaping is a water-conservation method; it is about how you design and manage a landscape. Desert landscaping describes the look typical of arid regions: gravel, native plants, cacti, and yucca. In Santa Fe, the two overlap naturally, because a well-designed xeriscape uses the same plants and materials that evolved for this climate.
No. Zeroscaping is a common misspelling of xeriscaping, and it is sometimes used to mean a bare gravel-and-rock yard with few plants. True xeriscaping is a planted, water-wise landscape that uses native plants, hydrozones, and efficient irrigation to stay green and colorful on very little water.
Cost depends on yard size, design complexity, plant selection, irrigation, and turf removal. We provide a free, itemized written estimate after visiting your property. Because low-water landscaping reduces irrigation and maintenance, most homeowners find it pays back over time, and some conversions may qualify for Santa Fe water rebates.
A properly designed xeriscape can reduce outdoor water use by 50 to 75 percent compared with a traditional lawn. In Santa Fe, where summer outdoor watering can be half or more of home water use, that is a large, ongoing saving on your bill.
Yes. A professionally designed, low-maintenance xeriscape improves curb appeal, lowers water bills, and appeals to buyers who want a sustainable, water-wise yard, all of which support long-term property value.
Yes. Once established, a xeriscape needs far less mowing, watering, fertilizing, and replacement than a lawn. Seasonal cleanup, occasional pruning, and a quick irrigation check are usually all it takes.
Strong choices include chamisa, Apache plume, desert marigold, blue grama grass, pinyon pine, one-seed juniper, yucca, penstemon, globe mallow, and agave. These are adapted to our high-desert climate and thrive with minimal irrigation once established.
Often, yes. The City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe Utilities have offered rebates for qualifying xeriscape conversions, turf removal, drip irrigation, and mulching. Amounts and eligibility change, so confirm current programs with Santa Fe Utilities or ask us during your free consultation.
Evergreen Landscape Pros provides the xeriscaping Santa Fe and surrounding communities rely on, including Eldorado, Tesuque, Española, White Rock, Galisteo, Pecos, and Pojoaque. Call (505) 375-6901 or request a free estimate online.
Many homeowners focus on decorative gravel first, when long-term success actually depends on proper grading, soil preparation, plant selection, and irrigation design. Gravel is the finish, not the foundation. When drainage is wrong or soil is never amended, plants struggle no matter how good the surface looks, which is why we settle grading, soil, and hydrozones before a single stone is placed.
We visit your property and provide a written xeriscape estimate at no cost or obligation.
Create a beautiful, water-wise outdoor space that thrives in Santa Fe’s high-desert climate while reducing water use and ongoing maintenance. Whether you’re replacing a thirsty lawn or planning a complete xeriscape installation, we are here to help. Take the first step now and schedule your free on-site consultation and receive a detailed, no-obligation written estimate.
Call Evergreen Landscape Pros at (505) 375-6901 or request your free estimate online for your Santa Fe designed landscape plan. We will design and install a water-wise desert landscaping plan that saves water, looks authentically New Mexican, and thrives in Santa Fe’s high-desert climate for years to come.
