Located at the front entrance of the Cumberland County Department of Public Safety Building in Carlisle, the Xeriscape Garden uses plants that are tolerant of hot, dry conditions.
Xeriscape Garden; Photo Credit: Annette MaCoy
With its numerous rivers and streams, many people do not think of Central Pennsylvania as suffering drought conditions. Typically, however, there is little rainfall during July and August. The gardens are in full sun necessitating the use of plants with tap roots and other adaptations. Additionally, many native plants are featured which benefit pollinators and birds.
Xeriscaping is an approach to landscaping that minimizes water use while maintaining soil integrity through the use of native, drought-tolerant plants. In making use of xeriscaping, we benefit by reducing water consumption, landscape maintenance and the use of fertilizers and pesticides.
The creation of the Xeriscape Garden was a project of the Master Gardener Class of 2012. When you visit the Xeriscape Garden, consider what you can do around your home to take advantage of this environmentally friendly concept.
Featured Plant Species:
- Russian Sage - Perovskia atriplicifolia
- Black-eyed Susan, Orange Coneflower - Rudbeckia fulgida
- Blazing Star, Spike Gayfeather - Liatris spicata, Liatris scariosa
- Blue Star, Arkansas Amsonia - Amsonia hubrichtii
- Butterfly weed - Asclepias tuberosa
- Blue Fescue - Festuca glauca
- Sedum - Sedum cvs.
- Ice Plant - Delosperma cvs.
Visit the following Extension resources for more xeriscaping information and best practices:
- Penn State Extension - Heat and Drought Tolerant Plants
- Colorado State University Extension - Xeriscaping: Retrofit Your Yard
- Colorado State University Extension - Xeriscaping: Creative Landscaping
- New Mexico State University - Xeriscape Plants by Irrigation Level
Courtesy of June Hoch, Penn State Master Gardener in Cumberland County
Visiting the Garden
The Xeriscape Garden is located at the front entrance of the Cumberland County Department of Public Safety Building, located at 1 Public Safety Drive, Carlisle, PA 17015.
Parking for the garden is available in the parking lot at the front of the building.
The garden is open daily to the public, free of charge, from dawn to dusk. Enjoy your visit and thank you for stopping by!
