XERISCAPE & COLORADOSCAPE
Native plants and low-water design, installed for Colorado's climate and the way you live.
Front Range LANDSCAPES THAT THRIVE ON LESS WATER
Your lawn never wanted to live here. Native plants do. They love this soil, this sun, and this dry air the way you do, and it shows. Twenty years and 3,000+ projects taught us which ones belong in a designed yard.
A ColoradoScape replaces high-water turf with native and adapted plants, ornamental grasses, stone, and drip irrigation. It uses less water, costs less to run, and doesn’t need mowing. This is not a rock yard. It’s a planted landscape, and that’s what rebate programs pay for.
Most people keep some lawn and convert the parts nobody walks on. We’ll help you choose what makes sense for your property, your water bill, and how you actually use your yard.
From design and rebate paperwork to turf removal, irrigation conversion, and planting, we handle the full process. You get a landscape that’s established, not just installed.
PLANTS THAT PERFORM IN COLORADO
We design with Colorado natives and regionally adapted plants, matched to your sun exposure, soil, and maintenance level.
Ornamental Grasses
Blue grama, little bluestem, prairie dropseed, and feather reed grass. They hold their structure and seed heads through winter.
Flowering Perennials
Penstemon, blanket flower, coneflower, salvia, and sulphur flower buckwheat. Bloom runs from late spring into October.
Shrubs and Structure
Fernbush, Apache plume, three-leaf sumac, and serviceberry. These give the design shape in year one instead of year four.
Pollinator Support
Blanket flower, salvia, and buckwheat bring native bees and butterflies. Penstemon brings hummingbirds.
OUR XERISCAPE CONVERSION PROCESS
Step-1
Site Evaluation
We assess your soil, drainage, sun exposure, and existing irrigation, and measure the turf area worth converting.
Step-2
Rebate Review
We identify your water district, confirm what you qualify for, and schedule the pre-removal inspection most programs require.
Step-3
Turf Removal and Irrigation Conversion
We remove and dispose of the existing turf, amend the soil, and convert spray zones to drip.
Step-4
Planting and Walkthrough
We plant, mulch, and finish edges, then review the first-year watering schedule and ongoing care for your plant selection.
What's Included
Every xeriscape conversion starts with a real design, the right soil work, and a crew that has planted these species enough times to know how they behave.
- In-person site evaluation
- Landscape design with plant selection and layout
- Water district rebate documentation
- Soil testing and amendment
- Turf removal and disposal
- Irrigation conversion to drip and rezoning
- Planting, mulch, and stone or steel edging
- First-year establishment watering schedule
- Care instructions and maintenance plan
WHY CHOOSE YMS FOR Xeriscaping
We Know What Grows
Clay soil, chinook winds, late frosts. We pick plants for the yard you have, not for the zone map.
Rebates Explained
Every district pays differently and rules move every year. We track yours and file the paperwork.
We Handle the HOA
We put the proposal together, submit it to your HOA, and deal with the review process so you don't have to.
Start to Finish
No subcontractors and no handoffs. The crew that breaks ground is the crew at your final walkthrough.
Serving Castle Rock and the South Denver Metro
What Clients Say
Trusted by homeowners throughout Castle Rock and surrounding areas since 2006.
BEFORE & AFTER
FROM EMPTY LOT TO DREAM BACKYARD
Before
After
RECENT XERISCAPE PROJECTS
Water-wise conversions from around Castle Rock, Castle Pines and the south metro.
A Castle Rock Backyard Built for Colorado Living
This Castle Rock homeowner had a sloped lot and a backyard they couldn’t use. We changed that. A block retaining...
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Backyard Hangs Never Felt This Good in Castle Pines
This Castle Pines homeowner wanted a backyard that worked as hard as they do. We delivered. A multi-level paver patio...
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The Ultimate Castle Rock Backyard Playground
This Castle Rock family wanted a backyard that had something for everyone. We made it happen. A full pickleball court...
Read MoreXERISCAPE FAQs
Will it look like the rest of the neighborhood?
It will look finished and intentional. We design for curb appeal first, and plenty of our conversions read as a nicer front yard, not a statement about water.
Can I keep some grass?
Yes, and most people should. Keep the turf you actually use and convert the areas nobody walks on. Rebates apply to what you remove.
Can my HOA stop me?
Colorado law prevents HOAs from prohibiting xeriscape outright. They can require design review, and we’ve been through that process with HOAs across the south metro. A designed plan with real plant material clears review far more often than not.
Does artificial turf count toward a rebate?
Most district programs exclude it, along with patios and decks. The replacement has to include living plant material. We install synthetic turf where it makes sense, it just isn’t a rebate path.
What does a conversion cost?
It depends on square footage, site prep, irrigation condition, and materials. Our design-build projects generally start around $10,000, and district rebates offset a portion of qualifying conversions.
How long does the work take?
Most residential conversions run one to two weeks on site once the design is settled and the rebate inspection is done.
Is it really low maintenance?
Lower, not zero. No mowing, no aeration, no overseeding. Expect a seasonal cutback, occasional weeding, and a drip system check. We leave you a plan for it.
What if my grass is already brown or dying?
Talk to us anyway. Most rebate programs require living turf, so that path may be closed, but the conversion still makes sense and the water savings don’t depend on the rebate.
135+ Google Reviews
YOUR XERISCAPE WORK STARTS HERE
Tell us about your yard. We'll tell you what's possible and what your water district pays.
(303) 815-9123BOOK YOUR ESTIMATE VISIT
Start with your zip code so we can confirm you're in our service area, then pick a day and time that works for you.