Create a yard that suits New Mexico’s climate and still feels like a place you want to spend time.
LaBarge Landscape designs, installs and maintains residential xeriscapes with plants, irrigation, groundcover and outdoor features chosen for your property. We can also convert an existing lawn into a landscape that needs less routine mowing and watering.
More Than Gravel and Desert Plants
A xeriscape can have color, shade, texture and room to gather. Depending on your goals, the design may include:
- Drought-conscious plants, trees and shrubs
- Drip irrigation
- Gravel or mulch
- Boulders and seasonal color
- Patios and paths
- Retaining or planter walls
- Small areas of natural or synthetic turf
- A plan for ongoing weed control
We’ll help choose and position plants so the finished yard works as a whole.
A Yard Designed for Less Upkeep
Replacing part of a grass lawn can reduce mowing and water use. The results depend on the design, plants and irrigation, and a xeriscape will still need care. Weeds can emerge, plants need attention and gravel or mulch may shift over time.
LaBarge offers weekly, biweekly, monthly and quarterly maintenance options to help keep your xeriscape looking its best.
Xeriscape Installation, Step by Step
After an on-site consultation, LaBarge can plan and carry out the work included in your estimate. That may involve removing existing lawn or materials, grading the site for drainage, converting irrigation, installing plants and adding groundcover or hardscape features.
We install fabric beneath landscape rock unless you request otherwise. Gravel and mulch are usually installed at a depth of 2 inches; the final depth will be specified for your project. New plants carry a 30-day warranty when an operational irrigation system is in place.
Help With Lawn Conversion Rebates
If you’re replacing an existing lawn, you may be interested in an Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority rebate. LaBarge can help with the design and paperwork, including the application.
Check the utility’s current requirements and obtain any required preapproval before removing turf. The utility determines whether a project qualifies; a rebate cannot be guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is xeriscaping maintenance-free?
No. It can reduce lawn care, but plants, irrigation, weeds and groundcover still need attention.
Does a xeriscape need irrigation?
Usually, yes. Living plants need water, particularly while they become established. Drip irrigation can deliver it where it’s needed.
Can LaBarge convert my existing lawn?
Yes. Lawn removal, irrigation changes and replacement landscaping can be included in the project.
Can LaBarge help with grading and drainage?
Yes. Grading and drainage needs can be assessed and included in the approved installation scope.
Local Service Area
Northeast Heights
Homeowners in the Northeast Heights may use xeriscaping to:
Reduce aging lawn areas
Update established planting
Convert spray irrigation to drip
Add low-water plants
Improve curb appeal
Coordinate mature trees with lower-water groundcover
Tanoan
Tanoan properties may benefit from premium xeriscape designs that combine:
Structured planting
Decorative gravel
Seasonal color
Trees and shrubs
Courtyard hardscape
Small, intentional lawn areas
Outdoor-entertaining features
High Desert
High Desert landscapes should complement community aesthetics and foothill conditions through:
Refined desert planting
Natural boulders
Controlled gravel colors
Wind-conscious plant selection
Drip irrigation
View preservation
Lower-profile design
Sandia Heights
Sandia Heights properties may require naturalistic xeriscaping designed around:
Foothill terrain
Existing native vegetation
Wildlife
Wind
Views
Slopes
Water-conscious planting
North Albuquerque Acres
Larger properties may support:
Broad xeriscape zones
Shade trees
Courtyards
Multiple outdoor-use areas
Long pathways
Mixed turf and xeriscape
Phased landscape installation
Four Hills
Four Hills projects may combine:
Slope-conscious planting
Low-water trees and shrubs
Patios
Retaining walls
View-oriented design
Reduced turf
Nob Hill, University Heights, Altura Park and Huning Castle
Established central neighborhoods may need:
Smaller courtyard xeriscapes
Mature-tree protection
Lawn reduction
Historic-home-sensitive planting
Narrow-access installation
Updated irrigation
South Valley
South Valley landscapes may incorporate:
Traditional Southwestern materials
Courtyards
Larger outdoor spaces
Shade trees
Fruit or ornamental planting
Gravel and mulch
Rio Rancho, NM
Rio Rancho is a priority xeriscape market for:
New-home dirt yards
Front-yard conversions
Turf reduction
Complete backyard installation
Drip irrigation
Gravel and planting
Patios and paths
HOA-conscious designs
Corrales and Los Ranchos
Larger properties may use xeriscaping selectively while retaining:
Mature trees
Rural character
Courtyards
Native or adapted planting
Larger irrigated areas where appropriate
Placitas
Placitas projects may emphasize:
Naturalistic planting
Boulder integration
Views
Foothill terrain
Wildlife-conscious design
Lower-profile landscaping
East Mountain Communities
Cedar Crest, Tijeras and Edgewood landscapes should account for:
Elevation
Freezing temperatures
Wildlife
Plant hardiness
Water availability
Access
Seasonal installation timing