Xeriscaping vs Zeroscaping — What's the Difference?

If you've started researching water-wise landscaping in Utah, you've encountered both terms — xeriscaping and zeroscaping. They're often used interchangeably, and sometimes used in ways that imply they mean different things. Here's the complete explanation, including what each term originally meant, how their usage has evolved in Utah, and which term the state's rebate program uses.

Where "Xeriscaping" Comes From

Xeriscaping was coined by Denver Water in 1981. The word combines the Greek "xeros" (meaning dry) with "landscaping." It was developed as a seven-principle framework for water-efficient landscaping — not a specific aesthetic, but a methodology for designing, building, and maintaining landscapes that use water as efficiently as possible.

The seven original xeriscaping principles are: (1) plan and design for water efficiency, (2) improve soil to hold moisture better, (3) limit or eliminate turf areas, (4) select drought-tolerant plants, (5) water efficiently with the right irrigation, (6) use mulch to retain soil moisture, and (7) maintain properly to sustain water efficiency. A xeriscaped landscape doesn't have to look a specific way — it can include small patches of turf, lush native plantings, or elaborate water features — as long as every element is chosen and installed with water efficiency as the primary goal.

Where "Zeroscaping" Comes From

Zeroscaping emerged as a popular variant in the 2000s, primarily in the American Southwest — Nevada, Arizona, and then Utah. The "zero" in zeroscaping references the idea of zero water, zero maintenance, or zero lawn — an emphasis on eliminating irrigated turf entirely rather than simply reducing it.

In practice, the term became associated with a specific aesthetic: decomposed granite, river rock, ornamental grasses, and desert-adapted plants as the dominant landscape material, with minimal or no irrigated turf remaining. This contrasts slightly with xeriscaping's more flexible definition, which could accommodate well-placed turf areas if they serve a functional purpose and are irrigated efficiently.

How Utah Uses Both Terms

In Salt Lake County's landscaping and water management world, both terms are used interchangeably and refer to the same general category of practice: removing high-water-use irrigated grass and replacing it with rock, gravel, drought-tolerant plants, and efficient or eliminated irrigation. Water districts, contractors, and homeowners use whichever term they prefer without a meaningful distinction.

Our company name — Zeroscape LLC — uses the zero variant, but we approach every project with the full seven principles of xeriscaping: proper design and drainage, soil improvement in planted areas, plant selection tuned to Salt Lake County's climate (zones 7a–7b), drip irrigation for planted zones, and proper installation techniques that make the landscape genuinely sustainable rather than just rock on top of weed barrier.

What the Utah Rebate Program Calls It

Utah Water Savers, the state's primary turf removal rebate program, uses neither term specifically. The program refers to "qualifying turf removal" and "water-wise landscaping" — focusing on what you remove (qualifying irrigated turf) and what you replace it with (approved water-wise materials from the program's approved list). Whether you call the result zeroscaping, xeriscaping, or water-wise landscaping doesn't affect eligibility.

What matters for eligibility is: the material removed is qualifying irrigated turf (bluegrass, tall fescue, ryegrass, or similar cool-season grasses), the replacement covers at least 80% of the removed area with approved materials (rock, gravel, mulch, qualifying drought-tolerant plants), irrigation in the converted area is eliminated or converted to drip, and the project is pre-approved before removal begins. Naming is irrelevant to the rebate process.

Which Approach Is Right for Your Utah Yard?

For most Salt Lake County homeowners, the practical distinction is irrelevant. What matters is the outcome: a yard that uses dramatically less water, requires much less maintenance, qualifies for Utah's rebate program, and looks attractive year-round under any watering restriction schedule.

The design decisions that matter are: which materials work best for your soil type and drainage conditions (decomposed granite compacts well in Utah's clay, river rock drains faster but shifts more), which plants survive both Utah's summer heat and its cold winters (zone 7 cold-hardiness is often overlooked in drought-tolerant plant recommendations written for warmer Southwest climates), and how to handle irrigation transition in areas that will have plants requiring occasional supplemental water.

Russ Lundberg brings 10+ years of Salt Lake County landscape experience to every project — which plants perform, which materials hold up, how to grade for Utah's clay drainage characteristics, and how to structure the project to maximize rebate eligibility. Call 801.450.0198 or request a free quote online.