San Pedro House Wildlife Landscape, Community Xeriscape, and Pond
The San Pedro House (SPH) is home to several demonstration landscape
projects designed with drought-resistant plants attractive to our
local wildlife. In the past two years, these efforts have become more
organized through the work of "Friends" volunteers, the Daughters of
the American Revolution (DAR), and the
Cochise County Master Gardeners
(MG).
In front and to the west of the SPH is a Wildlife Landscape planted
with a variety of primarily native drought-tolerant cactus,
succulents, shrubs, and trees. Once established, the plants in the
Wildlife Landscape need little or no supplemental water. Plant name
signs aid in plant identification and walkways through the landscape
make it easier to get a closer look at the plants. Portions of this
landscape have been "adopted" by the DAR and their members regularly
volunteer their time to maintain and expand the plantings. Future
plans call for turning this landscape into a showcase of plants native
to the SPRNCA. This landscape has been established to blend nicely
with the native landscape on its periphery.
To the rear of the SPH, the Community Xeriscape (CX) is a joint effort of the Friends and MG to demonstrate a low-maintenance, attractive, and affordable xeric landscape suitable for adoption by local homeowners. Rainwater is collected from the roof of the amphitheater and stored in two 100-gallon barrels and a 1550-gallon tank. A solar panel on the roof of the amphitheater powers a pump that pushes rainwater from the tank into a drip irrigation system used to provide supplemental water to the locally native flowers and shrubs used in the CX. Many of these plants are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. The CX is divided into three sections, each separated by walkways. One section uses gravel mulch, one uses bark mulch, and the third is a native grass lawn. Informational signs identify the plants and explain the different elements of the CX. A booklet sold in the SPH explains how the CX was designed and built.
Our most recent addition is a small pond located southwest of the SPH. This pond hosts a variety of attractive water plants, uses a solar-powered aeration fountain, and provides a supplemental water source for local birds and mammals. A shady walkway leads to the pond and a wooden bench in the shade of a cottonwood tree makes this a wonderful place to sit and watch birds come in to drink.
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