Most of our region is not blessed with abundant rainfall. So maintaining a lawn or garden can take a lot of work and water.
Which is why some people look for alternatives, like xeriscaping and rain gardens. One is a nearly water-free way of landscaping, the other features native plants in shallow soil.
Kora Mousseaux at the Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District is familiar with both approaches to outdoor planting. She visits with some details of each.