Xeriscape Colorado: The Statewide Guide to Laws, Rebates, and Regional Conditions
Denver averages roughly 14–15 inches of precipitation a year. Grand Junction gets closer to 9. Either way, most Colorado yards are still planted with bluegrass that needs far more water than ever falls from the sky, and the 2026 drought made that gap impossible to ignore.
This page is the statewide view: what Colorado law says about xeriscape, which water providers are paying for lawn conversions right now, and how conditions change between the Front Range and the Western Slope. If you're in the Denver metro and want the basics — the seven principles, plant groupings, how a project comes together — start with our introduction to xeriscaping in Denver. If you want a crew to do it, that's our xeriscape installation service.
What Xeriscape Actually Is
Xeriscape is landscaping built around water efficiency: plants adapted to your climate, efficient irrigation, and a design that keeps water demand low without giving up a usable, good-looking yard. Denver Water coined the term in 1981, which makes Colorado the birthplace of the idea.
It isn't gravel and cactus. A good Colorado xeriscape looks like it belongs here — native grasses, perennials blooming from spring into fall, boulders and flagstone for structure, and drip irrigation running on a long interval. Denver Water's seven xeriscape principles apply statewide; what changes from region to region is the plant list and how much supplemental water the plants need.
Colorado Xeriscape Law: What Homeowners and Property Managers Need to Know
HOAs can't ban xeriscape — C.R.S. 38-33.3-106.5
Colorado's protection lives in the Common Interest Ownership Act at C.R.S. 38-33.3-106.5. An HOA can't prohibit xeriscape or drought-tolerant landscaping on an owner's lot. HB21-1229 expanded that protection to cover nonvegetative landscaping, including artificial turf.
HOAs still have a say. They can adopt reasonable design and aesthetic guidelines — plant types, number and placement, hardscape — and they can limit artificial turf to back yards. What they can't do is reject a xeriscape just because it doesn't have grass.
The practical move in an HOA: submit a real design before anything gets torn out, keep it clean and intentional so "it looks unmaintained" isn't a credible objection, and cite the statute if you get pushback. More on that process in our guide to HOA landscaping rules in Denver.
SB24-005 — no new decorative turf on commercial and common property
SB24-005 took effect January 1, 2026. Local governments can no longer allow new nonfunctional turf, artificial turf, or invasive plants on commercial, institutional and industrial property, HOA common property, street rights-of-way, parking lots, medians, and transportation corridors. Athletic fields are exempt.
Private residential yards aren't covered. But if you manage an HOA's common areas, a business park, or a commercial entry, new decorative bluegrass and artificial turf are off the table — xeriscape is the path forward. See our commercial and HOA landscaping service for what that conversion looks like.
Xeriscape Rebates by Water Provider
Rebates in Colorado are run by your water provider, not the state, and they change every year. Here's where things stood as of September 2026:
| Water provider | 2026 status | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Water | Closed for 2026. Up to $750 off Resource Central's turf-removal service (min. 200 sq ft, no artificial turf); all 2026 discounts are allocated and no new applications are accepted. Watch for a 2027 program. | Denver Water turfgrass removal |
| Aurora Water (GRIP) | $3/sq ft for a traditional water-wise landscape, $0.50/sq ft for water-wise grass. Aurora must approve the project before installation; not retroactive. The 2026 spring window ran Mar. 1–Aug. 15. | Aurora Water-Wise Landscape Rebate |
| Colorado Springs Utilities | Check Colorado Springs Utilities' current programs. | CSU rebates and programs |
| Fort Collins Utilities | Check Fort Collins Utilities' current Xeriscape Incentive Program. | Fort Collins XIP |
| Thornton Water | Check Thornton Water's current program. | Thornton residential rebates |
| Castle Rock Water | Check Castle Rock Water's current program. | Castle Rock rebates |
| Parker Water & Sanitation | Check PWSD's current program. | PWSD rebates |
| Broomfield | Check Broomfield's current program. | Broomfield lawn replacement |
| Other Front Range providers | Many partner with Resource Central on lawn replacement. Check your provider's current program. | Resource Central lawn replacement |
Two rules hold almost everywhere: get approved before you remove anything, and don't plan on artificial turf counting toward a landscape rebate. We'll tell you which programs apply to your address and build to their rules where you're eligible. For the Denver-specific details, see our Denver xeriscape rebates guide.
Front Range vs. Western Slope: What You're Designing For
Front Range
Denver proper is USDA Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA hardiness map — winter lows of -10°F to -5°F, with some warm urban pockets at 6b and higher foothill-edge areas at 5b. Outside the metro, look up your ZIP code on the USDA map rather than guessing.
Cold is only part of it. Front Range yards deal with intense high-altitude sun, hot dry summer afternoons, wind, hail, and freeze-thaw swings through spring and fall. Most residential lots sit on clay that compacts and drains slowly, so soil prep and hydrozoning matter as much as plant choice. This is the climate the Denver Water principles were written for.
Western Slope
West of the Divide, the valley towns are a different design problem. Grand Junction averages about 9 inches of precipitation a year — markedly drier than Denver — and summer heat runs harder in the lower valleys. Plants that coast on Front Range rainfall after establishment may need more supplemental drip there, and plant lists should lean toward species proven in high-desert conditions.
Mountain towns flip the problem again: shorter growing seasons, deeper cold, and more snow. Check your zone, and pick plants proven at your elevation.
Plants That Work Across Colorado
The strongest Colorado palettes lean on natives and mix in well-adapted non-natives that perform the same once established. A few reliable anchors:
- Grasses: blue grama (Colorado's state grass), buffalograss for low-traffic areas, little bluestem and prairie dropseed for texture.
- Perennials: blanket flower, purple coneflower, sulphur-flower buckwheat, scarlet globemallow, penstemons, and blue flax.
- Shrubs: rubber rabbitbrush for September gold, three-leaf sumac for fall color, mountain mahogany, Apache plume, and fernbush.
Browse the full plant library, or see our top native plants for Denver xeriscape.
What a Xeriscape Costs
Our xeriscape installs start at $6/sq ft, and most projects land between $6 and $10/sq ft depending on plant density, rock and boulders, hardscape, and irrigation. A 1,000 sq ft conversion runs $6,000–10,000. Design is $500, credited toward the project on installs over $5,000. The full breakdown is in our xeriscaping cost guide.
How to Start a Xeriscape Project in Colorado
Design first. Plant placement, irrigation zones, drainage, and hardscape layout compound — fixing them after install costs far more than getting them right up front. Our xeriscape design guide walks through what that looks like.
Line up approvals before demo. If you're in an HOA, submit your design for review. If your water provider has an open rebate, get pre-approved. Neither can be done after the fact.
Time it right. On the Front Range, late April through June and September through mid-October are the planting windows. More in our guide to the best time to xeriscape in Denver.
Water through establishment. Even drought-tolerant plants need regular water their first season. Drip on a long interval gets them rooted, then you taper.
Maintain lightly, but consistently. A spring cutback, weeding before things set seed, drip checks, and a fall cleanup cover most of it.
Ready to Replace Your Lawn?
Xeris designs and installs xeriscapes across Denver and the surrounding metro — design, lawn removal, drip irrigation, planting, and rock. We'll walk your yard, tell you which rebate programs apply to your address, and show you what it costs. Request an estimate.