Xeric Landscaping in Austin, Texas Since 2015
Let's connect: max@xericulture.net
XERICULTURE
UNUSUAL XERIC SPACES
Who I am...
My name is Max Silvers. I am an ethnobotany nerd, self-trained landscape artist and certified permaculture designer. I used to dream about how I would one day be able to combine all of my botanical interests. XERICULTURE represents the synthesis of these areas of interest. It is a concept that was many years in the making. When I realized that all around us are small and neglected, urban spaces that are laying fallow, waiting to be made productive the idea just clicked. I have worked hard to meld principals of permaculture and conventional xeriscaping into something entirely new - xericulture, but with a focus on nooks and tucked away places that are a byproduct of the "built environment" that need attention and focus.
What I do...
I design and install unusual, low-water desert plant landscapes, including rock and gravel arrangements, as well as hardscape elements, many of which are salvaged (recycling is good). I also consult on a wide range of interesting projects and opportunities around the world. For installations, I like to follow site contours and peculiarities, as it is my goal to seamlessly integrate both native staples and obscure botanical oddities into a flowing patchwork that can potentially provide food and medicine, a home for small critters and pollinators, as well as lovely vistas. I am a certified permiculturist and weave these principals into all of my work. No room in your yard? I also sculpt miniature, indoor xeric landscapes in cool containers, you can also provide your own container if you have a particular aesthetic in mind!
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Services
Xericulture is not only about good design principals and xeric installations, it is also about education and consultation.
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Design: Typically staying within xeric and permaculture standards, I have fine tuned the art of natural and flowing low water, arid landscapes that can, when desired, include permaculture principals to create a micro-environment that is healthy, balanced and an ideal home to native fauna.
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Installation: Most of my projects are on the smaller side which allows me to truly craft a landscae that fits its surroundings. Unless of course, I am creating one of my miniature, potted landscapes. I do all of my own installation work which allows me to currate flora and to thoughtfully place each plant just where it should be.
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Consultation: I am often asked to consult on larger projects, which can be both xeric and permaculture-focused. And there is no real limit geographically. I am comfortable with all climate zones around the world. My consultation services are typically charged by the hour and draw on my years of plant, ecosystem and permaculture design knowlege.
