The city of Surprise Xeriscape Demonstration Garden is officially open for the public.

The new one-acre garden is available for public viewing from sunrise to sunset seven days a week and is on the Surprise City Hall campus at 16000 N. Civic Center Plaza, just west of West Valley Arts HQ.

Visitors can view a wide variety of small newly planted flora, along with different hardscapes and learn more about responsible and sustainable water use when creating beautiful arid landscapes.

At the east entrance, visitors will find a kiosk providing them with information on upcoming programs, master gardener office hours and education on xeriscape principles.

The garden offers four themes along its mix of concrete and granite pathways including:

• Low desert native plants
• Native compatible plants that thrive in dry desert conditions
• Sensory garden space with diverse colors, smells and textures
• Year-round color display with a variety of plants with different blooming times.

At the center of the garden is an amphitheater large enough to accommodate 40 people, which will serve as a multi-purpose space for water conservation, master gardener and Arts HQ presentations.

This new space will help the Surprise Water Resource Management Department to demonstrate appropriate landscape maintenance and watering practices to residents, HOAs, commercial water users and other groups through both tours and self-guided materials.

Adding to the heart of the garden are two art pieces designed by local high school students as part of the Gallery 37 program through the West Valley Arts Council.

Both pieces reflect the sustainability of Xeriscape principles and the need to conserve water in the low desert. Students worked with master artist Ryan Williams and local art fabricator E2 Innovations to bring their designs to life.

Funding for the sculptures was made possible by the city of Surprise Arts and Cultural Advisory Commission, while the garden was made possible in part through funding from the Arizona Department of Water Resources, Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and United States Forest Service.

Surprise plans to host an official ribbon cutting and community event to celebrate the Xeriscape Demonstration Garden from 9 to 11 a.m. Sept. 17. During this time of year, the temperatures begin to cool down and the newly planted garden will have had time to become more established.

To learn about water conservation, including tips, rebates and workshops, visit this page.