NAZAR Research Center MANZAR, the Scientific Journal of landscape 2008-7446 17 71 2025 06 22 A Dryland Landscape or a Rainfed Landscape? Which Concept is Xeriscape Closer to? A Dryland Landscape or a Rainfed Landscape? Which Concept is Xeriscape Closer to? 70 81 218788 10.22034/manzar.2025.501367.2333 FA Leila Jahangiri M.A. in Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran. 0000-0001-7476-4693 Mohammadreza Mehrabanigolzar Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran. 0000-0001-9706-2723 Journal Article 2025 01 31 A careful selection of jargon is of great importance in the scientific arena as ambiguity or semantic discrepancy can cause misunderstanding and failure in promoting accurate concepts. An example of this is ‘Xeriscape’, an approach to landscape design in hot and dry climates based on seven principles. The purpose of this approach is to optimize landscape irrigation by maintaining the greenery and dynamism of the landscape. However, due to inaccurate translations and misconceptions, this approach has been misrepresented as a ‘Dry Landscape’, which evokes an image in contrast to its original nature. ‘Deym Kari’ which is translated as ‘Rainfed Farming’, is culturally entangled in the vernacular agriculture of Iran and reflects an adaptation to the hot and dry climate employing diverse water resources in coexistence with nature for centuries. This study attempts to conceptualize ‘Xeriscape’ accurately, by comparing it with its equivalents ‘Dry Landscape’ and ‘Rainfed Farming’. In doing so, this research hopes to introduce a more appropriate equivalent for ‘Xeriscape’ in Persian landscape design literature, portray a comprehensive picture of this approach, and change the misconception of ‘Dry Landscape’ to ‘ Rainfed landscape’ or sustainable green landscape. For this purpose, this study employed comparative and content analysis methods to scrutinize the concepts of ‘Xeroscape’, ‘Dry Landscape’, and ‘Rainfed Farming’ in the source (English) and target (Persian) languages. Available studies demonstrate that the principles of ‘Xeriscape’ are significantly aligned with the concept of ‘Rainfed Farming’ in Iranian gardens. This study hopes to serve as a fundamental milestone towards promoting new approaches to landscape design compatible with Iran’s climatic and cultural conditions and significantly contribute to enhancing the quality of open spaces and the urban environment. In addition, it is hoped that the results of the study to contribute to developing guidelines and standards for sustainable landscape design in hot and dry climates. A careful selection of jargon is of great importance in the scientific arena as ambiguity or semantic discrepancy can cause misunderstanding and failure in promoting accurate concepts. An example of this is ‘Xeriscape’, an approach to landscape design in hot and dry climates based on seven principles. The purpose of this approach is to optimize landscape irrigation by maintaining the greenery and dynamism of the landscape. However, due to inaccurate translations and misconceptions, this approach has been misrepresented as a ‘Dry Landscape’, which evokes an image in contrast to its original nature. ‘Deym Kari’ which is translated as ‘Rainfed Farming’, is culturally entangled in the vernacular agriculture of Iran and reflects an adaptation to the hot and dry climate employing diverse water resources in coexistence with nature for centuries. This study attempts to conceptualize ‘Xeriscape’ accurately, by comparing it with its equivalents ‘Dry Landscape’ and ‘Rainfed Farming’. In doing so, this research hopes to introduce a more appropriate equivalent for ‘Xeriscape’ in Persian landscape design literature, portray a comprehensive picture of this approach, and change the misconception of ‘Dry Landscape’ to ‘ Rainfed landscape’ or sustainable green landscape. For this purpose, this study employed comparative and content analysis methods to scrutinize the concepts of ‘Xeroscape’, ‘Dry Landscape’, and ‘Rainfed Farming’ in the source (English) and target (Persian) languages. Available studies demonstrate that the principles of ‘Xeriscape’ are significantly aligned with the concept of ‘Rainfed Farming’ in Iranian gardens. This study hopes to serve as a fundamental milestone towards promoting new approaches to landscape design compatible with Iran’s climatic and cultural conditions and significantly contribute to enhancing the quality of open spaces and the urban environment. In addition, it is hoped that the results of the study to contribute to developing guidelines and standards for sustainable landscape design in hot and dry climates. https://www.manzar-sj.com/article_218788_ba4b614c846f987caa04f389ea3d0418.pdf