Xeriscape Principles and Water-efficient Management of an Urban Park: A Descriptive Assessment of Güneş Park, Istanbul, Türkiye

Urban landscape management increasingly requires designs that accommodate seasonal water limitations without compromising accessibility and the ecological functions of public green space. This descriptive case study examines Güneş Park in Kartal, Istanbul, through the principles of xeriscape planning: site design, soil conditions, plant selection, turf allocation, irrigation, mulching and maintenance. The analysis draws on the park’s existing spatial plans, photographic documentation, planting inventory and secondary climatic information. The documented park area is 1,660 m², comprising 1,163 m² of vegetated space, 390 m² of hard surfaces and 107 m² of functional areas. A recalculation of the available plant schedule identifies 90 individual plants across 21 taxon or cultivar entries. The inventory classifies 24 individuals as having low, 13 low-to-medium, 34 medium and 19 high water demand; these are planning categories rather than measured plant water use. The spatial arrangement indicates that differentiated irrigation planning, assessment of turf function, and targeted soil-cover management are pertinent management priorities. No irrigation-meter data, calibrated evapotranspiration estimates or before-and-after intervention measurements were available, so actual water savings and climate-resilience gains cannot be quantified. The case illustrates how a structured, qualitative xeriscape appraisal can prioritise practical interventions while identifying the measurements needed to evaluate their effects.