Albuquerque gets roughly nine inches of rain a year, so a lawn-and-sprinkler yard is a constant fight with the climate. Xeriscape works with it instead: plants that are adapted to dry air and strong sun, grouped by how much water they need, on drip irrigation that puts water at the roots instead of on the sidewalk.
Start with zones. Keep the plants that need the most water close to the house, where you'll enjoy them and where roof runoff can help. Move outward to tougher natives like Apache plume, desert willow, penstemon, and blue grama grass. Each zone gets its own drip line, so you're not overwatering the tough plants to keep the thirsty ones alive.
Rock and gravel do the heavy lifting visually, but they need a base. Weed barrier under the rock and a solid edge between gravel and planting beds keep the yard looking clean for years instead of one season. Steel or concrete edging also stops gravel from migrating onto paths and patios.
Finally, give the yard a place to be used. A small paver patio, a gravel path, or a low retaining wall that doubles as seating turns a water-saving yard into an outdoor room. Those hardscape pieces are what make xeriscape feel designed rather than abandoned.