I use soaker hoses around the house foundation, and anything right near the hose gets more water; in the summer, anything not right next to the hose dies without extra watering. I like a xeriscape plan in the yard, but since I have to water the foundation, I'd like that zone to be a little wider.
I have thought about what I could put down that would spread the water a little wider, without spraying it into the air like a regular sprinkler. One idea was to take one of those flat tape-like sprinklers and mount it a few inches above the ground with some kind of garden stakes, and let it spray downward. It would hit a broader swath than the soakers. I've contoured the soil and much some years to try to make a difference. I suppose if I had a small fortune I'd put in an irrigation system and have it all on timers.