How to Create a Drought-Tolerant Garden

 In today’s world, as many governing bodies are requiring that homes replace natural lawns with artificial turf, in an effort to save water: learning how to create a drought-tolerant garden may be more important than ever.  And a streamlined garden can still hold much appeal ~ with tall, native grasses to provide privacy & structure, & perennials like salvia to add a pop of color.  Here, I’ll provide a curated photo gallery & simple list of ideas to help make your own garden that much tougher & resilient.

Drought-tolerant gardens can still hold much visual interest, as shown in this Santa Barbara garden. Photo by Sunset Magazine.

The Top 4 Principles in a Low-Water Garden: 1) Reduce the amount of lawn & grass; 2) Add more perennials; 3) Install a drip-irrigation system; & 4) Use rock, flagstone, & other natural elements not only for beauty ~ but to reduce the number of areas that need to be watered.

Simple Ways to “Toughen” Your Garden…

This Carmel home is a wonderful example of a drought-resistant garden: large flagstone pieces set the stage, & punctuate the surrounding landscape & outdoor seating area. Photo by Houzz.

•  Consider Planting More Perennials than Annuals. Over time, perennials need less & less water, because their root systems grow so big & strong. Annuals, with their very shallow root systems, tend to need more water (& they also need to be re-planted the following year, which is a lot more work)! A primarily perennial garden (75%+) will pay dividends with your future water bills ~ as you’ll need to water the garden less & less over the years.
• Choose 4-5 Drought-Tolerant Plants & Trees to Repeat throughout Your Landscape. Repetition is often thought of as a French country garden principle: but it works well in drought-tolerant landscapes too. Take between 3-6 plants, & plant them in repeating patterns throughout your yard (i.e. plant 2 tall native grasses next to a lower, mounding shrub in front). Choose plants by asking your gardener which are most drought-tolerant in your area, or ask a local nursery. Or simply walk around your neighborhood & get inspired by seeing what does well, right around you. If your neighborhood doesn’t have many exciting gardens: take a walk around a high-end community in your town ~ these homes often employ drought-tolerant, easy-to-grow plants in attractive layouts.
• Have a Drip Irrigation System Installed ~ if you don’t already. They use much less water than sprinklers, & are actually a much more efficient way of watering plants & trees, as the “drip” is placed right at the plant’s base/root. 
• Consider Replacing Traditional Lawn with Artifical Turf.  This option won’t work for everyone, as some people just don’t like artificial grass. However, for many: artificial grass is totally worth it ~ especially if you have pets (who pee on your lawn). Again, many HOA’s & governments are requiring artificial turf, which I think is a big ask due to its high cost: but it does save water. I also love that it provides a perennially-green foreground for my English cottage garden ~ & lets me spend more time with my flowers.
• Consider Adding Permanent Elements that are NOT Flowers or Grass: What I mean by this is, you can also replace tired lawns with a beautiful fountain surrounded by rocks; or create a large flagstone seating area; use arbors & other permanent features to create interest & height in your garden, without necessarily planting greenery. All kinds of rocks & rock elements are also wonderful ways to minimize plantings, create pathways, & really highlight the areas you do choose to plant. All kinds of rock: from small pea gravel, to large drain rock (which many use to create French drain systems), & even massive boulders ~ all help create structure & interest in a xeriscape garden.
• Best Plants for the Drought-Tolerant Garden: Russian sage, salvia (almost any zone can grow some type of salvia), lavender, yarrow, bougainvillea, stonecrop, lantana, anything in the “Sage” family, agaves, cactus, all manner of native grasses ~ from Karl Foerster to Pampas to pretty-pink Muhly grass (even climates that freeze can grow some kind of native grass), rosemary, coneflower, catmint, zinnias, yucca, verbena….& the list goes on.

Almost all perennials & trees will become drought-tolerant over time: they need to be watered more frequently in their first year, but this lessens over time as roots become so developed.

Photos of Great Drought-Tolerant Gardens

This pretty yard is 90% rock & flagstone elements: which really lets the few plantings shine. Photo by Artificial Grass Recyclers.

Repeating grasses with low, mounding shrubs is used to great effect in this front yard. Photo by Better Homes & Gardens.

This is a great example of a modern, low-water garden: fake grass is broken up with large concrete squares, & bordered by a pretty rock garden. Photo by Artificial Turf Express.

Though there’s a lot of color here: there are actually just a few different plants repeated: a great technique in low-water gardens. Photo by Better Homes & Gardens.

This raised bed in my own garden creates privacy with tall lilacs & Karl Foerster grasses: a simple drip system emits just a tiny amount of water at the base of each plant.

Native grasses are a must in almost any garden type: especially low-water. The way they look at sunset is spectacular.

Palm Springs is a great resource for mid-century modern garden design. Here, just a few large rocks, cacti, & a handful of agave plants look sharp & put-together. Photo by Link Edge.

This South of France garden is an entirely “Dry Garden.” This means: there’s no drip system AT ALL!  And look at all they manage to grow… Photo by Gardens Illustrated.

More from the same French garden, which was created by Olivier & Clara Filippi. Photo by Gardens Illustrated.

Some of the plants used in this extraordinary French garden include: Pinus Pinea (the trees), Cistus x cyprius f. Albiflorus (evergreen shrubs with white flowers), Euphorbia Ceratocarpa (an evergreen perennial), & Phlomis purpurea (a tough, woody perennial).

A large fountain creates a focal point, & is surrounded by creeping groundcover, sage-like shrubs, & colorful perennials ~ none of which require much water. Photo by Better Homes & Gardens.

This Montecito garden keeps plantings limited to a few specific areas ~ with decomposed granite used in between. Photo by Montecito Landscape.

Muhly grass is an incredible way to add HUGE pops of color to your xeriscape garden. Photo by Popular Science.

One more look at the easy-growing Karl Foersters in my garden…all on drip.

Shop for easy-growing Karl Foerster native grasses online….sometimes they have them at my local nursery, but many times they don’t. These guys are tough & will survive even being shipped.

This gorgeous front yard perfectly uses symmetry & repeat plantings to create a calm, inviting entrance. Photo by Moon Valley Nursery.

How to Create a Drought-Tolerant Garden

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