Drought Gardening For the Hottest Summers

Water is a precious and limited resource that can add a lot of difficulty to your garden maintenance, particularly in summer months when droughts become more common. Low-water gardening, known as xeriscaping, is a way to design your garden with minimal need for water. By using plants and other dry landscape features, you can create a beautiful garden that won’t dry up in a drought.

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One easy way to create a drought-friendly design is to opt for minimal planting and focus instead on features like patios, paving, pergolas, fencing, and seating areas. Creative paving or tiles can be great focal points that need no water at all.

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When choosing plants for your low-water garden, succulents are the ideal choices. Succulents are plants that store water in their stems and leaves, allowing them to survive periods of drought. These plants survive in desert conditions, so they’re perfect for your xeriscaping needs. Examples of succulents include cacti, agave, aloe vera, stonecrop, and crassula.

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Stones are a big feature in xeriscaping, having both form and function. Not only can they be arranged beautifully to create a design feature, but they also help retain moisture in the soil which will help your plants survive for longer without watering.

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You should also consider ground cover when designing a drought resistant garden. Low growing plants like perennial grasses and herbs can help keep out weeds and maximize the water, air, and nutrients that gets to your plant roots.

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Even in a small spaces, you can make a big impact with xeriscaping when you layer bold, bright succulents at different levels. Mix low growing grasses and succulents with tall cacti and other stone elements to create something that really catches the eye.

Photo via Heather Ann Sullivan Sachs

Bold pavements are a simple and effective way to create a zero-water design feature in your yard. A simple, abstract pattern with slate, concrete, or brick will lead the eye through your garden and complement your plants perfectly.