Water is becoming an ever-more precious resource, even in the garden. Good news: dramatically reducing irrigation does not doom your outdoor space to look like a desert. By selecting plants suited to your soil, climate, and sun exposure, you can keep colorful borders throughout the summer.
A “waterless” garden doesn’t mean you’ll never need a drop of water. Even drought-tolerant plants require some care as young plants while their roots establish themselves.
What to remember
- A drought-tolerant plant should match the soil, climate, and sun exposure.
- Young plants require regular watering during their establishment.
- Lavender, thyme, sage, yarrow, sedum, rockrose, or the strawberry tree handle drought well once established.
- Mulching and autumn planting significantly reduce water needs.
Is a drought-tolerant garden really possible?
Some plants can tolerate several weeks without rain once they’re properly established. They often have narrow, tough, silvery, fuzzy, or fleshy leaves. These traits help limit evaporation or store small water reserves.
However, the outcome depends heavily on the site. A Mediterranean plant may withstand drought in well-drained soil, but suffer if its roots sit in waterlogged ground in winter.
Before planting, take note of:
- the amount of sun the bed will receive;
- the soil’s capacity to retain or shed water;
- the minimum temperatures in your region;
- wind and the heat reflected by walls or terraces.
The principle aligns with xeriscaping, a water-efficient landscaping approach. It’s not just about picking drought-tolerant plants; it’s about rethinking the entire garden.
What plants to choose for a dry and sunny garden?
Sunnier spaces offer the widest range of options. Mediterranean culinary herbs are especially appealing there. Thyme, lavender, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, and certain salvias generally love warmth and well-drained soils.
They’re also favored by pollinators. Their foliage remains decorative even when not in bloom, and some can be used in cooking.
Drought-tolerant flowering perennials
To compose a colorful border, you can pair together especially:
- Achillea millefolium, commonly called yarrow, which flowers for a long time and attracts many insects;
- Gaura, light and generous throughout the summer;
- Perennial salvias, offered in a wide range of colors;
- Iris, best planted in a sunny, well-drained spot;
- Euphorbia, decorative for its foliage and bloom;
- Panicaut, recognizable by its blue flowers;
- Sedum (stonecrop), whose fleshy leaves store water;
- Sempervivum (hens and chicks), ideal for rock gardens and crevices;
- Santolina, with silvery, highly graphic foliage.
The California poppy reseeds easily in light soils. Its orange blossoms provide a bright splash. Gazania also loves full sun, but its cold hardiness is limited. In regions with harsh winters, it is often grown as an annual.
Grasses to add movement
Some ornamental grasses tolerate dry soils well. Blue fescue forms small, compact clumps, while Stipa grasses add a light, airy feel to borders.
Not all grasses are suitable for drought. Check their needs and behavior in your region before introducing them. Some exotic species can self-seed vigorously.
What plants to choose for a dry, shaded spot?
A dry spot under a tree or against a wall requires more thought. Root competition and limited light often complicate planting.
The acanthus can tolerate partial shade and dry soil once established. It does, however, take up a lot of space and its leaves may disappear temporarily during severe drought.
Naples cyclamen, certain perennial geraniums, Epimedium, and the little periwinkle may also work depending on soil conditions. In these difficult spots, it’s best to start with a few plants and observe their behavior before filling the entire bed.
Which shrubs should you plant to limit watering?
Several evergreen shrubs tolerate dry spells once established. They provide structure year-round and can offer shelter for wildlife.
Flowering shrubs for dry soils
Cistus (rockrose) is one of the best candidates in regions with relatively mild winters. It loves sun and poor, stony, or sandy soils. Its bloom is very generous and repeats for several weeks.
Choisya, or Mexican orange, offers evergreen foliage and fragrant blossoms. It tolerates moderate drought once established, but appreciates some coolness in regions that get very hot.
Laurustinus, Ceanothus, the fig tree shrub (gattilier), and certain shrub Potentillas can also find a place. Their hardiness and needs vary by variety.
Composing a water-efficient hedge
A diversified hedge generally resists better than a monoculture row. You can mix Elaeagnus, viburnum tinus, filaree, the strawberry tree, and certain junipers.
The strawberry tree is particularly decorative. Its evergreen foliage is accompanied by flowers and then colorful fruits. It does, however, require enough space to grow.
Along the coast, Elaeagnus, tamarix, and some Olearias also tolerate sea spray. Be sure to check their frost tolerance and ultimate size before planting.
How to plant to sustainably reduce watering?
Even a low-water plant can fail if installed at the wrong time or in unsuitable soil. For trees, shrubs, and many hardy perennials, autumn is often the best time. The ground remains warm and rains help with rooting before the next summer.
Tender plants or those sensitive to winter moisture should be planted in spring. They’ll have several months to establish before the first cold snaps.
Before planting, soak the root ball to thoroughly moisten it. Then water generously at the base, and monitor the soil through the first year. Trees and large shrubs may require longer attention.
The right move
Prefer young, reasonably sized plants. They often establish more easily and develop a root system better suited to the soil.
Mulching, lawns, and pots: other levers to know
Mulching protects the soil from sun, reduces evaporation, and slows the growth of competing weeds. Dry leaves, chipped branches, straw, or well-dried clippings can be used depending on the plantings.
Avoid leaving bare soil between plants. Appropriate groundcovers also help preserve more moisture while creating refuges for wildlife.
Lawns deserve their own rethink. An established lawn can yellow during the summer and turn green again when rains resume. It’s therefore unnecessary to try to keep it perfectly green during a drought.
You can also replace less-used areas with a flowering prairie, groundcovers, or permeable pathways.
Finally, keep in mind that potted plants dry out much faster than those grown in the ground. Even drought-tolerant species will need regular monitoring. Choose large containers, avoid black pots exposed to sun, and group plants with similar water needs.
How to water when some irrigation is still necessary?
Water directly at the base of the plants, slowly and long enough to moisten the soil deeply. Infrequent but generous watering promotes deeper rooting than small daily amounts.
Prefer to water in the early morning. Before dawn, check the moisture just under the surface: soil that looks dry on top can still be cool a few inches down.
During drought, also check the watering restrictions in your town. A well-designed garden will better withstand these limits while remaining blooming, lively, and welcoming to biodiversity.
Also read
Find our tips for watering your garden effectively while saving water.
