Drought-Tolerant Landscaping Ideas

Most homeowners want a lush green landscape with beautiful plants and pretty flowers. However, the dry Arizona desert isn’t the ideal location for the green, lush look. You don’t have to give up on a beautiful landscape just because you live in a hot and dry region or want to save water. Even a brief search on the Internet will reveal thousands of drought-tolerant landscaping ideas. Here are a few of them for you to consider:

Gravel Ground

If you live in a region with scarce rainfall, like Arizona, you may want to consider using gravel ground in your yard.

Gravel comes in different colors and sizes, and can look beautiful if implemented tastefully. Rock gravel is incredibly sustainable and far less labor-intensive than grass. The biggest advantage of this material is that it allows water to pass through and sink into the ground. Any water you add will be refined by the mud and gravel before it replenishes the groundwater levels. This will help your succulent plants thrive and further your water conservation efforts.

Potted Plants

Potted plants are your best friend if you want a beautiful garden but don’t want to waste much water keeping the plants healthy.

Pots will contain the plants, protect them from pests, and require less water. Pots can also add an interesting decorative and artistic element to your landscape, elements you can move around and change out whenever you want. Want a little more color for spring? Try container gardening. You’ll conserve water and add beauty your landscape design at the same time.

Large Trees

Large trees that are native to the region will be an excellent addition to your front or backyard.

These trees are grand and beautiful, so they’ll make your landscape look good. They’re also uniquely adapted to the weather conditions of your region and are quite self-sufficient. Once you ensure the conditions are right and the trees are planted well, you don’t need to invest much effort into maintaining them. These trees will also provide shade and shelter so smaller plants and grass can thrive underneath. The branches will protect the soil from the harsh rays of the sun and minimize evaporation.

Drip Irrigation

Sprinklers and other such irrigation systems waste a lot of water.

Drip irrigation is the most effective way to automatically water your plants and still conserve it. This system will take water directly to the plant roots and supply them with what they need. It can be pre-programmed according to your requirements and you can control just how much water the plants receive. For example, you can supply more water to plants that need it and less to plants that don’t. For more information, visit our irrigation schedule page.

Drought-Resistant Plants

Plants and grass that naturally grow in hot and desert-like environments have adapted to their surrounding environment.

These drought-tolerant plants need less water and don’t succumb to the heat and the sun as easily as more delicate plants. There are a number of options available to you and they’re just as beautiful and colorful as plants found in more temperate and humid climates.

Succulents

You can add succulents like cactus, agave, yucca, aloe, and sedum to your landscape. California fuchsia, wine cups, myoporum, and other such drought-resistant plants will provide excellent ground cover. Plants like boxwood are extremely resilient and will remain evergreen regardless of the conditions. You can also plant colorful species like autumn sage, bunny ears cactus, begonia, and yellow columbine, etc.
As you can see, you can have a beautiful and thriving landscape even in areas with water scarcity. An expert landscaper, like the ones with Blooming Desert, will know of the best draught resistant plants and grass for your location and help you plan a great drought tolerant landscape design.