You’ve heard of landscaping and hardscaping, but what about “xeriscaping”? This is the use of drought tolerant flowers and other plants in your yard or garden.
Although it’s been used in desert climates for a long time, xeriscaping is starting to catch on in other areas of the country, too. The practice’s newfound popularity is due partially to droughts and to an increase in eco-conscious gardening. It’s also an ideal solution for people who want to spend less time on lawn and garden maintenance.
We’ve compiled a list of the best drought tolerant flowers that combine ease of care, hardiness, and beauty.
Verbena
A colorful ground cover that spreads quickly and blooms in vibrant clusters, verbena loves hot weather, full sun, and little to no water.
Lavender
If you love the smell of lavender, you’re in luck. One of the most recognizable of all the drought tolerant flowers, lavender is easy to grow. Its beautiful purple color and luscious smell with delight your senses.
Of course, it’s also a breeze to harvest and dry, for use in sachets or as potpourri.
Oleander
This stunning tropical shrub does best in full sun but can handle a few hours of shade with ease, too. Its blooms are wonderfully fragrant and come in a variety of colors including white, pink, purple, red and yellow.
Wallflowers
Don’t be shy about planting wallflowers! Although this beautiful, aromatic flowering plant does require some watering, it’s still a great choice among drought resistant flowers. Sunny or partially shaded parts of your garden are where wallflowers do best.
Blanket Flowers
One of the most foolproof flowers to grow, the blanket flower rewards gardeners with low maintenance but high-impact beauty. It will bloom prolifically throughout the summer and well into the fall.
Sage
This herb makes a lovely addition to your flower garden. Its muted green leaves provide a foil for the brighter hues of other drought resistant flowers. Sage is actually easy to kill if you overwater it, so it’s one of the most hands-off plants.
Come autumn, harvest your sage to flavor butternut squash soup, pumpkin ravioli, and your Thanksgiving stuffing.
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea is one tough shrub. It thrives in extreme weather conditions, including drought, is easy to grow, and provides stunning swaths of color across your lawn.
Rose Campion
Another of the drought tolerant flowers that are easy to grow, rose campion boasts not only bright blossoms but also gorgeous, silvery green foliage — not unlike the color of sage, in fact.
Globe Thistle
With an almost otherworldly appearance — like a flower from outer space or a Dr. Seuss universe — globe thistle is striking to behold. And once established, it’s among the easiest perennials to grow. Expect beautiful violent or blue hues to bloom in summer and early fall.
Poppies
These beautiful little red flowers are sure to make your garden, well, “pop” with color. They need moderate sun, and low-to-moderate water supplies, but they are also easy to grow in pots.
Not Sure Which Drought Tolerant Flowers Would Work in Your Garden?
Let us help! We will offer you a free quote for any landscaping project. We will even work with you to help design a xeriscaping game plan to make your garden thrive!
