Did you know that over 50% of the Great Plains region of the United States was in Severe to Exceptional levels of drought at the end of March 2023? That means a large portion of the already-dry regions in America were even drier. So what does that mean for local landscaping and fauna?
Well, believe it or not, drought tolerant landscaping is an option to help mitigate the damage to your home’s landscaping during a drought or dry season. And we’re going to help you know what to choose and how to best utilize it in your yard.
The Best Drought-Tolerant Plants
Being an Arizona landscaping company, we could talk all day about our favorite dry-climate plants— don’t get us started. But this is the best place to start when you’re even considering your drought-tolerant landscaping options. Knowing what your plant options are for dry conditions like your Arizona yard can help give you some inspiration for your landscape design. So while we can’t list them all, here are some of the best plants that can thrive despite having little to no water.
Coneflower
Coneflower is a beautiful purple flower that not only thrives in almost any type of soil, but attracts birds and butterflies. This is an ideal plant if you’re looking to start a butterfly garden in your yard.
Agastache
If you’re not a fan of bees, we wouldn’t recommend Agastache; however, bees absolutely love this adorable flower. These plants can grow up to five feet tall and feature green leaves with brightly purple stalks. If you’re looking to line the back of your property with some bee-friendly plants, these should be your first choice.
Lavender
If you’ve never walked through a neighborhood during a fresh lavender bloom, you’re truly missing out. This plant not only looks good but smells incredible. Consider this fragrant plant in your list of drought tolerant landscaping ideas.
Yucca
Native to the hot and dry areas of North and South America, Yucca shrubs are a great way to quickly and easily fill your Arizona yard with full and bountiful plant life. Yucca root actually helps water penetrate deep into the soil, so it can actually assist other plants during a drought by spreading water evenly throughout the soil in your yard.
Cacti
Cacti are highly sufficient plants that can thrive in little water and tons of sunshine— making them an ideal plant for your Arizona landscaping. While they can be a hazard if you’re prone to want to run around and play in the yard, once installed, they’re one of the lowest maintenance plants you can have, especially in a dry climate.
California Poppy
California poppies are an annual plant that is a great option if you have bad soil in your yard. They grow best in full sun but don’t require the most fertile soil to thrive. Plus, their bright reddish-orange hue looks stunning against their bright green stems.
Russian Sage
Another very tolerant plant is the Russian Sage. This plant is highly resilient and can survive in cold weather, hot weather, droughts, and bad soil. You won’t regret planting this beautiful purple plant in your yard.
Catmint
Another pollinator, Catmint, grows lush bushes with purple stalk flowers that can withstand droughts and work great in rock gardens. Plus, they smell really good, and you’ll love sitting among them as the local insects and animals thrive in their new home.
If you don’t have a green thumb, even with these resilient options, you don’t even need to have plants in order to have a functional and beautiful yard. There are solutions like rocks, sitting areas, and pathways that can give life and dimension to your dry yard without the need to care for plants.
How to Begin Your Drought-Safe Landscaping Plan
Whether you’re looking to implement a low-maintenance yard solution or want help achieving a stunning focal point with stunning landscaping, you need to start somewhere. So where do you begin with your drought-safe landscaping design? Take these vital steps:
- Research how you want to incorporate plants, mulch, grass, and more into your landscape.
- Measure the size of your yard and create a vision board of what you might want.
- Work with a professional landscaper to brief a plan of attack for your yard.
- Get a final design layout before purchasing any plants or yard elements.
- Work out a budget for installation and materials.
- Schedule your landscaping installation.
A good landscaper will be able to help you find the right plants to survive the climate, but also meet your needs as far as maintenance. If you’re a very involved gardener, you’ll want to incorporate some solutions that allow you to do your own lawn care. For the more hands-off homeowner, maybe your landscaping includes more rocks, sitting areas, pathways, and other non-plant solutions.
When You’re Ready, Three Timbers is Here to Help
Ultimately, you’re going to want a little help executing your outdoor living spaces. From the design to the final result to regular maintenance, Three Timbers can help you achieve the best and most drought-friendly yard around.
Our thorough assessment right away will help us determine the best plan of action in your yard. And maybe it’s a full revamp of your space, or maybe we come up with some maintenance solutions that trim back what you already have so it feels more maintained and less overwhelming.
Either way, our team is here to help you plan, design, install, and maintain your drought-tolerant yard once and for all. Simply reach out to us today to get started or learn more about your options.
