A Few Drought Resistant Plants for Your Desert Garden

When considering landscaping for the new millennium and beyond a great thing to keep in mind is that there is constant fear of global warming, the El Nino effect and countless other environmental anomalies that tend to keep cropping up along the way. Drought resistant landscaping and gardening is gaining popularity not only for the practicality of it today but also out of very real sense of fear for the necessity of this particular form of gardening tomorrow.

I prefer the notion of this particular type of landscaping for many reasons—not the first of which is the practicality of it. I love the fact that this particular style of garden is efficient and maximizes the earth’s resources for abundant results using minimal materials. If you are considering this type of landscaping for your home you should learn about some of these great drought resistant plants.

If you appreciate a little bit of color in your garden then Autumn Joy is a plant well worth keeping at the top of your planting list. As the name indicates this is a plant that flowers late in the season and is ideal for those hoping to achieve a balanced garden throughout the year. The flowers are quite lovely and can be found in the colors of: pink, red, orange, or yellow. This plant is a succulent, which means it is known for its lush greenery in addition to its beautiful flower. Other great succulents include Aloe Vera, scarlet paintbrush, and ice plant.

Believe it or not there are many trees that are also quite drought resistant and can provide much needed shade to some of your more tender plants. Great trees to plant in this particular climate and for these purposes include: dwarf conifers, olive trees, willow trees, and palm trees. Mesquite and Palo Verde are excellent bushes for providing shade to your landscaping.

Ornamental grasses are a great way to bring color to your drought resistant garden. These plants are hardy enough to handle the rough living involved in desert climes while bringing color and beauty to landscapes that can often be harsh at the very worst and lacking in color at the very least. These grasses typically flourish in the summer and fall and include such grasses as Blue Oat Grass, Purple Fountain Grass, and Mexican Feather Grass.

You should also consider some of the many wildflowers that grow locally in some areas. These are often brightly colored flowers that will bloom at different times throughout the year brining a little pop of color to your landscaping that is very much appreciated during seasons when other plants aren’t flowering for you. Some great wildflowers to consider include: desert gold poppies, African daisies, Indian blankets, and marigold. Their names alone paint a vivid picture of some of these lovely wildflowers and they do make a great addition to many gardens.

These plants are a good start for anyone looking for drought resistant plants. There is no hard or fast rule when it comes to landscaping in general, however when xeriscaping it is a good idea to learn as much as possible about your plants before putting them into the ground. Group according to water and care needs and you have a head start on a healthy garden that will survive and flourish with minimal water.