Xeriscapes

Image courtesy of the Parker Water Sanitation District, Colorado Is water becoming scarce or too valuable a resource in your area?

Plant a garden of drought resistant perennials in place of your lawn or fussy plants and never water your garden again. Xeriscape is the term used to describe an easy care garden that requires little or minimal rainfall, no fertilizer, and no attention.

This type of garden is also suitable for areas difficult to landscape such as a rocky garden or a steep slope. There is a vast choice of drought tolerant plants that will allow the gardener to impose a personal vision on such a garden.

Here is a list of some of the more colorful and more interesting drought tolerant perennials:- Achillea, Agave, Agastache, Anthemis, Artemisia, Asclepias, Baptisia, Centrathus ruber, Caryopteris, Coreopsis, Echinacia, Gaillardia, Liatris, Lavender, Lychnis, Nepata, Peony, Poppy, Oregano rotundifolium, Penstemmon, Perovskia, Physostegia, Salvia, Sedum, Yucca filimentosa. A good rule of thumb: most perennials whose leaves are silver color can withstand drought.

Because ornamental grasses are drought resistant, they are also suitable for xeriscapes. Here too the choices are only limited by the hardiness of one's growing zone.