In a dry climate, drought-tolerant landscaping ideas can help you reduce water use and protect the environment. Whether you build a rock garden, try ornamental grasses, install drip irrigation, cover the soil, grow native plants and succulents, group plants with similar needs, create an outdoor living space, install a rain harvesting system, or add hardscaping materials, drought doesn’t have to ruin your landscape.
Top 8 landscaping ideas for drought-prone areas
Drought-tolerant landscaping, or xeriscaping, reduces water use and supports eco-friendly gardens. It uses plants that need less water, efficient watering systems, and smart designs for dry climates. Whether you want to conserve water or reduce yard maintenance, this landscaping technique can make your outdoor space more resilient and sustainable.
Let’s unpack the top 8 landscaping ideas for drought:
1. Build a rock garden
A green lawn looks good but generally doesn’t handle dry weather well.
Instead, you can install a rock garden. It uses minimal water, requires less upkeep, prevents soil erosion, and adds a natural and pretty element to landscapes. A rock garden can also improve soil drainage and work with various spaces and styles.
2. Try ornamental grasses/drought-tolerant grasses
Install drought-tolerant grasses such as fescues, Zoysiagrass, bermudagrass, or buffalograss. They require less water and maintenance and withstand drought better.
Likewise, you can opt for ornamental grasses to give your drought-tolerant landscape a charming touch. They prevent soil erosion, require little care, add visual interest, movement, and texture, and offer versatility in various landscape settings. They blend well with other drought-tolerant plants and create attractive designs.
Popular ornamental grasses include:
- Blue fescue
- Pampas grass
- Mexican feather grass
- Maiden grass
- Feather reed
- Muhly grass
- Fountain grass
3. Install drip irrigation
Drip irrigation is a watering system that sends small, targeted amounts of water directly to grass and plant roots. It prevents evaporation, increases yard water efficiency, and can easily be automated.
Some drip irrigation options include:
- Poly tubing: Releases water directly into the soil, near the plants. Ideal for both small and large areas, garden beds, shrubs, and vegetable gardens.
- Soaker hoses: “Bleed” water directly from pores to the soil surface and can be buried under mulch to reduce evaporation. They’re cost-effective and easy to install and maintain.
- Drip tape: Comes in different amounts of spacing and is best for raised flower beds.
- Micro sprinklers: Provide a wide spray pattern and gentle, uniform watering suitable for groundcovers, flower beds, and vegetable gardens.
Each style of drip irrigation has pros and cons, so choose the one that best suits your garden size, plants, local climate, and personal preferences for control.
Monitor soil moisture and adjust your watering based on weather conditions and what your plants need.
4. Cover the soil
To increase the drought tolerance of your landscape, cover the soil as much as possible. You can:
- Group plants close together to increase shade. The denser your landscape, the less water evaporates in the sun.
- Add mulch to reduce evaporation, retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil health.
- Choose drought-tolerant groundcover, such as ice plant, Angelina sedum, or creeping thyme. They prevent erosion by reducing soil exposure and can easily replace water-intensive lawns. Besides that, the University of Maryland Extension says they’re ideal for sharp angles, narrow strips, or steep slopes. Mulch and weed until they establish.
5. Grow native plants and succulents
Native plants are a must in a drought-prone landscape. They naturally grow in your region and are well adapted to the local climate, soil, and weather conditions, including drought. Plus, they attract pollinators, require little water, resist pests and diseases, and support local wildlife.
Common native plants include:
- Flowers
- Black-eyed Susan
- California poppy
- Milkweed
- Coneflower
- Sunflower
- Sage
- Vines
- Virginia creeper
- American bittersweet
- Honeysuckle
- Trumpet creeper
- Yellow jessamine
- Shrubs
- Mesquite
- Buttonbush
- Spicebush
- Saw palmetto
Succulents store water in their leaves, making them excellent outdoor plants in a drought. Various types, such as sedum succulents, can naturally enhance your rock garden or line your walkways.
Common succulents include:
- Sedum
- Hens and chicks
- Agave
- Jade plant
- Aloe vera
- Echeveria
- Euphorbia
6. Group plants with similar water needs
Also called hydrozoning, grouping plants with similar water needs can reduce water waste (and your water bills), simplify garden care, and maintain plant health by ensuring each plant gets the right amount of water.
Before starting:
- Evaluate your garden’s current layout and identify areas where you have sun, shade, runoff, or awkward angles.
- Categorize your plants based on their water needs: high, moderate, or low. Use gardening books or online resources to determine this.
Design your hydrozones by placing high-water plants in areas that naturally retain more moisture (shaded areas) and low-water plants in sunnier, drier spots.
What you can grow in each water zone:
- High-water zones: Vegetables, turfgrass, and flowering annuals
- Moderate to low water zones: Perennials, shrubs, groundcovers, and ornamental grasses
- Very low-water zones: Cacti, succulents, native plants, and drought-tolerant perennials
7. Install a rain harvesting system
Collect and store rainwater to supplement your water supply during a drought. You can harvest rainwater from your rooftop, driveway, and other surfaces and direct it into a storage system for later use. This reduces the need for municipal water, offers an accessible water source, and controls stormwater runoff.
Some excellent containers to consider include:
- Rain barrels: They can hold between 50 and 100 gallons of rainwater. Place them at the base of your downspouts to collect water from your roof and attach a spigot to turn it on and off. Alternatively, scoop water out with a bucket. Rain barrels are good for watering your lawn, garden, car, or other areas.
- Cisterns: These large storage tanks hold more water than rain barrels, often hundreds or thousands of gallons. They’re ideal for extensive irrigation needs or emergency water supplies, but have a higher initial cost and require more space (above or below ground). Cisterns use a pressurized plumbing system to deliver water to a household.
- Rain chains: An alternative to traditional downspouts, rain chains are linked cups that collect rainwater and direct it to a storage container. They combine functionality with visual appeal and are easy to install.
Important note: Never use water from a storage container to drink or cook food. Rainwater can pick up dirt, debris, bird droppings, bacteria, viruses, or chemicals that can cause illness. To be considered safe, it must be filtered, disinfected, and tested.
8. Add hardscaping elements
Hardscapes can add structure, visual interest, and functionality to any outdoor space.
Porous asphalt, gravel, pavers, and concrete let water infiltrate the ground, reduce runoff, and prevent water pooling. Besides their practical uses, these products often use recycled materials and come in various colors, shapes, and textures.
One option is adding a gravel layer to fill in the space around your stepping stones.
Another is installing:
- Water features
- Decorative edging
- Retaining walls
- An outdoor fireplace
- A deck, pergola, or patio
FAQ about drought-tolerant landscaping ideas
What’s a good groundcover to walk on?
Ajuga, creeping Jenny, creeping thyme, and sedum are excellent groundcovers for foot traffic and can help increase your landscape’s drought tolerance. These options are both sturdy and stylish.
What’s the difference between drought-tolerant and drought-resistant landscaping?
Drought-tolerant plants need minimal water to survive and grow. They have features like deep roots, reduced leaf area, and water storage capabilities that help them endure dry periods. That said, they still benefit from occasional watering.
Drought-resistant plants can live through extreme drought conditions but won’t thrive as much. Without access to water, they survive by going dormant or reducing growth. These plants are superior at surviving in very dry places compared to drought-tolerant plants.
How can I design a drought-tolerant garden with year-round visual appeal?
A drought-tolerant garden can be both practical and beautiful. Select plants with various bloom times, foliage colors, and textures to achieve visual appeal throughout the year.
Combine native plants with succulents, cacti, flowering plants, grasses, groundcovers, and evergreen shrubs or trees to provide structure and color and fill in spaces between larger plants.
Your landscape can look great even in a drought
You can live in a dry area and still have a great-looking landscape. Our tips can help you conserve water and create an eco-friendly yard with plenty of curb appeal. If this seems overwhelming and you’re not into DIY, you can contact a local Lawn Love pro for expert help on creating a drought-tolerant landscape.
Main Image Credit: Thierry RYO | Adobe Stock Free | License
