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Drought resistant gardening is called xeriscaping, joining the Greek word xeros, which means dry, with “-scape,” as in landscape to describe garden design planned to resist and withstand drought.

Drought resistant plants can reduce the water requirements in any garden, especially important now when a lot of the world is experiencing drought. In fact, many cities and counties are severely limiting the amount of lawn that can be planted in new developments because lawn require so much water to keep it looking green and healthy.

However, regardless of where you live, it would be a good idea to start considering less water greedy alternatives to traditional lawns. Extending patio or deck areas, building terraces, allowing woodland gardens to go natural and landscaping or re-landscaping with drought resistant plant species are all good alternatives.

Drought resistant plants tend to share one or more of the following physical characteristics:

fleshy thick stems and leaves, (succulents such as like cactus, sedums and jade plants)

waxy coated leaves (herbs and flowers like rosemary, wax-leaf begonia)

densely hairy leaves (plants like lamb’s ears or Stacys)

silvery, grayish or bluish foliage (such as Artemisia, Dianthus)

narrow leaves (like ornamental grasses)

prickly leaves (such as globe thistle or Eryngium)

Though the plants in the following lists will require some water, the amount they need is at the low end of the scale.

Drought resistant evergreens and deciduous trees include:

White fir

Box Elder

Gray Birch

Cedars

Hackberry

Spruces

Pines

Oaks

Staghorn

Sumac

Black Locust

White Cedar

and most Elms.

Good shrub choices for low water needs include:

Dutchman’s Pipe

Red Chokeberry

Butterfly Bush

Trumpet creeper

Blue mist Spirea

Flowering Quince

Sweet Autumn Clematis

Carolina Allspice

Cotoneaster

Scotch Broom

Witch Hazel

Virginia Sweetspire

Juniper

Honeysuckle

Russian Arborvitae

Bayberry

Virginia creeper

Cinquefoil Shrub roses

Yew

and Weigela.

Good low-watering flower and ornamental grass choices include:

Yarrow,

Blue Stars,

Wormwood,

Butterfly Flower,

False Indigo Feather Reed Grass,

Heather,

Sedge,

Goldenstar

Coreopsis

Hardy Ice Plant

Dianthus

Coneflower

Plume Grass

Blue Fescue

Blanket Flower

Geranium

Baby’s Breath

Hellebore

Daylily

Plantain Lily

Dead Nettle

Lavender

Lupine

Catmint

Evening Primrose

Switch Grass

Poppy

Foxtail Grass

Peony 

Phlox

Russian Sage

Hens and chicks

Thyme

Black-eyed daisy

periwinkle

and yucca.

Picking plants with low water requirements will help ensure that the demands you make on our water supplies are low while still maintaining a healthy and green garden.