8 Colorful Drought-Tolerant Landscape Designs
These planting combinations show how to create a lush look with vibrant low-water flowers, shrubs and succulents
Many drought-tolerant gardens are far from barren gravel patches studded with cactuses. They can be lush, colorful landscapes that support pollinators and have a lighter environmental footprint. Take a look at these eight gardens that prove low-water borders can be just as vibrant and luxuriant as higher-water beds.
1. Succulent tapestry in Los Angeles. Talk about curb appeal. The layers of blue, gold, bronze and deep purple foliage create a tapestry of color in this Los Angeles front yard. Plants include chartreuse spurge (Euphorbia characias, zones 8 to 11), gold leucadendron, silvery blue fescue (Festuca glauca, zones 4 to 8), spiky bronze New Zealand flax (Phormium sp., zones 8 to 11), dark maroon smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria, zones 5 to 10), and purple ‘Zwartkop’ aeonium (Aeonium arboreum var. atropurpureum ‘Zwartkop’, zones 9 to 10). A carpet of blue chalk sticks (Senecio mandraliscae, zones 9 to 12) covers the ground and acts as a unifying sea of blue in the design. All plants pictured thrive in full sun and with low water.
2. Rock garden in Seattle. In this sidewalk and front yard planting outside a Seattle home, a mix of mounding shrubs, perennials and succulents creates an interesting combination of colors and textures. The finely textured foliage of ‘Blue Forest’ juniper (Juniperus sabina ‘Blue Forest’, zones 4 to 7) and golden heather (Calluna vulgaris ‘Firefly’, zones 4 to 10) contrasts well with the plump, succulent leaves of ‘Autumn Joy’ stonecrop (Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, zones 3 to 10) planted nearby. Other plants include ‘Quicksilver’ hebe (Hebe pimeleoides ‘Quicksilver’, zones 8 to 10), purple catmint (Nepeta sp., zones 3 to 8) and manzanita (Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Howard McMinn’, zones 6 to 10). All plants thrive in full sun and would need little supplemental irrigation in the Seattle climate.
3. Pastels in Dallas. On this waterfront property in Dallas, feather-like ornamental grasses and billowing perennials soften the borders on either side of a limestone gravel path. The planting draws inspiration from English perennial gardens in terms of the pastel color palette, variety of bloom and plant forms, and drift-like planting arrangement, but the plants themselves need far less water than most English garden ornamentals.
At the back of the border, Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha, Zone 8) and upright rosemary add structure and height opposite the soft purple cloud of pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris, zones 6 to 9), native to the central and southern U.S. as well as parts of Central America. In the foreground, yellow-flowering ‘Moonbeam’ coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’, zones 4 to 9) and white, frothy blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum, Zone 5), native to prairies in Texas and the central and southwestern U.S., fill in the border. The plants would grow best in full sun and with moderate to low water.
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At the back of the border, Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha, Zone 8) and upright rosemary add structure and height opposite the soft purple cloud of pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris, zones 6 to 9), native to the central and southern U.S. as well as parts of Central America. In the foreground, yellow-flowering ‘Moonbeam’ coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’, zones 4 to 9) and white, frothy blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum, Zone 5), native to prairies in Texas and the central and southwestern U.S., fill in the border. The plants would grow best in full sun and with moderate to low water.
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4. Bright slope in San Diego. This sunny, drought-tolerant hillside bed relies on a bright color palette featuring shades of purple, gold, orange and magenta. Clumps of purple Perez’s sea lavender (Limonium perezii, zones 10 to 11) repeat among cascades of gold lantana, orange daylily (Hemerocallis fulva, zones 5 to 10) and magenta bougainvillea (Bougainvillea sp., zones 9 to 11). A cluster of foxtail agaves (Agave attenuatta) acts as a focal point in the center among the billowing flowers.
5. Planting islands in Phoenix. In this water-conscious Phoenix backyard, the designer used a variety of drought-tolerant plants to form colorful islands of foliage and flowers in a gravelly area of the yard. Planting in groups of three or five shrubs or perennials establishes a pleasing repetition with clumps and swaths of color. The plants, all sun-loving and low-water, include Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas, zones 7 to 9), red-flowering aloe, ornamental grasses, silvery blue agave and carpets of purple lantana.
6. Cottage-style border in Marin County. This pastel border in a garden in San Anselmo, Northern California, looks far lusher than most low-water landscapes, thanks to masses of foliage and flowers. Broad-leaved lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina ‘Big Ears’, zones 4 to 9) forms a luxurious mass of fuzzy foliage in front of mounds of cottage-garden favorites snow in summer (Cerastium tomentosum, zones 3 to 7), lavender and ‘Margarita BOP’ foothill penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita BOP’, zones 6 to 10). The dark burgundy foliage of a large New Zealand flax (Phormium sp., zones 8 to 11) at the back of the bed adds dark color contrast and structural interest. The plants pictured would thrive in full sun and with low water once established.
7. Colorful front yard in Bridgeport, Connecticut. In this New England garden, the lawn was replaced with a low-water perennial bed, cutting down on the need for irrigation and weekly mowing and creating a far more dynamic front yard. Plants include pale lavender Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia, zones 5 to 9), ‘Autumn Joy’ stonecrop (Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, zones 3 to 10), yellow black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta, zones 3 to 9) and a mix of ornamental grasses. This low-water combination would grow best in full sun.
8. Bright beds in Manhattan Beach, California. Located a short drive from the coast in Southern California, this beachy garden is bursting with color and style without demanding much water or maintenance. Plants include narrow-leaved blue chalk sticks (Senecio cylindricus, zones 10 to 11), red-orange kangaroo paws (Anigozanthos flavidus, zones 10 to 11), strappy New Zealand flax (Phormium sp., zones 8 to 11), deep purple tree aeonium (Aeonium arboreum, zones 9 to 10) and leucadendron (Leucadendron ‘Jester’, zones 9 to 10).
See more of this colorful beach cottage garden
Houzz readers: Do you have a low-water planting bed bursting with color? Tell us about it and share a picture in the Comments below.
More
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How to Spot a Drought-Tolerant Plant
6 Gorgeous Plant Combos With Low-Water Ornamental Grasses
Find drought-tolerant landscape pros in your area
See more of this colorful beach cottage garden
Houzz readers: Do you have a low-water planting bed bursting with color? Tell us about it and share a picture in the Comments below.
More
3 Sizzling Color Palettes for Summer Gardens
How to Spot a Drought-Tolerant Plant
6 Gorgeous Plant Combos With Low-Water Ornamental Grasses
Find drought-tolerant landscape pros in your area
Choosing Your Plants
If you’re replacing a section of your garden with low-water plants, take note of your site conditions and what low-water plants will thrive in your soil type and sun exposure. Many drought-tolerant garden plants come from regions with quick-draining soil, such as desert areas and coastal regions of California, as well as the Mediterranean, South Africa and Australia. If your soil is heavy clay, you may need to amend heavily with sand and a quick-draining soil mix before planting, or use drought-tolerant plants that thrive in clay soil.
When choosing low-water plants, select those with leaves and flowers in a range of light, medium and dark colors. The variety will add depth and interest. Choose plants that enhance each other when planted nearby.
A few favorite combinations: