Drought Resistant Plants For Your Perimeter

During our years of extreme drought, you probably heard the expression, “Xeriscape doesn’t mean zero-scape!” In other words, a water-wise yard needn’t look like a wasteland. Installing artificial grass certainly meets the highest standards of both water-wisdom and beauty. But what about the area around the perimeter of that lush, green expanse of faux grass?

South Bay Area residents can choose from a wealth of drought-resistant trees, shrubs, and perennials that are perfectly suited for your yard. They can transform your landscape with color and texture. All with little or no water. Using native and drought-resistant varieties does not mean your yard will look “wild and weedy.”  These plants can be grouped or used as focal points just like their thirstier cousins. So your garden can have whatever look and feel you want.

What can you grow?

Plants that attract butterflies, hummers and other birds, and bees essential for pollination. Plants that provide shade. Or hold their visual interest well into winter. Consider succulents, too, because they come in colors and shapes unlike other plants. With hundreds of options, your biggest challenge will be choosing. You may be surprised to find that some of your favorites are, in fact, drought-resistant.

Many of the plants you probably chose for your patio herb garden are also drought-resistant.

Native plants are ideal, because they obviously thrive in our climate. You don’t have to go out and dig them up – nor should you! There are local nurseries that specialize in native and/or drought-tolerant plants. Many, like Las Pilitas, enable you to window shop and research plants online, too.

If you haven’t visited the San Jose Water Company water-wise website yet, just a glimpse of the gorgeous sky blue ceanothus on their home page will make you want one to grace the perimeter of your artificial grass. After all, it is California’s own native lilac. The site offers lots of drought-resistant garden design ideas, sustainable gardening tips, and a searchable database of plant possibilities complete with photos. Not sure which plants to put together? The site has a gallery of garden photos, too.

But seeing plants in real, live environments can help you learn what various options look like up close and envision how they might coordinate nicely in your own landscape. Guadalupe River Park and Gardens has planted a series of mock front yards similar in configuration to typical Santa Clara Valley homes, to help educate and inspire you.

Right plant, right place

Water aside, different plants thrive in different growing conditions. So before you start making your plant list, observe your space. Is it sunny, partly sunny, always in the shade? Is it wide open and flat, narrow, near a fence? Group plants with similar preferences, and choose varieties that match your personal preferences and design goals, based on:

• Plant heights
• Leaf size, shape and color
• Flower color and bloom time
• Evergreen or not 

Have your heart set on a few plants that simply don’t pass the drought-tolerant test? Tuck those flowering annuals and perennials into your veggie container gardens. It’s a lot easier to control water usage with containers.

Hold the water

It can be tempting to assume plants need to be watered when you see the soil surface is dry. Don’t do it. You’ll not only waste precious water, you’ll be doing your plants a critical disservice – overwatering native and drought-tolerant varieties can actually cause them to decline and die. Depending on what you plant, installing a programmable drip irrigation system around the perimeter of your artificial lawn will ensure your garden gets exactly what it needs, but no more.