Planning A Drought Tolerant Garden
Tired of spending your summers watering your garden? If you don’t have the money to install an in-ground sprinkler system, consider choosing xeriscape perennials for your garden. There are so many benefits: drought tolerant, beautiful flowers, save money, easy to maintain, and attracts birds and pollinators. I can’t say enough about High Country Gardens (HCG) for ideas, planning, and garden know-how. HCG’s exclusive Xeriscape Flower Fan is a great tool to see perennial combinations by height, color, blooming season, soil preference, and water needs. Wherever you are Julie Fischer, “THANK YOU!
If you’re starting from scratch, HCG has a great article to help you analyze the various aspects of your yard like, weather, wind patterns, sun patterns, and SOIL. Soil is a big, I mean huge, element that most beginners overlook. I admit, I was gung-ho at first and I’m still paying the price for planting in poor soil. Many plant problems can be eliminated by putting plants in soil they like. Also, many synthetic pesticides and fertilizers won’t have to be used which helps save beneficial insects, the environment, and your money. For tips on making your own soil amendment, see Why Make Compost
I highly recommend beginners start by choosing plants that are suitable to your area’s USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zone. There’s a reason why plants from these zones are successful, so trust the map. Click here for how to use the map and find plants that are appropriate for your area.
Nest In Style 
I’m pretty much starting from scratch getting a xeriscaped garden set up. I’m hoping to take a day long course in April, put on at the university by our local conservation society. I’ll be putting up a review tonight of a *very* good book on this topic at my blog. Thanks for the great links and information – I have a lot to learn!
Great! I will look for your new post about the xeriscape garden book. Keep us posted on the class in April and share what you learn.
Hi Jayme, I popped in to see your blog and I must say: I am very well impressed. It is very attractive and professional looking. Now, I will browse about awhile.
Thanks for the visit Barbee. I hope you find the articles informative. I try to balance brevity and information so my pages aren’t so long.
I am always trying to influence my clients in planting drought tolerant/xeriscape gardens. Sometimes it’s like pulling teeth, but most of the time I can convince them otherwise, assuring them that, no, a xeriscape is not a bunch of rocks and cactus:) Great post!
Thank you Desiree for the encouraging comments and for the visit!
Jayme,
Thanks for your blogsite, a lot of good info, a lot of good links and reading material.
I’m a landscape contractor in Colorado and have been specializing in xeriscape since ’95. Nice to know I’m not just some kook, but an exceptional kook saving the Earth’s resources, one-drop-at-a-time.
Again, thanks for your very informative site.
Much health and happiness to you and yours.
Thanks Dovefat for your nice comments. My goal is to be informative and offer gardeners of any level good reference material. Take care!
You are a great resource for the novice gardener, as well as those who have been gardening for years who need info. and inspiration.
Best,
Philip