Drought
tolerant plants, xeriscape, water wise gardens are the gardening
vocabulary that we are likely to see for some time to come, particularly
in Southern California. Since there is a limited amount of water
that can be extracted from our watersheds before significant environmental
consequences are obvious to us all, It seems prudent to use plants that
are native to our region or from one that is very similar. And to choose
plants that are both beautiful and come from the dryer sections of these
landscapes. At first glance it might be thought that a
drought tolerant garden limits the garden to a "desert"
look. But there are so many plants well adapted to our climate that
almost any garden style can be created, maybe with the exceptions of
tropical rain forest or golf course greens.To merely ask the question "is it a native California plant?"
allows the use of a wide range of aquatic and near aquatic plants as well
as desert plants but does
not address the water requirements of those plants.
To widen the view but to narrow the horticultural focus to plants that can
withstand our seasons with minimal irrigation seems to be the critical
issue. The American Southwest, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa, Chili, and the Mediterranean all are sources for beautiful plants
that come from climates that are similar to ours.
In this world of increasing automation it is easy to program the timer
to provide enough water so that even the thirsty plants are
quenched. One of the most surprising lessons in my gardening career
was when the local municipality told us to turn off all sprinkler
systems. Predictably the lawns turned brown and crunched while you
walked on them. The surprising part to me was how many plants
actually did better. For years we have had drought tolerant plants
produced by our local nurseries that were often over-watered and rotted in our
landscapes.
One of the greatest challenges for the plant buying
public is to get well enough educated about the plants that we go to a
garden center knowing what we want to buy. Small plants
that are not currently flowering are probably the ones to we really want. In
spite of sometimes looking rather awful in their containers many drought tolerant
plants will flourish in our landscapes. If we wait for them to be
big and overflowing their containers they often transition badly into the
landscape. We should be buying a plant because we know what it will
do in our garden rather than what impulse we feel when we look at that
plant. Many of the plants on this list have a relatively short life
span. There is little point in having the larger part of that life
spent distressed by being cramped into and nursery container.
Plants do not fare well with the chloramines and other water
sanitizing chemicals. No surprise, the point of the chemicals is to
kill the microscopic plants and animals that might make us sick drinking the water.
The result so far as the plants are concerned, an inch of irrigated water or an inch of rain on the landscape
does not produce the same results. It is easy to see how happy the
plants are when we finally get the natural choice. I spend a
significant part of my time in gardens trying to fix the soil chemistry
caused by our water.
Fall is when the plant's roots grow the most. This is the easiest time to get
a drought tolerant garden established. Healthy roots lead to robust
foliage and lots of flowers. Spring is when the flowers and seeds
are produced, if the roots are not fully established summer survival is a
trial, and a race between dehydration and rot.
This drought tolerant plants list is compiled from the survivors on
estates that might have been past their moment of glory but where some
plant was fully in its glory thriving on the neglect. And from plants on the
margins of the irrigated zone where in spite of their lean providence they
shine anyways.
This list is by no means complete, but as you can see there are plenty
of plants to fill your yard, school, or park without bothering to
repeat.
