EV E R Y W H E R E Y O U turn thesedays, someone is talking aboutdrought and water restrictions.

That’s not surprising when, according tothe Climate Monitoring Branch of theNational Climatic Data Center inAsheville, North Carolina, slightly morethan 50 percent of the contiguous UnitedStates by area suffered moderate to ex-treme drought conditions last summer. InAurora, Colorado, where reservoirs are al-most three-quarters empty, a completeban on planting annuals, vegetables, and

new lawns has been imposed, at least untilthe end of this year. In St. Petersburg,Florida, residents are permitted to watertheir gardens only once a week—on a spe-cific day, during designated hours.

Other cities, including Albuquerque,New Mexico, Las Vegas, Nevada. SantaRosa, California, and Austin, Texas areoffering incentive programs for water-wise landscaping, including a variety ofrebates for elimination of lawns and/orinstallation of low water use plants andplanting schemes.

Given the need for water conservation,today’s gardeners—no matter where theylive—must evaluate and devise appropri-ate design and planting strategies.

ADVANCE PLANNINGWhen I arrived in Austin, Texas, fiveyears ago, I made the decision to be ac-tively waterwise. I was coming fromEngland, which you might think has allthe water it needs. Some areas do, but Ihad gardened in Essex, the driest coun-ty in England, where the renowned K

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48 the American Gardener

WaterwiseGardening BY ETHNE CLARKE

An efficient garden design can

reduce water consumption and

still yield spectacular results.

British plantswoman Beth Chatto hasher nursery and display gardens.

When Chatto converted a large gravel-topped parking area to a dry garden, sheset the standard for waterwise garden-ing—at least in Europe. But her experi-ence has much to teach us. One lesson Ilearned was to alter my expectations of theflower-filled border. The Chatto dry gar-den has no supplemental watering systemsand can consequentlylook pretty bedrag-gled by midsummer. But by selectingplants for their mutual compatibility andxeric nature—their ability to survive pro-longed periods of drought—and by fol-lowing a program of judicious groomingand cutting back, the garden comesthrough its midsummer, drought-induceddormancy, springing back into life withthe first early autumn rains.

This routine has translated well to my

central Texas garden, and the basic tech-niques of converting a water-thirsty,chemically maintained lawn to a water-wise landscape are appropriate no matterwhere you garden.

START WITH A PLANWaterwise success depends upon suitingplants to both the site and each other,thereby creating self-sustaining plant com-munities. Many waterwise programs pro-mote the use of native plants, and providelists and cultural information to assist gar-deners in the selection. But the plantpalette can be extended to include adapt-ed exotics, particularly perennials andephemerals, to add a layer of form, color,and contrast to the garden picture.

One of the best guides I know to aid inthe selection of drought-tolerant subjectsis Perennials and their Garden Habitats by

Richard Hansen and Friedrich Stahl, thepublished findings of research by these twoGerman plantsmen conducted during thelast half of the 20th century. The book listsplants for a comprehensive range of cul-tural habitats, from damp shade to dryshade; wetland, steppe and rock gardenand so on. As the authors note in their in-troduction: “…many perennials have awide tolerance and it may be possible touse species from two or more differenthabitats together in a single planting…thetrick is to arrange small groups of associat-ed species within a unified background.”

This principle can be applied to a“water zoning” scheme recommended inan irrigation guide produced by the Cityof Albuquerque. In this plan, the “oasiszone” is the planting area immediately sur-rounding the house where the most water-dependant plants are located. Moving outinto the landscape, the next planting areais the “transitional zone,” where plantsthat are moderately drought tolerant finda home. The final zone, at the gardenperimeter, is “xeric,” for dependablydrought-resistant plants.

This scheme can be adapted to any re-gion, and the one that I followed whendesigning my Texas garden. I wanted amix of native and adapted exotic plants,which meant that in addition to water-zoning, I also had to identify pre-existingmicroclimates. I pinpointed areas of dryshade and moist shade; areas where thesoil was heavier and better suited to rose-growing; and free-draining, full-sun areaswhere herbs and Mediterranean perenni-als would be happiest.

SITE PREPARATION Remove existing turf by solarization (see“Harnessing the Sun,” page 16) or the useof translocating herbicides such as thosecontaining glyphosate. In arid climates,let drought do the work for you. Dig thesite over by hand, or use a tiller if youmust. Remove any perennial weed rootsand incorporate well-rotted compost asdeeply as you can: a three-inch blanket ofcompost dug in to the top eight inches isa good guide, but add more if possible,especially on sandy soils. On heavy claysoils, add gravel or decomposed graniteto the compost, which will improve thetexture of the soil and help to prevent thedamaging cycle of baking and cracking. E

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49July / August 2003

Opposite: A side yard planting by Big Red Sun of Austin, Texas—a firm that specializes inxerophytic designs—includes gaura, rose campion, salvias, and sedums. Above: In theauthor’s backyard in Austin, a steppingstone path is framed by creeping thyme, dianthus,and silver-leaved herbs. Bearded irises add height.

I cannot recommend too strongly thatyou make your own compost from yardwaste. An annual top-dressing in spring,lightly worked into the top few inchesconditions the soil, introduces beneficialorganisms that assist root growth andplant vigor, and encourages earthwormpopulations, which further condition thesoil, enhancing its water-holding capacity.

IRRIGATIONParts of a waterwise garden, particularlythe oasis zone, will need supplementalwatering from time to time. Soaker hosesand rain barrels help make the most ofyour irrigation efforts. A soaker hose isporous all along its length, emittingwater directly into the soil around theplants, so little evaporates.

Position rain barrels under gutterdownspouts to use for emergency water-ing during prolonged drought and peri-ods of water restriction. Water on a stillday in early evening or early in the morn-ing to give plants a chance to absorb thewater: nothing makes less sense than wa-tering at midday.

Rather than watering a little each day,water thoroughly once or twice a week:this way water percolates deeply into thesoil, encouraging the plants to root deeply

into the soil. Remember, deeply rootedplants withstand dry spells better thanplants that are shallowly rooted.

MULCHCovering bare soil around and betweenplants with a blanket of organic materialconserves soil moisture, keeps root systemscool, and suppresses weeds. My personalfavorite is coarsely ground wood chips be-cause they do not form a tight mat, assome commercial shredded mulches do.

In the Southwest, where plants areadapted to soils that contain little organ-ic matter, mulches like pebbles or rockgrit make sense. Like their organic coun-terparts, inorganic mulches help preventweeds, moderate soil temperature, and re-duce surface evaporation.

Spread mulch in spring or fall whenthe soil is moist, taking care not to pile itup against the plants because this en-courages rot.

TACKLING DRY SHADEDry shade has always had the reputationas the most challenging area for garden-making. If you have dry shade, experi-ment to find out what will survive there.Cyclamen species, including spring-blooming C. coum (USDA Zone 5–9,

AHS Zone 9–5) and autumn-bloomingC. hederifolium (Zones 7–9, 9–7) canform self-seeded ground-covering blan-kets of attractive heart-shaped foliagedecorated with softly scented rose-pinkflowers. The latter species does well incentral Texas gardens.

Plants with fleshy root systems seembest able to withstand arid conditions.Winter and spring rains help helleboressuch as Helleborus niger (Zones 4–9, 9–1)and Lenten rose (H. ✕ hybridus, Zones 6–9,9–6) establish a foothold in dry shade, en-abling them to survive summer drought.

Another tough plant is lilyturf (Liri-ope muscari, Zones 6–10, 12–1), whichmakes dense clumps of straplike foliagewith white to mauve flower spikes inearly summer.

FROM OASIS TO XERICThe central area of my back garden liesin full sun and is occupied by a squareterrace of native limestone slabs encir-cling a tranquil area of drought-resistantbuffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides, Zones3–11, 12–2). The circle is circumscribed inlimestone blocks. A steppingstone pathleads from the house to the terrace.

The beds on either side of this path areplanted with a mix of creeping thyme anddianthus cultivars, silver-leafed herbalplants like curry plant (Helichrysumitalicum subsp. serotinum, Zones 7–11,12–1), Santolina pinnata subsp. neapoli-tana (Zones 9–11, 12–9), Artemisia‘Canescens’ (Zones 4–8, 8–1), andMediterranean herbs such as rosemary,Greek oregano, and marjoram.

The flower spikes and strappy foliagefrom a collection of bearded iris cultivarsgive height and contrast to the planting,which is otherwise a patchwork blanket ofsilver gray and dark green foliage. Al-though this is a full-sun area, the groundcovering plants supplement the mulch,and the beds are watered regularly to keeptheir oasislike freshness; after all, this is theentrance to the garden.

Nearby, in a shady corner against thehouse foundations, the soil is cool. Thisarea does not drain quickly after rain andhas been turned into an artificial “drystream bed” by the addition of plenty ofsmooth river gravel and large smoothboulders—an attractive contrast to thebuffalo grass circle. The stones make an ef- E

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50 the American Gardener

A circle of drought-tolerant buffalo grass surrounds a terrace in the author’s back garden. Atright, a metal trough that serves as a water garden sits amid a planting of drought-tolerant ferns.

July / August 2003 51

Regional WaterwiseGardens

California. Natives and plants from the Mediterraneanregion are well adapted to California’s mild winters and drysummers. In this terraced garden, the dramatic form of a centuryplant provides a refreshing contrast to the fuzzier outlines ofdrought-tolerant herbs such as lavender, salvias, pinks, andCalifornia poppies.

Midwest. Drought-tolerant prairie natives are a good place to startwhen planning a waterwise garden in the Midwest. In this garden, nativebig bluestem grasses and black-eyed Susans cohabit happily with non-natives such as Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ and feather reed grass.

Pacific Northwest. Although we tend to think of the Northwestas perennially rainy, summers are dry in many parts because of “rainshadows” from the mountains. In this waterwise garden, Mediterraneanplants such as santolina, lavender, and lamb’s-ears mingle with Russiansage. A thirstier rose benefits from spillover from the birdbath.

Mid-Atlantic. With many areas of the East Coast underwater restrictions last summer, gardeners who had establisheddrought-tolerant plantings were rewarded for their foresight. Inthis Connecticut garden, low-growing sedums, pinks, juniper,and blue fescue soften the look of a rock outcrop.T

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fective weed-smothering, moisture-re-taining mulch. It is slowly being colonizedby a mix of ferns, including southernmaidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris, Zones 8–11, 12–8), lady fern(Athyrium filix-femina, Zones 4–9, 9–1),and its recently introduced sport, ‘Lady inRed’, which has soft apple-green foliageand ruby red stems. Japanese painted fern(Athyrium nipponicum ‘Pictum’, Zones5–8, 8–1) makes a silvery splash in theshadows.

Beyond these small formal areas near-est the house, the garden devolves into thetransitional water zone and a wilder mix

of plants chosen for their good foliage, aslimited water is not conducive to lavishflowering. A “short-short list” of the bestwould include feather grasses (Stipa spp.),which are incredibly durable, and as grace-ful as their relative, the Mexican feathergrass (Nasella tenuissima, Zones 7–11,12–7). Shrublike Jerusalem sage (Phlomisfruticosa, Zones 8–9, 9–8) and Artemisia‘Powis Castle’ (Zones 6–9, 9–6), alongwith some heritage roses—particularly thehybrid Musks ‘Penelope’ and ‘George-town Tea’—are true stalwarts even whenparched, as are bamboo muhly (Muhlen-bergia dumosa, Zones 8–12, 10–5) and sev-eral species of penstemon. Of these last,the Gulf Coast penstemon (Penstemon

tenuis, Zones 3–8, 8–1) is doing the best. Various salvias are the backbone of the

transitional zone. This useful genus givesscent, flowers, and in some cases, foliageinterest, while the loose habit blends withneighboring plants, knitting the plantingscheme together. Salvia darcyi (Zones5–9, 9–5)is a robust sage with lipstick pinkflowers and pretty crinkled foliage, goodin sun or part shade. S. madrensis (Zones6–9, 9–5) grows to five feet given thechance, with long spikes of bright yellowflowers. S. guaranitica ‘Black Knight’(Zones 7–10, 12–8) is medium heightwith dark violet-blue flowers and pleasing

anise-scented foliage. For a full rundownon salvias, pick up a copy of Betsy Cleb-sch’s The New Book of Salvias.

This being a central Texas garden, Ihave of course planted agaves, yuccas, andother hardy succulents and cacti. Theirsculptural forms add another layer of in-terest and fill the gap between transition-al zones and the xeric fringe of the garden.

JUST DO ITXeriscape, despite all its trademarkingand commercial promotion, has come tomean zero-scape to some gardeners, whounderstand a xeric landscape as an emptywasteland of sun-baked gravel and hos-tile cacti. This is part of the reason terms

like “waterwise” and “Mediterraneanstyle” have come into use: They representan effort to make water conserving land-scaping more appealing.

It’s time to move on, stop agonizingover what we call it, and simply garden. Byembracing water conserving practices andappropriate plant selection and placement,the reward is an appealing, efficient land-scape that accommodates water restric-tions with ease and grace. �

Ethne Clarke is author of many gardeningbooks, including Herb Garden Design, re-cently re-released by Antique Collector’sClub. She has just been named garden editorof Traditional Home magazine. E

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52 the American Gardener

ResourcesMany botanical gardens, publicparks, and regional horticultural or-ganizations promote ecologicallyfriendly gardening and can be goodsources of educational material andinspiration. And don’t forget tocheck the Internet to access count-less information sites related toxeriscaping and water conservation..

Native Gardens for Dry Climates bySally Wasowski with Andy Wasowski.Clarkson Potter Publishers, NewYork, 1995.

Natural by Design: Beauty and Balancein Southwest Gardens by JudithPhillips. Museum of New MexicoPress, Santa Fe, 1995.

The Undaunted Garden: Planting forWeather Resilient Beauty by LaurenSpringer. Fulcrum, Golden, Col-orado, 1994.

Water-Wise Gardening: America'sBackyard Revolution by ThomasChristopher. Simon and Schuster,New York, 1994.

Xeriscape Handbook : A How-To Guideto Natural, Resource-Wise Gardeningby Gayle Weinstein. Fulcrum Pub-lishing, Golden, Colorado, 1998.

In the author’s front garden, a mix of native and adapted exotic plants coexist successfullyin dry heat and sun without requiring supplemental watering.