Gardens are meant to be enjoyed, yet the regular maintenance of watering, pruning, and fertilizing can sometimes leave little opportunity to simply relax and appreciate their beauty. One effective strategy to reduce maintenance is selecting a well-drained area on your property to establish a drought-tolerant garden. These gardens require less watering and are particularly suitable for cottages, expansive properties, and those looking to conserve water during summer months.
What is a Drought-Tolerant Garden?
In essence, drought tolerance involves choosing plants that can survive and thrive with minimal water. This doesn't mean these plants require no water at all, but rather they are capable of utilizing water more efficiently, reducing the frequency of watering needed.
The Importance of Root Health
Plants derive their nourishment, including water, through their roots. Therefore, cultivating a strong root system enhances their resilience. To achieve this, create a well-drained area enriched with nutrient-rich soil. This fosters deep root growth, enabling plants to access essential nutrients more effectively for sustained health.
To establish a drought-tolerant garden, start with the soil. Incorporate compost, peat moss, and manure to create a nutrient-rich environment. Products such as Garden Gallery’s Organic Tri-Mix are excellent for developing an optimal growing medium.
Watering Techniques
Adopting efficient watering practices is crucial for drought-tolerant gardening. Rather than using a sprinkler system, water plants directly at the roots to ensure it penetrates the soil deeply. This method encourages the development of deep, healthy roots, thereby extending the intervals between watering sessions.
Choosing Suitable Plants
Selecting plants that naturally thrive in drier conditions is key to reducing water consumption in your garden. Ornamental grasses, succulents, and various perennials and shrubs are excellent choices for areas with lower water availability, such as cottage gardens or dry spots around your property.
Here are a few recommended plant varieties to consider:
Gardens are meant to be enjoyed, yet the regular maintenance of watering, pruning, and fertilizing can sometimes leave little opportunity to simply relax and appreciate their beauty. One effective strategy to reduce maintenance is selecting a well-drained area on your property to establish a drought-tolerant garden. These gardens require less watering and are particularly suitable for cottages, expansive properties, and those looking to conserve water during summer months.
What is a Drought-Tolerant Garden?
In essence, drought tolerance involves choosing plants that can survive and thrive with minimal water. This doesn't mean these plants require no water at all, but rather they are capable of utilizing water more efficiently, reducing the frequency of watering needed.
The Importance of Root Health
Plants derive their nourishment, including water, through their roots. Therefore, cultivating a strong root system enhances their resilience. To achieve this, create a well-drained area enriched with nutrient-rich soil. This fosters deep root growth, enabling plants to access essential nutrients more effectively for sustained health.
To establish a drought-tolerant garden, start with the soil. Incorporate compost, peat moss, and manure to create a nutrient-rich environment. Products such as Garden Gallery’s Organic Tri-Mix are excellent for developing an optimal growing medium.
Watering Techniques
Adopting efficient watering practices is crucial for drought-tolerant gardening. Rather than using a sprinkler system, water plants directly at the roots to ensure it penetrates the soil deeply. This method encourages the development of deep, healthy roots, thereby extending the intervals between watering sessions.
Choosing Suitable Plants
Selecting plants that naturally thrive in drier conditions is key to reducing water consumption in your garden. Ornamental grasses, succulents, and various perennials and shrubs are excellent choices for areas with lower water availability, such as cottage gardens or dry spots around your property.
Here are a few recommended plant varieties to consider:
Lavender
This drought tolerant perennial will immediately fill your garden with scent and colour. Known for its delicate purple blooms, this sun loving plant does well as a border in the centre of the garden.
Thyme
Add some function to your full sun garden with this fragrant kitchen herb. Originally from the Mediterranean region, the flowers of this perennial are the perfect addition to your pollinator garden.
Hosta
If you have a shaded area, then Hosta is the drought tolerant perennial for you. Known for its dramatic foliage, hosta does well in indirect light, and only needs a little bit of water to thrive.
Sedum
Available as a ground cover or upright perennial, sedum will add texture and colour to your sun loving garden with its thick succulent looking leaves and bright coloured flowers.
Hens and Chicks
Perfect for a rock garden or dry area on your property, this perennial succulent is a delightful addition. Plant in full sun and enjoy its distinct rosette shaped pattern and cluster of smaller rosettes that sprout around the mother plant.
Yarrow
This hardy perennial is the perfect addition to a drought tolerant pollinator garden immediately filling a sunny spot with its bright, tightly packed flowers.
Echinacea
This sun loving flower will immediately attract bees and butterflies with its bright daisy like petals. Its tall stocks make the perfect background perennial in your drought tolerant garden.
Nine Bark
This fast growing shrub thrives in a well-drained sunny spot in your yard, making it the perfect addition for hedges or to even prevent erosions. The plant flowers in late spring with either pink or white blooms, which bear fruit in late summer and autumn which will often bring birds to your garden.
Burning Bush
Known for its bright red foliage, this low maintenance shrub is a welcome addition to drought tolerant gardens. Available in both a dwarf variety, which grows approximately 5 feet, and a full size version which can reaching upwards to 15 feet.
Honeysuckle
The heat tolerant honeysuckle will immediately draw wildlife to your yard with its sweet smelling blooms. Available as either a vine or shrub, this plant thrives with minimal watering and pruning.