The steps you may need to take may seem a little extreme, but they can be necessary, depending on the current condition of your garden.

If your soil is not retaining water well, you may need to go so far as to remove all your plants. No, you aren’t doing away with your garden. Instead, you are giving yourself room to mix in compost. This can help to improve how well your garden retains water. Unlike us, soil needs to retain water!

Once this is done you can put the plants back. Feel free to rearrange your garden at this point. You can group the plants that need more or less water together if you like how they look and want to make the watering you do as effective as possible.

A great tool for drought conditions is the drip irrigation system. The lets you keep water evaporation during watering to just the minimum, and place water mostly right where it needs to be. You can buy the equipment easily or create your own. My husband did this by taking a regular hose, and drilling small holes into it right where the plants were.

In a serious drought you may want to take a look at the kinds of plants you have and consider replacing the ones that need the most water with drought resistant ones. You can make a very attractive yard with drought resistant plants if you do your research. There are beautiful, flowering plants available that are quite drought tolerant.

Droughts aren’t pleasant when they lead to water restrictions, but you can still maintain a beautiful garden. Even if you aren’t in a drought now, if you live in a drought prone area, creating a drought resistant garden is a good move at any time.

Fortunately, living in a drought prone area does not mean you have to landscape with cacti and succulents. There are many more options for you.

When it comes to trees, there are many options for your drought resistant landscape. The first trees you should consider are ones indigenous to your area. These will cope best with the variations in the weather. If you drive around and look at the trees that grow naturally in your area, these will be your top choices, provided you see some you like.

Now, if you don’t like any of the indigenous trees, you still have options. The Scotch Pine is very popular, because it will grow pretty much anywhere. Not only does it grow at a very fast rate of 20 or more inches per year, it is hardy and drought tolerant. It usually grows between 25 and 35 feet, and it extremely easy to get started. Most nurseries sell these trees, especially in areas with lower amounts of water. There are many varieties available. Many fade to a yellowish brown color during the colder months, and this is usually what causes some people to dislike them and others to love them. However, there are varieties available that do not do this.

The Rocky Mountain Juniper is an extremely hardy and easy to grow tree. Its bark also turns a browner color during the winter, and rejuvenates in late spring. They are frequently used as windbreaks because of how tough they are. These trees are also great if you are trying to attract different varieties of birds to your yard. They provide great branches to nest in. Unfortunately the Rocky Mountain Juniper doesn’t grow as fast as other hardy plants like it. The rate is less than 10 inches per year.

Another one of the most popular drought resistant trees is the Russian Olive. This tree is impressive and will definitely turn some heads once it is fully grown. It is more decorative than the trees mentioned above, and will reach 20 or 25 feet once it is fully grown. They are able to grow in almost any soil, and attract birds with the berries they produce.

As you can see, there are many options for you if your water is limited. There are many others that I have not mentioned, and depending on your area you may be able to find a preferable variety. Do a search for hardy plants that will survive in your area, and you might be surprised at how many you will find. If you can’t find that list, just go outside and see what is currently flourishing. That is the best indication of what you should buy.