Don’t sacrifice the look of a welcoming, lush garden because your weather won’t cooperate (we’re looking at you, sad droopy plants). We have a three-step process for helping your existing garden become the lush, drought-tolerant garden of your dreams!
1 - Choose the best low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants.
There are high-performing, drought-tolerant shrubs for any zone! Sprinkle a few reliably vigorous plants throughout your garden, and they’ll take the spotlight during periods of drought. This helps take the visual pressure off your less happy plants. Here are some of our favorites:
In a plant’s description, you’ll often see the caveat, “drought tolerant once established.” This essentially just means that during the first growing season, it’ll need to be watered when precipitation isn’t providing enough water to keep the soil moist. We have a few tips on how to be water-wise in your own garden and how to water your newly planted drought-tolerant shrubs:
Apply mulch after planting. Mulch will help retain soil moisture better than any other product.
When you notice the soil is dry or almost dry, you’ll want to water your new shrubs at ground level. By watering at the base instead of from above, you’re saving water from being lost to evaporation or misapplication (being applied to foliage or empty spots in the garden bed).
Water in the morning, this gives the water more time to soak in before the heat of the day comes along to evaporate what’s left on the mulch or soil surface.
Water deeply each time. Plants that are watered more thoroughly, but less often will perform better than plants that are watered lightly and more often.
Be sure to water all around the rootball as well as just outside of it to encourage the roots to expand outward.
Although this may seem counterintuitive for a water-wise garden, watering when necessary during the first year is really critical for setting the plant up for success. Once it has developed a healthy root system, it’ll be able to access water in the surrounding area to help support its foliage and flowers.
3 - Keep an eye on pruning.
To stay dense and lush looking, some plants benefit from regular rejuvenation pruning or a bit of shaping in the springtime. Just make a note of how dense your plant is looking during the growing season and plan to trim it at the appropriate time.
TIP: If you’re seeing a lot of damage in spring or it looks like your plant is “shrinking,” that indicates it would benefit from a bit more water than it’s getting.
Common drought-tolerant plants and their pruning needs:
Aronia - if desired, trim to shape after flowering (will remove possibility of fruit in fall)
Barberry - pruning is not recommended
Bluebeard - benefits from a heavy spring prune
Buckthorn - doesn’t generally need pruning, but if desired prune just after spring’s first flush of growth
Butterfly Bush - benefits from a heavy spring prune
Deutzia - if desired, trim to shape after flowering
Diervilla - benefits from rejuvenation pruning every 3 to 5 years
Dogwood - benefits from rejuvenation pruning every 3 to 5 years
Elderberry - doesn’t generally need pruning
Firecracker Bush - if desired, trim to shape in spring
Forsythia - benefits from rejuvenation pruning every 3 to 5 years
Indian Hawthorn - if desired, trim to shape after flowering
Juniper - doesn’t generally need pruning
Mockorange - benefits from rejuvenation pruning every 3 to 5 years
Ninebark - can benefit from rejuvenation pruning every 3 to 5 years
Oleander - doesn’t generally need pruning
Potentilla - benefits from both a heavy spring prune and rejuvenation pruning every 3 to 5 years
Quince - benefits from rejuvenation pruning every 3 to 5 years
Rose of Sharon - doesn’t generally need pruning, if desired it can be trimmed to shape in spring
Spirea - depends on the species, those that bloom on new wood in summer can be pruned in early spring if desired and those that bloom in spring on old wood can be pruned after flowering
St. John’s Wort - if desired, trim to shape in spring
Sweetspire - if desired, trim to shape after flowering
Wintercreeper - if desired, trim to shape in spring
Water-wise gardening doesn’t mean sacrificing beauty—it means making smart choices that help your landscape thrive with less. By selecting the right shrubs and using thoughtful design and care practices, you can create a sustainable, stunning garden that conserves resources and supports your local environment. If you have any questions about water-wise shrub gardening—or any aspect of gardening with shrubs—don’t hesitate to reach out to the Proven Winners® ColorChoice® team: Contact Us - Proven Winners ColorChoice Flowering Shrubs.
All articles are copyrighted and remain the property of the author.
By: Natalie Carmolli for Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Shrubs
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