Droughts and a lack of sufficient water is a reality on this planet, but drought affected regions can still be lived in and enjoyed for humans and plants, but you must find the right ones that will still grow and remain healthy when you are deciding on your landscape designs. There are a wide variety of plants for drought affected regions that can be used to create visually appealing landscapes even where the water supply is scarce.
Drought Affect Land
Drought is a condition where there isn’t enough water or moisture to support life over an extended period of time. Arid deserts typically experience cycles of droughts, however, there are other regions that are cooler and can still experience water scarcity, even these are considered drought affected regions.
Another typical characteristic of such regions is poor soil quality. Although this is not true all the time, usually lack of water is accompanied by lack of nutrients too. Plants that manage to survive in such harsh climates are the ones that can make do with limited supply of nourishment and water. Some varieties of drought tolerant plants are so well adapted that excess humidity can affect them adversely. You need to understand this aspect very well while choosing your alternatives for the landscape design and specifically plants for drought affected regions.
Plants for Drought Affected Regions in Your Garden
While drought tolerant plants are ideal for regions that experience regular shortage of water, even in normal climates you can plant certain drought resistant plants. If you have a large garden or lawn and you do not want to spend additional time watering the entire section, you could mark a small portion of the lawn for such drought resistant plants too. The best part about this is that you need not water that section as frequently as you would the rest of the lawn.
Some common drought resistant plants are
1. Alyogyne hakeifolias: This is a flowering plant with purple tulip like flower. This is a true drought resistant plant that actually blossoms in summer when most other plants are rather dry. With thin and soft leaves, it is able to retain water much better in tough climates making it a great pick among plants for drought affected regions.
2. Banksia Ericifolia: This is another plant that does not need a lot of water to flourish. All you need is a little bit of shade to protect it during hot summers. This plant blossoms in winters and dry conditions too.
3. Silver Princess: This is a very adaptable plant as it can survive in most climates. While it is drought resistant, it can also survive in slightly humid conditions as long as the soil is well drained. It is best to prune and trim it to shape as it grows.
There are host of other drought resistant plants to choose from. As long as you are able to match the surrounding with the plant, you should be successful in coming up with a perfect drought resistant landscape design.
It is interesting that some gardeners interpret that drought resistant plants are those that need to be planted and forgotten about. They will still need a little loving and care but are more hardy survivors. Keep this in mind with your landscape maintenance.
