The Best Drought-Tolerant Landscape Design Ideas for Homeowners & Businesses Alike

In a world where water is more critical than ever, drought-tolerant plants are an excellent landscape addition. Homeowners and businesses can utilize this design strategy for their outdoor areas. Before investing in this design, it’s critical to understand what it is, why it matters, and the best ideas for your outdoor space.

If you’re interested in a landscape designer, Michelangelo’s is one of the best options for drought-tolerant landscaping ideas. Out of all available landscaping companies in Alpharetta, we are the premier option with experts in the field. Let’s talk more about drought-tolerant landscaping. 

What is Drought Tolerant Landscaping?

A drought-tolerant landscape is a design style that uses plants with the ability to live in places without much rain. There is less grass and greenery, replaced with hardy plants and hardscaping additions.

Drought-resistant landscaping ideas differ from traditional landscape design in appearance and care. There are fewer plants and visible greenery in drought-tolerant landscapes, often including rocks and bricks to accent the hardy plants. Drought-tolerant designs need less maintenance and watering.

This landscape design variety is becoming more and more popular. There are many reasons for this shift in outdoor spaces for businesses and residences.

Why Drought-Tolerant Landscaping Ideas are Becoming More Popular

Drought-tolerant landscape design ideas are more popular than ever. One reason is landscape design cost - it costs much less to plant hardy plants than traditional greenery. It requires less watering, maintenance, and upkeep, too - saving you money over the course of time.

Here are a few additional reasons drought-resistant landscaping ideas are more popular. It:

• Conserves water by using much less liquid

• Attractive and unique plants

• Increases home value as the landscape develops

• Lower water bills over time

• Provides practical use

There are many appealing factors to drought-tolerant landscape design ideas.

If you like to get hands-on with your landscape design, there are several ideas you can implement yourself. It doesn’t matter if you’re decorating a business or home - the ideas work the same. 

What are the Best Drought-Tolerant Landscape Design Ideas You Can Implement Yourself?

Ready to discover the best drought-tolerant landscape design ideas? We can sense you’re excitement - and we are eager to talk about these with you, too! Let’s go over our top picks for drought-tolerant landscaping ideas. You can attempt these yourself as you push into the water-saving world. Let’s start with an obvious option - reduce that lawn and replace it with something that needs less water. 

Reduce the Lawn

Our first suggestion for drought-tolerant landscape design ideas is to remove or reduce your lawn. This greenery is one of the major sources of water use and requires a lot of maintenance to keep it healthy. You can replace all or part of your grass with plants that need less water.

One way is to remove a grass strip near the home or the sidewalk. Pick pretty drought-resistant plants and plant them densely on the strip. Your lawn will require less water, and you will have a gorgeous accent piece for added curb appeal.

Over time, you can remove more of your lawn until it turns into landscaping that will do well without much water. Reducing your lawn is one of the best ways to lower water use and add something different to your home.

Add A Water Feature

A water feature will go a long way in a yard. It can take the place of plants that require tons of water while adding a unique hardscape element to your yard. The best water features recycle water and utilize rainfall for the most effective experience. A few of our favorite types include:

• Fountains

• Ponds (you can even add fish!)

• Waterfalls

These types of water features make it possible to add more plants, too. Water-resistant grasses and herbs can balance the harsh edges of hardscapes, helping them blend in with the natural foliage in your yard.

Create a Rock Garden

A rock garden provides a unique perspective and requires minimal maintenance - you don’t need to water rocks like plants. The best rock garden takes up space and complements drought-resistant plants in your landscape design.

All you need to plant a rock garden is a grouping of boulders, rocks, and stones. You can add drought-tolerant plants like moss and grass to complement the smooth grays of the stones. It looks pretty without much maintenance.

Switch To Drought-Tolerant Grass

If you didn’t like the first idea we shared with you of eliminating your lawn (or at least reducing it), here is a compromise: switch to drought-tolerant grass.

This is one of the best drought-tolerant landscaping ideas for those who love grass. The best types of drought-tolerant grass include:

• Fescue grass

• Bermudagrass

• Zoysia grass

• Ryegrass

These provide a unique look and don’t need much water to survive. Drought-tolerant grass won’t look the same as classic greenery. However, it will decorate your yard with unique shades of brown, gray, and yellow. Your yard will adopt a unique look.

Experiment With the Parking Strip

The parking strip is the area that sits between the driveway and the sidewalk. Few people can get plants to grow here, making it an ugly addition to a home. One of the best ways to save water and add value to your home is to plant water-resistant plants on the parking strip.

You can plant the parking strip in a way that retains water for the most practical designs. Plants like small evergreens, ornamental grasses, and mosses will catch the most water. They will prevent excess water from flowing off the sidewalk and into the drains, potentially polluting nearby water systems.

Redirect Water Strategically

When it rains, the water goes into a gutter and pours out on the ground. You can save water by redirecting the water into a barrel or similar storage container and setting it to the side for later. Natural water reduces the use of water from your property, lowering costs for keeping your plants in pristine shape.

If you have plants that don’t need much water, you rarely need to use your hose and personal water system. Redirected water comes in handy for a drought-resistant yard.

Choose Plants With Similar Watering Needs

Plant items with similar watering needs next to each other. You can save water and time with sprinkler and hand-watering systems. Plant drought-resistant plants in one area and drought-tolerant plants in another to keep your systems in check. 

When you have your plants sectioned in areas, it becomes much easier to keep your drought-resistant landscaping in control. Everything has a place.

Select Hardscape Elements

Hardscape elements will help with a drought-tolerant landscape. They create visual interest without requiring water or substantial maintenance to look good. When surrounded by drought-resistant plants like shrubbery or herbs, hardscape elements and plants that don’t need water work well together.

The best hardscape elements include patios, firepits, and other locations where people can hang around and enjoy the outdoor space. These locations are simple to surround with drought-resistant plants, making for a practical combination.

Some of the best plants for water use are the additions of cacti and succulents. Let’s talk about them.

Test Cacti and Succulents

Our last option for drought-resistant landscaping ideas is the addition of cacti and succulents. These plants look like they came straight from the desert, but they are the most effective choices for reducing water use in your garden. They’ll provide a different look for your yard in the best way.

There are many different kinds of cacti and succulents in plenty of colors. You can pick various shapes, sizes, and styles to complement your yard. Cacti work well with hardscape elements and don’t require much water to survive.

Of course, it can be tricky to bring these ideas to life. What if you need assistance with your drought-resistant landscape design? Is there anyone who can help you bring these concepts to fruition?

Want Help Bringing These Drought-Tolerant Landscape Design Ideas to Life?

Although it’s possible to implement drought-tolerant landscaping ideas yourself, it might be better to hire a landscape designer for security in a quality outcome. Michelangelo’s is the best option for creating your outdoor area.

Michelangelo's is the #1 choice for landscape design in Alpharetta, GA. We offer twenty years of experience in the market, so you can be sure you are getting expert care. We have a straightforward process and lean on you every step of the way to ensure the design is what you want.

We also offer sustainable practices, kind in your yard and your pocket. Michaelangelo’s takes advantage of local plants to ensure your landscape requires minimal work.

Although drought-resistant landscaping ideas don’t require much care, we also offer full-service landscape maintenance to help you keep your yard looking stunning all year round. We include every service necessary in one convenient company. All it takes is a quick phone call to get the process started.

Wrapping Up Our Top Drought-Resistant Landscaping Ideas

Drought-tolerant landscaping ideas are becoming one of the most popular ways to landscape a yard. They save water, provide curb appeal, and require less maintenance than traditional greenery. You can try landscaping techniques yourself, such as planting cacti or creating a rock garden.

If you’re interested in drought-resistant landscaping, reach out to Michaelangelo’s. We offer both residential landscaping in Alpharetta and commercial landscaping in Alpharetta. We will help you bring your drought-tolerant landscape design ideas to life.