Choosing Plants For Your Water-Wise Garden

Texas Flowers For Water-Wise Gardens

We have a huge variety of native and adapted flowers that will brighten up any water-wise Texas garden with minimal effort. Once established, all the flowers below can handle drought and heat and have low water needs, so they are perfect for starting your gorgeous water-wise garden. Who said you had to compromise beauty for water conservation?

One great choice is the native Yellow Bells, which is drought and heat-tolerant and blooms long with lovely yellow flowers. Or, to mix in a splash of orange with that yellow, try Yellow Bells Sangria (shown avobe), which is just as drought and heat-tolerant. If orange is more your color, the Texas Lantana is a perfect groundcover shrub with gorgeous long-blooming flowers that are mostly oranges and reds with splashes of yellows. 

If you want some pretty purples, try the Fall Aster (shown below). It thrives in rocky and calcareous soils and blooms late into the fall to keep the pollinators happy long after the other flowers have faded. Shrubby Purple Skullcap is another excellent option that tolerates dry and moist conditions. 

For those wanting rich reds, try the Autumn Sage ‘Red,’ a fiery red variant of our native Autumn Sage that blooms from spring well into fall. Another great one is our native Flame Acanthus (shown below) with some of the brightest red flowers you will ever see, and a hummingbird magnet!

If pink is your color, then the native Rock Rose is a great choice for its rosy pink blossoms and tolerance of dry, rocky soils.  

Finally, if you fancy blue, the native Mealy Blue Sage (shown below) thrives in dry, calcareous soils and blooms from spring till fall. You can also try the highly fragrant Upright Rosemary, which is also drought-tolerant. 

Ornamental Grasses For Texas Gardens

Ornamental grasses are a fantastic choice for sunny areas. They add interesting texture and style but are extremely tough and drought-tolerant. 


The Gulf Coast Muhly (shown below) and the Big Muhly are gorgeous Texas native grasses that will thrive in a no-water garden. 

Shrubs For Texas Gardens

Texas Sage ‘Green Cloud’ (shown below) is a popular native shrub, and for good reason. Its evergreen leaves provide year-round interest, and it’s fairly drought-tolerant and attracts lots of local pollinators.

Edible Texas Xeriscape Plants

Yes, you can even have water-wise edible plants in your garden. If you hope to get better yields, you may need to water them once in a while during the summer heat, but less than any other edible plants. The native Chile Pequin (shown below) has tiny round chile peppers that pack a powerful punch; try them dipped in chocolate for a yummy spicy treat! Another good, highly drought-tolerant edible is the Mexican Oregano with its deliciously spicy and citrus-like leaves.

The secret to a great Texas garden isn't watering more, it's choosing plants that actually want to be here. Native and adapted plants are built to handle our heat, bounce back from dry spells, and still put on a beautiful show throughout the year.

Whether you're adding a few new plants or redesigning your entire landscape, filling your garden with water-wise favorites is a simple way to save water, spend less time on maintenance, and create a space that's full of life. If you need help getting started, stop by Nativo Gardens. We'd love to help you find the right plants for your yard!