Water is like money. There’s plenty of it to go around, but it rarely gets distributed equitably. That inequitable distribution is the very thing that causes gardeners lots of grief this time of year. Fortunately, there are a few ways to keep gardening enthusiasm high and frustration levels low. I begin by acknowledging there will be at least one dry spell each summer and then modifying my landscape accordingly—starting from the ground up, literally.

Soil rich in organic matter encourages plants to develop deep roots with a lot of fine, water-absorbing root hairs. In heavy clay soils, roots are unable to meander down through the soil and in essence become imprisoned within the top few centimetres—not a good thing. Imprisonment of water, on the other hand, is. That’s where mulch comes in.

Mulch won’t slam the door on moisture loss, but it will act as a barrier and slow down surface evaporation. Just remember that finer mulch is a better barrier against moisture loss from the soil surface because less soil is exposed directly to the air.

Once the mulch issues have been dealt with, it’s time to start thinking outside the bark. Xeriscaping is the term that refers to planting the landscape with xeric (drought-tolerant) plants. Now xeriscaping is not all about saguaro cactus and sage brush. There are many excellent drought-tolerant species that add colour and texture to the landscape. From alpines to evergreens and grasses, there’s a gamut of gorgeous plants to suit almost any style of garden.

My one last piece of advice is this. Modification of your soil and plants will go a long way in winning the battle with the dry season, but there’s one other modification that’s equally important: modifying expectations. The consensus from many great gardeners I’ve talked to over the years is that one must accept the fact that plants will look better at certain times than they will at others. That’s not to say a crispy-looking container of petunias is okay, but if they’re not quite as floriferous as they were when the weather was cooler and wetter, it shouldn’t cause heart problems. After all, gardening isn’t about perfection—it’s about enjoyment.

Dry-loving plants are easy to identify by their thick foliage.
Here are a few beauties to try.
Rockrose (Cistus) can survive in the poorest of soils, and looks best when combined with Ceanothus.
Sea Lavender (Statice) is coveted for its calyx, “the everlasting flower,” which remains on the plant long after its violet petals fall off.
Lantana is a great decorative shrub, as it blossoms with clusters of red, pink and orange flowers.
Candytuft (Iberis) can be grown in the home for transplanting outside, and blooms well in rock or dry gardens. —Vanessa Scrubb