Beat the Heat: Xeriscape & Drought-Tolerant Landscapes
Our Hawaiian summers are getting hotter, and no one wants their garden to suffer. But making sure our plants get adequate water could mean over-irrigating when we should be working to conserve water. Luckily, there are drought-tolerant plants that don’t require as much water, and there are even ways to remediate your soil to help it retain more moisture during the hot summer months. Fret not, we’ve got some ideas to help you keep your garden happy all summer long!
Ponytail Palm adds a whimsical touch to any landscape
What is Xeriscape?
Xeriscape is a style of landscaping that utilizes plants and materials that are low maintenance and require little to no irrigation. Although hard to achieve a true Xeriscape, the idea is to create a landscape that reduces the need for water and will sustain itself through dry conditions. This landscape practice also encourages grouping your plants by water needs. Your garden likely has its own microclimates, based on the specific conditions of different areas in your landscape. By identifying these various areas, you can more thoughtfully group plants together that require similar conditions. Creating shade by planting trees will help to prevent the sun from drying out sun-sensitive plants in your garden, and using plants that need moisture near a gutter will benefit from the excess water. By identifying these zones and designing your landscape around them, you can make your garden happier, and create less work for yourself.
Map it Out
When designing any landscape, it’s imperative that you know the conditions of the area you live in. Drought-tolerant means a plant can handle drier than normal conditions. Many plants need to be established (have time to develop a healthy root system in the ground) before they are truly drought-tolerant. As you are determining which plants to use in your landscape, there are some questions you should ask:
What is the annual rainfall in my area?
What plants do I want and how much annual rainfall do they get in their native habitats?
Do the plants need well-draining soil?
How much direct sun or heat will these plants receive?
All of these questions are important in determining which plants should be used in your landscape.
Knowing the annual rainfall of your area will help you gauge what plants will do well in your garden. For example, Kilauea and Princeville receive 60-80 inches of rainfall annually. You can also consult the rain map of Kaua’i to determine the average rainfall in your specific area. If all this sounds too complicated, we are here to help! Landscape designers will explore all of these factors and can help you find plants that suit your area. To make it easy, many Native plants on Kaua’i are drought tolerant when they are planted in the rainfall zone they are acclimated to and in the microsite they like. And many tropical plants can be drought tolerant and do well without irrigation in areas of Kaua’i that are similar to their native range.
Now let’s explore some design options that will help your garden withstand the hot Hawaiian summer!
Embrace the Heat
Assorted Agave, Aloe, and Crown of Thorns
There are plenty of plants that can handle the heat and look stunning in the landscape. Ponytail Palms are drought-tolerant plants that add a touch of whimsy! Agave is a great option to add unique shapes to your landscape and lean into the tropic-desert vibe. Aloe is another drought-tolerant option that would even help YOU beat the heat! Growing Aloe Vera as a groundcover is perfect for those intense summer beach days or long hours in the garden when your skin needs a little extra love. If you’re looking for a drought-tolerant ground cover to accent your Agave, Rhoeo is a great option. It thrives in dry areas and its vibrant purple underside adds color and contrast to your landscape. Succulents are another fun groundcover option, and using unique plants like the Crown of Thorns can tie the whole design together.
If you’re still set on that classic tropical look, we have an array of drought-tolerant options to mix into your landscaping. The Bird of Paradise and the Spider Lily are beautiful options if you’re looking for a plant with showy flowers to add to your tropical oasis. And Crotons, Song of India, Dracaena, and Schefflera are great drought-tolerant hedge options. Orange Bulbine, Indian Hawthorn, Sansevieria, and Texas Ranger are drought-tolerant and look good in a variety of landscapes. Gardenia and Ruellia are good options as well, but they’re not drought-tolerant until they are established.
When in Doubt, Go the Native Route!
Native Naupaka works well by the ocean and in dry areas
The best part about problem-solving on an island is that there are usually natural solutions. Many Native Hawaiian plants are naturally tolerant to our island’s conditions, whether it be salt & wind tolerant plants that naturally grow on the coast, or drought-tolerant plants that can withstand long periods without water. And by utilizing these plants for our landscaping needs, we can solve our problems while promoting the use of these amazing Hawaiian plants. If you want something tall to be the centerpiece of your landscape, a good drought-tolerant Native option is Hala. Hala is a versatile plant to use in the landscape. They can get up to 20 feet tall and their expressive branches extend long and wild. More Native trees to choose from are Kou, Milo, and Alahe’e. You may think of Naupaka as a beach shrub, but it is also drought-tolerant! Other Native shrub options that work well in dry conditions include Uki Uki and Akia. For groundcovers, there are a variety of unique plants to choose from. Carex Wahuensis is a native sedge that can add height and softness to your groundcover. Pohinahina, Pili Grass, and the Native White Plumbago look beautiful together or on their own as a full, expansive groundcover. When it comes to mindful landscaping, there are always Native options to choose from. And sometimes they are the best solution for environmental obstacles in our landscapes!
Keep Your Garden Happy
Assorted Succulents and Crown of Thorns with fine gravel
If your regular tropical garden tends to need a little extra TLC in the summer months, help your plants and your water bill by remediating your garden’s soil. Adding organic matter to the mix helps to improve your soil’s water-holding capacity. That means when your plants do get water, the soil will retain moisture longer and prevent your plants from drying out as quickly. Adding a top layer of mulch will also help prevent your soil from drying out in the hot sun. Mulch blocks direct sunlight from causing evaporation from your soil. Mulch can also inhibit weeds and slow erosion. Mulch wood chips will break down over time, adding more organic matter to your soil! It’s inevitable that you will need to water your garden throughout the summer, but there are more efficient ways to irrigate so your plants get the most out of your watering schedule. Once the sun is out in full force, any moisture in your garden could evaporate. Water early in the morning or in the evening to prevent moisture loss from evaporation. Installing an efficient irrigation system like drip irrigation will help keep your plants on a regular watering schedule without overwatering.
Don’t let the summer months beat up your garden! Beat the heat by remediating your soil, irrigating smarter, and utilizing drought-tolerant plants like Natives.