Dry Climate Gardening: Growing Beautiful, Sustainable Gardens in Low-Water Conditions

In Dry Climate Gardening, author and desert horticulturist Noelle Johnson, also known as AZ Plant Lady, delivers all the know-how you need to grow a breathtaking, colorful, and vibrant garden in low-water conditions.

*2024 American Horticultural Society Book Award Winner*

Gardening in an arid climate doesn’t have to mean a yard full of rocks with a few cacti plunked in. With careful plant selection and thoughtful design, you can create a low-water landscape that’s an oasis for humans and wildlife alike. There are hundreds of plants well-suited to xeric conditions, and with the proper care, they create a living desert landscape that will stop passersby in their tracks. Let Dry Climate Gardening be your guide to crafting a climate-appropriate outdoor living space that’s the envy of the neighborhood, whether you live in the American Southwest, the Mediterranean region, or any other arid climate.

Inside you’ll find:

• The best arid-adapted plants to feature in your landscape
• Information on which plants struggle in dry climates and how to avoid them
• The five ＂desert seasons＂ and which are best for planting
• How to handle desert soils
• Plant care techniques specific to dry climates, including pruning, fertilizing, and more
• How to design a planting for maximum impact and minimal water needs
• Plant profiles and charts for every category, from trees and shrubs to groundcovers, vines, succulents, and perennials
• Sample garden designs and plant lists you can adapt to your own space

With water restrictions and the number of gardeners dealing with drought conditions on the rise, we all need to get more creative in the way we grow. Water-wise landscaping is a must for millions of gardeners. In Dry Climate Gardening, you’ll learn how to do it with care and style.

Noelle Johnson is a horticulturist, landscape consultant, and garden writer who lives in the Phoenix, Arizona, metro area. Popularly known as ＂AZ Plant Lady,＂ her passion for over 20 years has been to inspire and teach people to create, grow, and maintain beautiful gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She is the author of the popular blog Desert Gardening 101, where she has been imparting essential gardening advice for over 10 years. Noelle has been an instructor at both the Desert Botanical Garden and the Tucson Botanical Gardens, and also speaks to garden groups about desert gardening. Over her career, Noelle has written for Water Use It Wisely, Birds & Blooms magazine, Houzz, Phoenix Home & Garden magazine, and The Home Depot. Her goal is to give people the knowledge they need to create, grow, and maintain a beautiful garden that thrives in a hot, dry climate.