Living in a dry area or climate doesn’t mean foregoing having beautiful and lush looking yards. All you need are some creative ideas to maximise water use without compromising functionality and style!

Check out these creative ideas for a beautiful outdoor area without the use of much water. Best part? They’re low-maintenance too!

Use a Combo of Gravel and Trees

If you’re into something that wouldn’t need much upkeep as well as has a bit of zen feel to it, this trick is for you! Scatter a sea of gravel over your yard and plant some trees. Once the trees are tall enough, they would also serve to shade the gravel and will make your yard look like a shaded glen or river bed.

Use Beautiful Planters

If you used the tip above, it would also be nice to add in a few colourful and artful planters to balance out the gravel. You can add succulents to the planter for a fuss-free upkeep or plant tall grasses to create a sort of green wall for extra privacy.

Utilise Colours!

There are multitudes of grasses and succulents that are available in a variety of hues. Plant them in rows for a show of colour which thrives for most of the year! Fescue and echeveria are great options!

Go For Unity!

Not into ribbons of colour? Then choose a single variety and plant that all over your yard. Succulents are still the best choice, but you can also go for any plant that’s native in your area. This trick saves you from having to think of the different watering needs of various plants should you choose to plant different types of perennials and ornamentals. This works for an entire bed as well as a side yard addition too!

Embrace the Grasses

Common lawn-type grasses are water blackholes. They drain water like there’s no tomorrow! For a low maintenance and water-friendly yard, go for grass types that requires less mowing to achieve a meadow-like look. True, they’re a bit too squishy for running around but they basically take care of themselves as well. That’s a nice trade!

Try Local

We’re talking about using native species here, since they would require significantly less care than plants from somewhere else. Not only will they require less tending to, but usually requires less water as well.

Consider Having a Deck

Decks are a great place to hang out in and would reduce the area which needs groundcover. They also make a yard feel a lot less hot on warm summer days. Add some drought resistant plants around your deck and you’ll have a fantastic area for outdoor dining as well as hosting gatherings.

Go For Outdoor Rooms

Not into decks? Another great idea for downsizing lawns is building your lawn (and planting design) around outdoor rooms. Amphitheatre like designs are amazing! With a half-moon planter behind a fireplace or fireplace, you’d make anyone swoon over your yard. It’s water friendly too!

The Goodale Miller Team - Oakville's Leading Luxury Real Estate Team