10 steps to resilience

Resilient no-water gardens are not instant gardens. We are so used to the idea that landscaping means clearing a plot, buying a load of plants with lush foliage and sticking it in whenever, and then irrigating to keep everything alive. That approach is the result of an industry that needs to sell plants and work year round. But running out of water brings that model to its knees. The no-water way is necessarily seasonal, slower and more local.

1 PROPAGATION & ESTABLISHMENT

Commercial production of cheap plants means lush foliage in small or tiny pots. Sheltered greenhouses with fertigation and daily misting results in rapid, healthy growth. It also usually means tiny root systems and zero drought resistance.

So the first step is to look for decent pot size and well-developed root systems. Deeper pots are better, and you are likely to have better results with less-perfect-looking plants from small growers with less artificial