by Kate Jonuska
enjoy lush plants and vibrant color even in an arid climate
LONG GONE ARE the days when waterwise landscaping options were mostly lifeless and colorless, all rocks and shades of brown. By contrast, Nan Sterman shows how low-water gardens can be bright, colorful and even lush, the latter a word rarely used to describe arid gardens.
“Lush is an effect, not a plant type. Lush does not require water,” writes Sterman. Her book, “Hot Color, Dry Garden: Inspiring Designs and Vibrant Plants for the Waterwise Gardener,” is packed not only with gorgeous photos of colorful waterwise gardens from around the Southwest and West but also boasts a directory of waterwise plants with every color of foliage and flowers, a veritable palette with which a gardener can ‘paint’ their landscape.
The sheer number of beautiful low-water plants is stunning. It includes blooming irises, poppies and monkey flowers; seven very different kinds of agave; and three varieties of penstemons, a lovely low-water flowering bush. After all, says Sterman, a garden should have a mixture o f blooming, leafy, tall, wide, upright, narrow and low plants to achieve a full and finished look, and the books’ photos reveal just how many such looks are possible.
Interestingly, she notes the color of a garden’s hardscape— meaning the non-living parts like walls, boulders and pots—also plays a significant role in colorful waterwise spaces. Examples show how a painted fence or the right shade of mulch can highlight the plants themselves and make a garden pop.
In addition to color, Sterman’s suggestions include other simple techniques to create drama without water. For instance, she emphasizes building mounds in the garden, not only for the dramatic aesthetics but to create bioswales in the low zones, which filter the water and keep it in your soil longer. She also shares her deep knowledge of irrigation, pruning, mulch and maintenance, making this waterwise book not only a collection of inspirational photos but also a go-to book for technical reference.
