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Landscaping with water-wise plants, often referred to as Xeriscaping, is a great way to recognize Earth Day. Water-wise plants are adapted to local conditions and generally grow better. They also require less maintenance and ~ of course use less water! There are a wide variety of colorful, fragrant and beautiful plants that fit this description and most have long blooming seasons. By selecting plants that will thrive in dry conditions, you can save on your water bills – and help the environment, too. Here’s some of our top choices:

ICE PLANTS. These succulent perennials are low-growing making it a perfect ground cover or the perfect border. They also are gorgeous planted on their own in containers. Bold colored flowers range from golden yellow to purple. The Firespinner variety is our top pick this season with it's stunning orange blooms!

MEZOO TRAILING RED. This unique, annual foliage plant is an ideal spiller for any container combination. It adores the full sun and blooms with small red flowers. Try pairing it with Knockout Roses, Geraniums, Petunias and even ornamental grasses.

PORTULACA.This beauty is a small, fast growing annual plant with very bright, bold blooms. The flowers will open on bright, sunny days and close at night. Plant Portulaca in a container, window box or hanging basket and let it spill over with abundant blooms. We love the new Happy Hour series with bright colors like banana, fuchsia, orange and mixed. Look for these in store in May as they like it a bit hotter.

SEDUMS. Sedums encompass a very wide variety of hardy, perennial succulents with water storing leaves. Some are loved for their interesting and attractive foliage, while others for their gorgeous flowers. Sedums make an ideal groundcover and look absolutely beautiful planted in a container. The possibilities are endless with Sedums! We recommend our new varieties, Lemon Coral and Beach Party.

HENS & CHICKS. Few plants are as hardy, easy to maintain, effortless to grow and beautiful to boot! These succulents are shaped similar to an artichoke, but the color and leaves can vary. Colors range from pale mint green to dark olive, burgundy to red, purple to pink and sometimes even gray. The leaves may be thick or thin, bristly or round-tipped, smooth or covered with fine hairs. The parent rosettes are the "hens," and the smaller rosettes that sprout from them are the "chicks". Tuck Hens & Chicks into the niches of a rock garden, in containers or directly in the ground. They prefer full sun to partial shade.