Are you a would-be gardener that’s held back by the amount of water needed to care for plants? Believe it or not, it’s possible to grow a water efficient garden in the desert. Here are four ways we recommend making the most out of your garden without racking up your water bills:
1) Grow Native Plants
Plants native to the Sonoran Desert are uniquely adapted to survive in extreme heat, constant sunlight, and droughts. If you fill your garden with native plants, you’ve already lessened the amount of watering and work you need to do to keep them alive.
Some of our favorite native plants are:
- Mountain Yucca
- Desert Milkweed
- California Poppy
- Sunflower
- Globe Mallow
- Firecracker Penstemon
In need of new plants? Check out our Fall Plant Sale running October 17th – November 1st 2026. The plant sale features an array of plants from around the world, including native plants that are sustainable and water-wise.
2) Use Efficient Drip Irrigation to Save Water
If you use sprinklers for your garden, switch to a drip irrigation system instead! Sprinkler systems spray water everywhere, causing an unnecessary amount to evaporate before ever reaching a plant’s roots. A drip irrigation system moves water directly to the base of each plant through a tubing network, reducing evaporation and overwatering while keeping plants moist longer. It’s a perfect way to ensure water reaches plants that need it the most without wasting your time or water supply.
3) Retain Water in Your Soil with Mulch
When preparing your garden, before you even plant your first seed, cover the top layer of soil with 2 to 3 inches of mulch. Mulch is a MUST for gardens, especially those planted in arid climates. It reduces water evaporation and keeps soil cooler, helping your plants survive hot temperatures with less water. It also keeps your soil healthier while reducing the amount of weeds that pop up. Go grab some mulch and see for yourself what a difference it can make!
4) Harvest Rainwater
Not only is rainwater free water, but it also helps your soil stay healthy! Soil is often full of harmful salts that can damage the root zone. Rainwater helps dilute these salts, helping your plants access the nutrients they need.
You can harvest rainwater by creating drainage systems in your garden. If you have a plant that needs extra water, dig a small depression around it and line the edges with rocks. You can also make a trail that guides water from your rain gutters to an area of your garden that needs it the most.
See Water Harvesting in Action
You can see one of these systems in action in front of the Smith Greenhouses at Boyce Thompson Arboretum! After only a few weeks, Arizona Poppies have been growing within, a living proof of this creation’s success.
Water efficient gardening can make a difference to everyone! Your water bills AND the ecosystem will thank you for your effort. To view a water-efficient garden at work, check out our Demonstration Garden! As you walk through our trails, our hope is that you’ll get some ideas on how to organize your own garden. Visit our website to plan your trip today. We hope to see you there!
Water – Use It Wisely is proud to feature guest bloggers who share insights on water, water conservation, and sustainability. Naomi Johnson is a Marketing Operations Specialist at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. The mission of Boyce Thompson Arboretum is to inspire appreciation and stewardship of desert plants, wildlife, and ecosystems through education, research, and conservation.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum (BTA) holds collections of desert plants from the United States, Mexico, Australia, Madagascar, India, China, Japan, Israel, South America, the Middle East, Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Arabian Peninsula—all told 4,025 taxa and 20,000 plants within 135 acres of gardens. Situated on 372 acres of scenic upland Sonoran Desert with nearly five miles of trails, BTA is Arizona’s oldest and largest botanical garden and one of Arizona’s top tourism sites.