At Conserva Irrigation, we are always looking for ways to conserve water and help our clients lower their water bills. The foundation of using less water in irrigation is to build a landscape that is not reliant on a large volume of H2O to stay healthy. The eco-benefits and financial benefits are great, but by choosing the right varieties, your plants will survive and thrive better for a better-looking landscape too! We’d love to help you make the best choices for your landscape, so we’ve created a quick list of the best plants and plant-types for a water-smart landscape in Minneapolis.
Selecting Plants for Water Conservation
Flowers
A general rule of thumb when choosing flowers is to stick with perennials. Annual flowers require significantly more water. Be sure to investigate the best soil type and sun exposure for your chosen perennials, when plants are in the right spot; they require less nurture and less water to survive. Lavender, sundrops, Purple Coneflowers, and Yarrow are popular drought-tolerant choices.
Shrubs
Look for labels that specify “drought tolerant”.
- Spirea
- Ninebark
- Forsythia
- Gray dogwood
- Alpine Currant
- Sumac
- Junipers
Trees
- Bur oak
- American bayberry
- Amur cork tree
- Ginkgo
- Hackberry
- Tree lilac
- Honeylocust
Grass
Most lawns in the area are Kentucky Blue Grass or Rye Grass – both of which require a large volume of water to look and be healthy. If you are installing new turf or trying to repair a patchy lawn, choosing a drought tolerant turf grass is your best choice for using less water. Tall fescue is your best choice for lowering your water use in lawn irrigation in the Twin Cities.
No matter what you end up choosing for your lawn and landscape, always try to use native plants that naturally survive in the Minneapolis climate. The USDA has a wonderful guide about native landscapes in Minnesota to help you plan and install your landscapes wisely. And when you are done refreshing your landscape, be sure to call us out for an irrigation system evaluation so we can adjust your zones and timers to better suit your new yard.
