The Bookend - January 2026: The Water-Saving Garden

The Water-Saving Garden
Pam Penick

How to grow a gorgeous garden with a lot less water. January is the perfect month to start dreaming of spring and our gardens-to-be. As designers, we can help our gardens evolve into almost anything. The Water-Saving Garden makes the case for going beyond planting cacti and succulents to be water-thrifty. It suggests that planting with regionally appropriate plants in harmony with our own climate, we can grow a lush garden that ‘sips instead of guzzles.’

A key takeaway is the ripple-zone planting strategy. Consider if your house was a stone dropped into a pond, and your garden was a series of ever-widening ripples. These ‘thirst zones’ can guide in compatible planting. The idea is to put the thirstiest plants closest to the house and hose, where you can appreciate them, but also give them extra attention. Zones become increasingly drought-tolerant until the farthest from the house may be a non-irrigated natural area.

The Water-Saving Garden inspires with designs that, among other things, capture, store and recycle rainwater. In its thorough presentation, it also looks at containers, irrigation, sun and wind, permeable paving and greywater systems. Berms, swales and terraces are considered features that support great contemporary design.

This accessible, attractive book is available now to borrow from the HCP Library.