Let's face it-landscaping in Southern California presents a very unique set of challenges. Particularly, where water is involved and with the ever-present limited availability of the precious liquid commodity. Designing and implementing a beautiful landscape layout is always best served by the expertise of a savvy plant pro. Finding success and bringing out the maximum beauty wit in your limited water region means thinking about water smart designs first.

One time-tested and remarkably effective method of conserving water is to reduce the proportions of H2O-thirsty traditional grass lawns. Granted, they are sometimes hard to give up on, but keeping a thick, luscious grass lawn in tip top shape in a climate where it's not well-suited natural, native vegetation, just takes more effort, chemicals, and water than many of us will ever like to commit to. So, what's the solution then?

Well, in this case, scaling back the grass lawn (or perhaps eliminating it altogether) presents a perfect opportunity to install a gorgeous new landscaping design that balances resource-friendly softscapes with practical hardscape features. There are all kinds of plants that naturally love the unique environment of sunny Southern California and have practically no problem at all standing up to the dry, arid conditions that a common summer season will reliably cause.

A Few Excellent Water Smart Plant Examples:

California Redbud - This is a lovely shrub that morphs into many different looks throughout the year, from flowers to attractive foliage. Most importantly, the California Redbud has very little trouble dealing with persistent dry conditions.

Deer Grass - For those looking to provide the essence of grass without all of the water, this fast-growing ornamental perennial works really well in the drought prone climate of Southern California.

Sages - There are countless varieties of Sage plants that are just wonderful for water smart landscaping. Great for creating depth and levels in a landscape design, this one is a persistent favorite for its pleasant, soothing scent.

Coast Live Oak - Looking for the perfect native tree for the area? If so, look no further than the Coast Live Oak tree. A relative of the Red Oak family, this attractive evergreen tree thrives in the Southern California coastal region.

Creating a fantastic drought-tolerant landscape by prominently featuring native plants such as these means year-round beauty with significantly less watering and all of the fuss that goes with it. These popular species of plants are just the beginning of a long list of well-suited foliage. For more specific examples that would be excellent in your unique landscape, chat with a professional landscaping expert-one that fully understands the nuances of coastal Southern California's unique Mediterranean-like climate.

And of course, there's always the added benefit of installing and planting water smart landscaping features-saving water very effectively helps reduce your impact on the environment and saves money at the same time. While ensuring that your vegetation investments will stand the challenges of a drought prone location, being water smart is both eco-friendly and wallet-friendly.