“This drought has been an eye-opener for me,” Michael said. “I didn’t realize how invested I was in the look of our yard until it started getting really terrible. I want to be able to be proud of my property. That’s why I’m going to replace all of this dead stuff with plants that will grow in Boston that can stand up to a drought.”
As Boston lawn care specialists, we’d like to say two things here. First, don’t start pulling and tossing plants just yet! Some things that look dead may actually be dormant, a state plants go into during extreme weather conditions – think of it like hitting ‘pause’. When conditions improve and the rains return, dormant plants begin to grow again. Considering the prices of ornamental plantings may make it worthwhile to give potentially dormant plants a season to recover.
Second, choosing drought tolerant plants for your lawn makes sense. You’ll hear people talk about Xeriscaping, which is the idea of using local, native plants as an integral part of your landscaping plan. Native plants tend to survive local growing conditions better than plants that may have been imported from tropical regions, where rainfall happens on a much more regular basis. Black eyed Susans, Purple Coneflower, and several beautiful varieties of Sedum all thrive in Western MA, and add vibrant color to the lawn.
We also recommend planting drought tolerant grass. If you need your lawn reseeded this fall, we’ll help you choose a variety of grass that’s best suited for your lawn’s unique growing conditions and your family’s lifestyle. Additionally, there are many types of ground cover that are both attractive and drought-resistant. These include creeping blue myrtle and native bearberry.
Planting drought resistant plants won’t work against you if next year turns out to be wet and rainy. Instead, the drought resistant plants will make the most of the plentiful water, growing to be especially lush and green.
