The Camels Of The American Garden

While Florida doesn’t qualify as a desert, we do have a seven-month-long dry season; as a result of the heightened demand for water from our growing population, we also have water restrictions on a regular basis. Thus, the wise gardener will phase out water guzzlers in favor of more cacti, succulents and other drought-tolerant plants once defined by a landscape architect as “the camels of the American garden.”

Once they are established, drought-tolerant plants are almost as carefree in Florida as those plastic pink flamingos, but oh, so much more interesting. Succulents often have fascinating, even quirky, growth habits, and make striking specimen or featured plants.

Read the entire article in the Summer 2008 issue