Drought-Tolerant Landscaping

Outdoor Water Conservation

With some simple landscaping modifications water customers can plant drought-tolerant plants in their yards that provide year-round beauty to their landscaping. This also means that customers will use less water for irrigation, which will save both time and money on maintenance. In addition, drought-tolerant plants need less fertilizers and pesticides, protecting soil quality and reducing pollution in your yard.

There are many native Texas trees, plants, and beautiful flowers that are drought- and heat-tolerant. These types of plants will thrive in our climate with little water and maintenance. Help contribute to conserving water by planting the variety of species that won’t drink up all your water! The following is a list of native Texas drought-tolerant plants that thrive in our dry soil and extreme heat.

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  1. Grasses
  2. Trees
  3. Plants

Permitted Grasses

The following turf grasses are the only grasses permitted to be planted within the city limits for all new residential and commercial development:

  • Zoysia
  • Buffalo
  • Bermuda
  • Other grasses must be approved by the city manager or his designated representative.

Low-Impact Development

In cooperation with the San Antonio River Authority, the City of Boerne has created a Boerne Edition of the San Antonio River Basin Low Impact Development Technical Guidance Manual. The LID manual is another local resource that can be used to help improve surface water quality conditions throughout the watershed.

Low impact development features

  • Harvesting rain in a rain barrel or cistern is an efficient and cost-effective way to continue to water the lawn.  
  • Use a conservative drip irrigation system for your yard that uses only harvested rainwater.
  • Building residential or commercial rain gardens designed to capture and soak in stormwater.

Conservation Tips

With climate change continuing to impact our environment, everyone can help decrease water waste, especially while watering landscapes. A large percentage of our water is used on landscapes during the summertime, which leads to a high amount of waste.

A little brown grass never hurt anyone!

To kickstart the summer of saving water, here are some easy methods of outdoor water conservation that you can start doing today.