Choose slower growing, more long lived, hardier evergreens and try avoid soft, thirsty annuals & perennials
Select those plants naturally geared to survive drought:
- silver, grey foliage: reflects the heat
- upright, narrow, small leaves or no leaves at all: all if which reduces contact with the hot sun and so stay cooler- reducing their water-loss though evaporation
- hairy, waxy, firm-structured, aromatic: all designed to also reduce water-loss from the plant
- succulent: have their own reservoirs of water supply
- have more underground plant parts and storage organs- like bulbs: Hide from the sun and wind and so reduce water-loss
- deciduous in summer: grow when the weather is cooler and wetter, sleep when conditions are unfavourable