IN THE GARDEN OF DRY DELIGHTS DROUGHT-RESISTANT FLOWERS AND SHRUBS BRING WATER-SAVING BEAUTY TO YARDS.

Byline: Sandra Barrera

Staff Writer

Strolling along the decorative rock stream that cuts through a patch of unruly wildflowers in her yard, Berniece Wilson stops to admire a small pink blossom.

"Isn't that cute," she says with obvious pride.

Lowering her hand, the spry 84-year-old -- a passionate backyard gardener who is active with the award-winning West Valley Garden Club -- gently lifts up the Mexican evening primrose, whose delicate spreading flowers grow among the cosmos and other heat-loving, drought-tolerant hardies at the rear of her Woodland Hills home.

Rosemary bushes, rosette-like "Hen and Chicks" Echeveria and the fiery spike of a red-hot poker plant all thrive in this verdant landscape despite little watering from Wilson and our area's record low rainfall -- just over 3 inches in the year ending June 30, the driest since the late 1870s.

Southern California is in the midst of a severe drought, and conservation warnings are starting to sound. With no rain in the near forecast and the state's population ever-growing, experts say the initiation of water rationing would hardly come as a surprise.

"Shortages are looming," warns Lynn Lipinksi, program manager for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's water-conservation outreach program. "I would characterize the situation as serious."

For many gardeners, a drought-stricken summer could spell ruin for their lush green grass, fragrant roses and other water-loving favorites. Remember the regulatory cutbacks of the 1980s and the miles of straw-colored lawns?

Not that Michael DeHart has to worry.

DeHart can go all summer without using a drop of water in his Brentwood garden. His Pride of Madeira still explodes into spikes of brilliant purple alongside the Festuca Glauca "Blue Fescue" and Artemisia "Powis Castle."

No water, no problem

"I like to know I can go on vacation at any time of the year," he says. "And I've designed my garden so I can do just that. So I wouldn't have heliotrope in my garden. It's beautiful, but it's unforgiving."

As horticulturist for the Getty Center, DeHart has come to rely on a variety of drought-tolerant plants for the slopes above the 405 as well as in his home garden. They require little if any watering once the roots are established, which can take one to three years depending on the plant, he says.

"A plant that's grown in a nursery needs to be babied ... and then you can back off," DeHart explains.

Plants native to Australia, Africa and the Mediterranean also are popular choices for the Southern California climate adds Carmen Wolf, program director for the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sun Valley.

Plan now, plant later

But unless your garden is wooded, she recommends waiting until late fall and early winter to start planting to take advantage of the rain that "should be" falling.

If it doesn't fall, fake the winter by watering your plants liberally in the cooler months to prepare them for the long hot, dry summer ahead.

"The summer is the dormant season," Wolf says. "So during this time of year, we encourage a lot of learning and research on what plants are going to do well in your soil.

"And if you still want your heirloom roses, fine," she says. "Just group them in the same place as your plants with the same water needs."

Wilson keeps a small area of grass and roses at the center of her backyard. But she vows the turf is a water-saving variety and the roses, around which she layers 2 to 4 inches of mulch, are kept hydrated with a drip hose.

"It isn't that much work because I try to keep it simple," she says. "The gardeners do come in and keep things so it doesn't get over grown because then it's more foliage that the plant has to support. So I'm very conscious of conserving water."

In fact, Wilson has been embracing low-maintenance gardening since she and her husband, James, moved their three children into the hillside home 40 years ago.

Ice plant and oleander still cover the upward slope.

And now the lower reaches of the yard closest to the tree-shaded patio are dotted with Donkey's Tail cascading from clay pots as well as junipers and bottlebrush -- one of her favorites.

"The bottlebrush are wonderful," Wilson says. "They don't require any water, but they get the flowers -- and the hummingbirds love them.

"So, you know, if you're a nature lover, you want your garden to look like it belongs," she says. "It just works out beautifully."

Sandra Barrera, [phone]

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Landscaping for the water wise

If you plan on relandscaping your drought-stricken yard this fall, you'll likely want to skip the turf, given the growing scarcity of water these days.

Or you might want to consider other alternatives, says Lynn Lipinski, program director for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's water-conservation outreach.

The M.W.D. has compiled a list of ground-hugging turf replacements -- such as Thymus pseudolanuginosus "Woolly Thyme," Herniaria glabra "Green Carpet" and Dymondia margaretae "Silver Carpet" -- as well as other drought-tolerant favorites at www.bewaterwise.com.

Here are some of their recommendations:

-Cleveland Sage: This sun-loving, perenial shrub has wide, 4-foot-tall erect stems with fragrant gray foliage and lavender-colored flowers that bloom from May to August.

-Kangaroo Pawa: With its Iris-like foliage and fuzzy red flowers, this evergreen perennial grows 4 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide from spring through fall.

-Contoneaster dammeri "Coral Beauty" Bearberry cotoneaster: A spreading shrub with glossy evergreen foliage and soft pink flowers followed in the spring by coral berries. Can grow 1 1/2 feet tall and is suitable for xeriscaping.

- Sandra Barrera

Tips for a drought-resistant garden

Choose drought-resistant plants native to hot climates such as Australia, Africa or the Mediterranean. Succulents and cactuses are a good choice.

Group your water-loving plants together so you don't have to soak your entire garden.

Layer 2 to 4 inches of mulch around thirsty plants and water as necessary. A drip system is a good choice. Piles of bark, peat moss or gravel trap moisture and slow down evaporation.

Water plants in the cooler months if rain doesn't fall. This helps prepare them for a long, hot summer.

When plants are young, skip frequent, shallow waterings in favor of deep soakings that penetrate about about a foot into the soil. This encourages plant roots to grow deeper in search of water -- and deeper roots help them survive dry spells.

CAPTION(S):

11 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Under a dry spell

More SoCal gardeners turn to drought-resistant plants

(2 -- 7 -- color) Clockwise, from right: Mexican primrose flowers line up alongside a portion of Berniece Wilson's rock stream; a bee feeds off of the tiny flowers blooming from succulents; society garlic's purple blossoms bloom; perennial daisies show their heads; a row of pink geraniums sit in front of a Buddha statue; Zebrina pendula also has a home here.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

(8 -- color) no caption (Berniece Wilson)

(9 -- color) Cleveland Sage

(10 -- color) Kangaroo Paw

(11 -- color) Contoneaster dammeri "Coral Beauty" Bearberry contoneaster

Box:

(1) Landscaping for the water wise (see text)

(2) Tips for a drought-resistant garden (see text)