I think there is a difference between Xeroscaping and low water gardening-- is there? Here in Clovis, NM there is a combination of different ways. The Lowes out here has the best plants, as it is a small town so no fancy greenhouse. I do go out all the way to Amarillo for that-- However the greenhouses Lowes included generally order only plants that, with the proper care do well in low water environments (after establishment, of course). So one plant I have recently noticed is guara. Right now I have a Belleza Dark Pink. It is a compact guara (12-18 H X 16-20 wide. A nice little bush with bronzy leaves, and bronze spikes with tiny magenta-ish flowers. I have become so besotted by this tiny plant that I am now looking for larger types, mostly white or white with picotee red edge. Guara is apparently from Turkey or another middle eastern country and does well in Southwest-type landscapes. I think the thing that most people point out is that it is so kinetic, bouncing around in every breeze because the tiny flowers are on long thin wands and they look like little bees or butterflies hovering over the plant. Some big leaf lambs ear in front of a large drift of guara would really look nice in the yard, or maybe beside a big rock.
