So many garden owners in dry climates are fearful of planting flowers because they either think that the flowers won't survive long hot summers, and if they do, it's at the price of consuming large and unacceptable quantities of water. They're right of course on both counts, but mistaken in believing that growing herbaceous flowering plants should not be undertaken in a dry, arid climate. Here are five tips for cultivating flowering bedding plants while keeping WITHIN your annual water consumption budget.

1 Reduce the amount of flowers in the garden. I know this is pretty obvious, but try relying more on flowering shrubs that over the year, consume a fraction of the quantity of water required by herbaceous flowers. There are some superb shrub species that flower profusely in dry climates, such as Hibiscus, Plumbago, Solanum rantonnetii, Polygala, and the wonderful Hamelia patens. Don't forget also the splendid colours that the leaves of some bushes can provide.

2 The irrigation system MUST have a separate tap for bedding plants. This is the key to saving water, because drought resistant shrubs and trees require a completely different watering regime than flowers. If the different plant groups are receiving water from the same line, then they have to be watered according to the needs of the most dependent and thirsty, namely the flowers. For example in a Mediterranean climate typified by say 450 mm of annual rainfall, many shrubs and tress can be watered once a month and consume annually about 100-200mm of irrigation water. (100-200 liters per square meter) Whereas the flowers may need watering every 2 -3 days, consuming annually some 1000 mm!

3 Annual flowers (i.e. plants that complete their life cycle in one season) are best used in containers. This enables you to totally separate the flowers from the woody plants, and in addition, gives you the opportunity to concentrate colour in a few designated spots. This creates a far bolder and more effective design than a few flowers scattered around the bushes or at the foot of trees. A design feature can also be made of the pots themselves.

4 While the distinction between annuals and perennials (i.e. plants that complete their life cycle over a year or more) is usually pretty clear, the need to distinguish between various types of perennials is not. There are bedding plants which while technically perennial, are best treated as annuals, while there are herbaceous perennials that really can "hold" the flower bed together virtually 12 months of the year and can contribute to the bed for many years after. Some examples that come to mind are Agapanthus, Hemerocallis, some species of sage, and Chrysanthemum, Achilea, Cuphea, Osteospermum, and the grass-like Dietes.

5 In nature, annuals grow during the wet season. Try to focus the annual displays in the season most suited to them, and rely more on short-lived perennials during the dry seasons.

About the author - Jonathan Ya'akobi I've been gardening in a professional capacity since 1984. I am the former head gardener of the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, but now concentrate on building gardens for private home owners. I also teach horticulture to students on training courses. I'd love to share my knowledge and experience with you. So you're welcome to visit me on www.dryclimategardening.com