We just had had two summers with weeks of 110+ and no rain so this is a similar garden test in that regard. Soil differences might not be. My soil is clay or sandy depending on the area. This summer has been better.

The rudbeckia got a bit crispy even with a drink.

All the Muhly's did well, staying green, but I personally think some others are more decorative during the summer than the Gulf Coast Muhly. It is pretty in Fall though.

Pink Scullcap was a winner in various soils and so was the purple blooming Shrubby Skullcap. A wet spring wasn't good on them however. Avoid overwatering these.

All Salvia greggii's did well in during two months of over 100 degrees during the last two summers with a couple of deep drinks.

Lantana's are indestructible.

These others have performed very well for me during the drought with very little or without supplemental watering if you want a longer list of choices:

Melancampa leucanthum (Blackfoot Daisy)
Pink Hesperaloe
Russian Sage
Damianita
Malvavisus arboreus drummondii (Turk's Cap)
Leucophylums
Penstemon ambiguus
Missouri Primrose
Flame Acanthus
Silver King Artemisia
Flame Flower
Desert Marigold
Leadplant (Amorpha canescens)
Salvia 'Hot Lips
Salvia azurea var. grandiflora
Philostrophe tagetina (Paperflower)
Penstemon 'parryii'

We've only grown about a third of those, but wouldn't mind trying any of the rest - a wonderful selection of plants!

Only comment is on the Gaura where size, shape, and flowering varies a lot by cultivar. In our north Texas yard, the "fountain" series have provided the best blooms, nice rounded form, and moderate size (~2ft) . Siskiyu Pink is also nice, but a larger plant with a woodier core that can be susceptible to flopping.... at least in rich soils. The native whites don't bloom as long, but have more of the wilder (weedy?) look that's great in the right location. I like them all. Just alerting you to consider the differences in these and the other cultivars for each of the spots you plan to fill and look you are after.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gaura Fountain series

Thank you so much! If anyone else has any experience with any of the plants listed in the original post, I'd be so grateful.

It's wonderful to have someone knowlegable to help you plan a water wise garden!

I'm wishing your the very best in your low water gardening endeavors. I've been replacing a lot of my plants with things that need less water such as nicely formed agaves, colorful yuccas like 'color guard' and 'bright edge', various shaped cacti such as columnar and barrel , ornamental grasses, and other succulents. Even those I'm watering once a week so they'll grow and fill in faster.

I've had experience with most of the plants you list and they do great, but I'm wondering if they can get by most years if 'rarely' watered. Most of my broad leaf plants on your list need water at least once a week; many times more often if I want them to bloom and not droop or even die, especially if they are in the sun.

If I don't want to water them that often they get cut back by about two thirds in high summer. They come back out with cooler weather and the hoped for fall rains. but they still need a little water to keep them alive until then.. But maybe my soil, being over rock, is extra fast draining and more subject to drying quickly. I do use a lot of mulch, but right now no matter how deep I happen to dig the soil is absolutely bone dry where not watered. Another consideration in your favor is that Austin's rain frequency is a little more evenly spread out than San Antonio's. It can rain 5 or 6 inches here and then not another drop for 5 or 6 weeks, or even longer.

So as the old expression goes "I'm just saying" to be ready with the water hose just in case.

How about it folks? How often do you water your drought tolerant plants?

I have some drought tolerant plants, and once established, I never water them. If they don't make it in that spot, then they didn't need to be there.

We have a xeric border on one side of the pool. The autumn sage, narrow leaf esperanza, flame acanthus, Texas lantana, copper canyon daisy, gaura, zexmenia, and silver falls dichondra were only deep watered with a drip line twice this summer after the daily highs had held in the 100s for 3+ days. I believe they would have survived without it the way the rains were spaced this year, but they certainly looked better - especially the ones that were blooming at the time. The Lindheimer muhly, nolina texana, and red yucca looked just fine with or without the extra water. We added echinacea purpurea, goldstrum rudbeckia, penstemon, winecup, and aromatic aster within the past year, so all were still getting water at least once a week - appears they'd "survive" with less now that they're getting established, but am thinking roselee is right about planning on weekly watering (or more as needed) during the hottest months for them to look their best.

Bostedo, that's good information. Thank you!

I have Blackfoot Daisy (be careful, it does NOT appreciate clay soil and after the winter rains it got very leggy when the leaves died back, and I think I lost a plant or two, BUT it came back in the spring. I'm rooting cuttings in hopes of redoing that section of soil), lantana (spreading purple & upright white), Lady in Red salvia (annual-ish up here), Texas Sage (cenizo), Autumn Sage (salvia greggii), and Mystic Spires salvia, in one section of the front yard. For some reason, the sprinkler system in that section hasn't been working, so it's gotten NO supplemental water this summer. Everything's still alive (they're all well established plants) but they haven't been flowering much lately.

The Blackfoot Daisy spread more for me than the label said it would (it says 12", which I took to mean "spreads 6" from stem" but it's been more like "spreads 6-12" from stem") so it spreads out over the sidewalk. The Mystic Spires has a tendency to collapse in the center (maybe because it doesn't get extra water in August?), so it looks a bit odd right now. I have Henry Duelberg salvias on the other side of the yard and they pretty much stay upright. Not as deep of blue for the flower, though. And I've gotten a couple of volunteer seedlings from those. And, except for the salvia greggii, keep in mind that salvia branches break off easily.

Also, except for the Texas Sage and Autumn Sage, and to some extent the Blackfoot Daisy, everything I mentioned has to be cut back to the ground in late winter up here. After two mild winters I've discovered that 1) it's best to just go ahead and cut the salvia back and let it start over from nothing, they looked funny when I just cut back what died; and 2) it's easier to do this when everything is still dormant! I was cutting back the Lady in Red after it started growing again...it was a pain because of how easy it is to break branches off.

Good luck! And remember to put lots of mulch down on the bare spots and keep the weeds out. And if you currently have Bermuda grass in that area, make sure it's completely DEAD before you start planting!