The boxwood is one plant that doesn’t require lots of rain, and since the South has been in a drought, this is one option worth checking out. Boxwoods need to be planted in the springtime and they last all year round. They do the best with lots of direct sunlight and require little else. “Full size boxwoods require shaping in order to get a nice hedge. If you aren’t careful they can grow past 12 feet. Little boxwoods don’t require as much attention, but you still want to prune them some,” Donna Grubbs, plant specialist for Lowe’s said. It’s a perfect plant to provide your garden with some tasteful green foliage.

Pansies are low to the ground flowers and come in a large assortment of colors and can bloom either in the spring, fall or winter. They require lots of sun and rich soil. The best thing about these flowers is the more you pick them the more they will bloom. “If you see the blossoms start to die, go ahead and help Mother Nature out by picking them off. This tells the plant that they need to start producing blossoms again. It helps them last longer through the season,” Grubbs said. They’re perfect for filling up vases for the kitchen table.

The Texas Scarlet Quince is a shrub that requires little upkeep. Blossoms can come in scarlet, white, and orange. It blooms in the spring and should be planted in the spring as well. Once the shrub has been around a few seasons it builds up immunity to drought.

Hyacinths are smaller plants, no more than a foot tall, and are very fragrant. They can lighten up a garden and come in white, orange, blue, purple, yellow and pink. They bloom in spring and need direct sunlight. “The blossoms only last for about two weeks because the blossoms prefer the cooler early spring weather, but for those weeks they are beautiful,” Grubbs said.

If you want to add a different vibe to your garden, you might consider a Southwestern theme with the addition of a Yucca plant. “I put some in my front yard because I used to live in the Southwest. I really enjoyed them out there, so they were the first things I planted when I moved,” Ben Miles said. They can live in the country or in an urban setting. They don’t require much water and are fine in drought areas, so you won’t have to worry about your water bill.