Take the time now while planning garden efforts to think of adding low water use plants. Here's the list of plants that haven't required water in my garden this summer. The champion plants for dry summers include a number of broadleaf evergreen shrubs. This shrubby tree, growing very slowly to about 25 feet, is related to the native madrona, and has the same beautiful russet bark color. Place it in a sunny area.
Leaves are shiny deep green, and the fall flowers dangle in white pendants.
The tree is named for its fruit, globes of rosy red. The flowers and fruit occur at the same time, generally in November and December, giving the garden welcome late fall color. The fruit is edible but not particularly tasty. Nandina's beautiful all year round, with pinkish spring growth that becomes green as it matures. Foliage looks bronze in winter, and white flowers ripen to red berries in fall.