With summer fast approaching with its scorching heat, irrigation will become the foremost thought of most gardeners. For those of you on a private well, be cheered to know that your plants should respond well to your watering attempts. Us city dwellers on city water have to deal with chemicals and lack of good stuff to keep our green friends happy.
I find that rainwater produces the lushest and most abundant onset of new growth. Watch your plants after a good soaking and you can almost hear them singing! Well-water comes in a pretty close second. And although this city water perks things up, the plants seem to unfurl almost reluctantly.
If the area you live in is particularly hot and dry, (or you allow it to become that way frequently) try sempervivums and sedums (AKA Hens n Chicks). With the new green roof phenomena re-circulating, the sedums are becoming the new garden darling. They are hardy, don't require a lot of water, and are near impossible to kill (for those of you "black thumb gardeners" out there!).
So grab a mix of these guys to keep your water bill low and your green thumb intact.