The San Antonio Water System just announced that on June 12, Stage 2 water restrictions will take place in the city due to extremely dry weather. While watering with a handheld hose is allowed anytime, sprinklers and irrigation systems are only permitted during particular hours on a watering day determined by the residents' addresses. As the dry weather intensifies, so do the water restrictions. Efforts to conserve water and implement drought tolerant landscapes become a priority as the hot days of summer approach; May was Water Awareness Month and July is IA's Smart Irrigation Month (https://www.landscapearchitect.com/research/article-a.php?number=30077).

According to the San Benito County Water Resources Association, 50% of residential water use is focused on landscape irrigation. If the landscape is drought tolerant, then less maintenance is needed; thus, the association encourages having plants that are "climate appropriate" and can flourish on rainfall or small amounts of water. They also offer more plant tips and water conservation suggestions that can be found at https://www.wrasbc.org.

Horticulturist and author Maureen Gilmer, has written her latest book, The Colorful Dry Garden: Over 100 Flowers and Vibrant Plants for Drought, Desert and Dry Times, to guide readers on the planting of flowers in dry landscapes. Her focus is primarily on California landscape and gardening, but she is also working to branch out nationally. Gilmer is determined to return flowers to gardens without increasing water demand. She believes that drought tolerant does not have to be boring, but that "saving water can be beautiful" and colorful.