The plants you should plant in your garden to lower your water bill

With awareness growing of the need to make our gardening practices more sustainable, plants that help conserve water are becoming more and more popular. But what if choosing your plants carefully could also help you save on water bills?

You may have heard about some of these best drought-tolerant plants, but others are likely to be new flowers to try out in your garden. A new study* reveals them to be the lowest maintenance options, requiring the least amounts of water to thrive.

1. Kangaroo paw flower

The exotic-looking Kangaroo Paw Flower comes from Australia and knows a thing or two about drought and relentless sun. It has very little requirements, though prefers sandy and slightly acidic soil. Kangaroo Paw will grow as a perennial in US zones 10 to 11, or as an annual in colder climates. Hardly needs any care after first being planted out.

2. Trumpet vine

This easy-care climbing plant is perfect if you need to cover a wall or other large area quickly. In fact, trumpet vine grows so well that it may become invasive, so you may choose to grow it in a container. Drought tolerant and grows in US zones 4-9. 

3. California poppy

You've probably seen these along roads or in people's yards, and these really are tough plants that can deal with almost no watering at all for months on end. As you'll learn from our guide on how to grow poppies, these easy-care flowers thrive in poor soil, so you don't need to worry about adding compost or fertilizing.  

4. Echinacea

It is so easy to learn how to grow echinacea – or coneflower, as it's also known. A medicinal plant that's unfairly somewhat out of fashion, this purple flower doesn't need much water and will flower all through and summer and fall, up to the first frosts. 

5. Salvia

There's so much to like about salvias – they are one the best bee-friendly plants and if you want to know how to grow salvias, it couldn't be simpler. Just plug them into the sunniest spot in the garden, and that's about it. They will flower all summer long, with many varieties going on into autumn. 

* A study by Uswitch