What would you plant in a hot, dry garden?

I’d start with plants adapted to your local conditions, including local desert species. They’re often a safer bet than picking plants just because they’re labelled drought tolerant. For edible options to look into, prickly pear, agave and dragon fruit came up as possibilities, but check which ones suit your site and whether you actually want them in the garden.

Pomegranate sounds like a reasonable one to try for fruit. If you want more kitchen plants, consider herbs such as rosemary, sage and oregano. They can also flower for pollinators. I’d plant a small selection first and see what handles your soil and exposure before buying a lot.

For flowers, look at salvias, lavender, sedums, globe thistle and verbena. Those were among the plants reported to keep flowering or draw bees and butterflies through dry spells. The exact results will depend on your conditions, so I’d treat the list as a starting point, not a guarantee.

The setup matters nearly as much as the plant list. Mulch the beds to help the soil hold moisture, and consider drip irrigation if you’re installing new planting. For pots, be realistic about how quickly they dry out. Terracotta in full sun can be a tough test, so grouping pots where they get some shade may help.

If you’re thinking about replacing lawn, clover seems very site-dependent. It did well in some gardens, especially with shade, but struggled in some exposed, sun-baked spots. I wouldn’t count on it covering a fully hot, dry lawn without testing a small area first.