Summer Drought-Tolerant Landscaping on Long Island: Plants, Design & Water-Smart Strategies

Why Drought-Tolerant Landscaping Makes Sense on Long Island

Long Island sits in USDA Hardiness Zone 7a–7b, with warm, humid summers and periodic dry spells that can stretch for weeks. The sandy, well-drained soils that dominate much of Nassau and Suffolk County — particularly on the North Shore and in the Hamptons — drain quickly and hold little moisture, which means even a week without rain can stress conventional plantings.

At the same time, municipal water restrictions have become more frequent. The Long Island Water Conference and individual water districts regularly issue conservation advisories during summer months, and irrigation systems that run daily can generate significant utility costs — often $200–$400 per month during peak season for a typical half-acre property.

Drought-tolerant design addresses both problems at once. By selecting plants adapted to Long Island's climate and soil conditions, and by designing the landscape to capture and retain moisture naturally, you can maintain a beautiful yard with far less supplemental irrigation — and far less ongoing maintenance.

The Best Drought-Tolerant Plants for Long Island

The most successful drought-tolerant landscapes on Long Island combine native plants with well-adapted ornamentals that thrive in the region's specific conditions. The following categories represent the core palette we use in our designs.

Native Perennials & Grasses

Native plants are the foundation of any water-smart landscape because they evolved in Long Island's climate and require little to no supplemental irrigation once established. Our most-used natives include:

Drought-Tolerant Shrubs

Shrubs provide structure and year-round interest. These perform reliably in Long Island's summer heat with minimal irrigation:

Drought-Tolerant Trees for Long Island

Trees are the longest investment in any landscape. These species establish well in Long Island's conditions and require minimal supplemental irrigation after the first two years:

Reducing Lawn Area: The Single Biggest Water-Saving Move

Conventional turf grass is the thirstiest element in most Long Island landscapes. A typical lawn requires 1–1.5 inches of water per week during summer — far more than most of the plants listed above. Reducing lawn area is consistently the most impactful water-saving strategy available to homeowners.

This doesn't mean eliminating lawn entirely. A well-placed lawn panel — perhaps a central rectangle framed by planted borders, or a lawn terrace adjacent to a pool deck — can be maintained efficiently with targeted irrigation. The key is intentionality: lawn where it serves a purpose (play area, visual anchor, entertaining space), planted beds everywhere else.

When we redesign a property with drought tolerance as a goal, we typically convert 30–50% of existing lawn area to planted beds, mulched paths, or hardscape. The result is a landscape that looks more designed and intentional — not less — and requires significantly less water and maintenance.

Mulching: The Simplest Moisture-Retention Strategy

A 3-inch layer of organic mulch — shredded hardwood, wood chips, or pine bark — is one of the most cost-effective investments in a drought-tolerant landscape. Mulch reduces soil moisture evaporation by 25–50%, moderates soil temperature, suppresses weeds, and gradually improves soil structure as it breaks down.

For Long Island's sandy soils, which drain quickly and warm rapidly in summer, mulch is especially valuable. We recommend refreshing mulch annually in spring — typically 1–2 inches of new material on top of the existing layer — to maintain the full 3-inch depth.

Avoid piling mulch against plant stems and tree trunks ("volcano mulching"), which traps moisture against the bark and promotes rot and disease. Keep mulch 2–3 inches away from stems and trunks, and taper to ground level at the plant base.

Smart Irrigation: Water Less, Water Better

Even a drought-tolerant landscape benefits from irrigation during establishment (the first 1–2 years) and during extended dry spells. The goal is to water efficiently — delivering water where it's needed, when it's needed, without waste.

Hardscape as a Water-Smart Design Tool

Hardscape — patios, pathways, retaining walls, and decorative stone — plays an important role in drought-tolerant design. Well-placed hardscape replaces high-maintenance, high-water-use lawn and planted areas with durable, low-maintenance surfaces that define the landscape's structure.

Permeable hardscape options — such as permeable pavers, decomposed granite, or gravel pathways — allow rainwater to infiltrate the soil rather than running off, which helps recharge groundwater and reduces the volume of water that needs to be managed through drainage systems. Long Island's sandy soils are well-suited to permeable hardscape.

We design hardscape and planted areas as an integrated system — using the hardscape to define spaces and reduce planted area, and using planted areas to soften the hardscape and provide seasonal interest. The result is a landscape that's easier to maintain, more water-efficient, and more visually cohesive than a conventional design.

Drought-Tolerant Design Around Pools

Pool surrounds present a specific design challenge: the plants need to tolerate reflected heat from the pool deck, occasional splashing, and the chemical drift from pool water. Many conventional landscape plants struggle in these conditions. Drought-tolerant species, which are adapted to heat and dry conditions, often perform better around pools than plants selected purely for aesthetics.

Our preferred pool-surround plants for Long Island include ornamental grasses (Little Bluestem, Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass), lavender, Russian sage, agapanthus (in containers), and low-growing sedums and sempervivums for crevice planting between pavers. These plants provide texture, movement, and seasonal color while tolerating the challenging microclimate around a pool.

We also recommend keeping large deciduous trees at a reasonable distance from pools — close enough to provide afternoon shade, but far enough that leaf drop doesn't become a maintenance burden. Evergreen screening shrubs on the north and west sides of the pool area can provide privacy and wind protection without the leaf-drop issue.

What a Drought-Tolerant Landscape Costs on Long Island

The cost of a drought-tolerant landscape renovation depends on the scope of work — how much lawn is being converted, whether new hardscape is included, and the size and maturity of the plants selected. General ranges for Long Island:

These ranges reflect installed costs including plant material, labor, mulch, and basic irrigation. Mature specimen plants, custom stonework, and complex grading will increase costs. We provide detailed, itemized estimates after a site visit.

Communities We Serve Across Long Island

Cardi Design & Build provides drought-tolerant landscape design and installation throughout Nassau and Suffolk County. Our work spans the North Shore communities of Old Westbury, Brookville, Muttontown, Oyster Bay, Locust Valley, Sands Point, and Roslyn, as well as South Shore communities including Merrick, Massapequa, Babylon, and Bay Shore. We also serve the Hamptons and the East End for estate-scale projects.

Each community has slightly different soil conditions, microclimate characteristics, and HOA or municipal requirements that affect plant selection and design approach. Our team is familiar with the specific conditions across Long Island and designs accordingly — not with a one-size-fits-all plant list, but with a palette tailored to your property's specific conditions.