Common name:Colorado Spruce
Botanical name:Picea pungens

Colorado Spruce is an upright to pyramidal evergreen tree with a dense form and horizontal branches. It grows slowly, 60 to 80 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide. Its color is variable, ranging from sky blue to green. s to 100' tall. It has a wide-spreading, moderately deep root system if not overwaterred. A Utah native.

Common name:Coral Bells
Botanical name:Heuchera

Coral bell are a large collection of perennials, with many species and many more hybrids, and are grown as much for their fabulous foliage as they are the dainty flowers they produce. Plants are generally clumping-mounding, with rounded to heart-shaped leaves, lobed or deeply separated, usually with prominent veining. Leaves may be green, bronze, purple, yellow, copper, or chartreuse, and speckled or zoned, depending on variety. Flowers are bell-shaped and form along an erect stem, and may be white, cream, pinks, reds, or rather insignificant. Generally blooms early to mid summer, though with foliage like this, flowers are almost unnecessary. Size ranges from little heuchera, barely 6 inches tall, to much larger plants growing 24 inches tall and wide, and taller still if you count their flower stems. Wonderful additions to perennial, shrub, or foundation borders, also containers, and along walks.

Common name:River Birch
Botanical name:Betula nigra

River Birch is a deciduous tree with attractive, buff-colored peeling bark and small, finely toothed leaves. It grows 30 to 40 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide. Available as a single or multi-stemmed tree. Leaves are green in the summer, with strong yellow fall color. Buff to brown catkins hang in little clusters during the summer months, persisting into winter. Tolerates moist soils, so place it near the lawn where it will benefit from the supplemental water without injury.

Common name:Variegated Weigela
Botanical name:Weigela florida 'Variegata'

This weigela grows about 6 feet tall and wide, with a rounded, arching to spreading habit typical of the species. Its leaves, however, set it apart, as they are a soft green with creamy white margins that hold all summer. Flowers are a pale, soft pink. 'Variegata Nana' is similar in leave and flower, but it only grows to about 3 to 4 feet tall and wide.

Common name:Pansy
Botanical name:Viola

Okay, so you might not think of pansies as a low-water plant, but given that they are typically planted in the fall or early spring, they manage on very little supplemental watering, at least until summer. So, used in those seasons, they may be well suited to a water-wise garden. They come in too many colors and combinations to mention. They are all relatively low-growing, and bloom when its cool. A wonderful companion to flowering cabbage and kale. Just don't put them out in the sun in the hot summer months and expect them to thrive.