Redsox:

How scrubby of a plant are you up for? If you don't mind a perennial that is tough but not delicate in appearance try Achillea Moonshine. Another cool perennial is Autumn Joy Sedum but I don't know how you feel about their appearance. Also try googling 'xeriscape' plants.

Kate

Lavenders, no matter where you live, they will grow. At least I grew them in an area where it snowed every year. I had them at the back of the property where if I wanted to water I had to hand water. They lived mostly on whatever rain I had. Still grow them and it's hot here and I never give them extra water, they catch whatever from the sprinklers. I may water the roses extra when the heat hits but never them. Same with Rosemary, I grew it to try to hold my banks in over retaining walls. That's pretty when it flowers and nice looking anyways.

However, over time these will get large. They are huge where I am now but I have a 10 month growing season too. I used to grow them in an essentially 3 month.

I bought a cute mini tree at Home Depot for about 2 bucks, it's called a houseplant called Aralia Balfouriana; Polyscias balfourana, grown by Exotic Angel Plants. I have forgotten to water this poor thing for weeks and weeks and weeks, it will start to droop eventually, but one day of heavy water perks it right up. It's amazing lol.

Here is a pic of one: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/interiorscape/plants/polysciasbalfourianapen.jpg

Redsox, are these beds in the sun or the shade?

Russian sage, rudbeckia, lavender, rosemary, shasta daisies, but all of these must be mature plants. Every baby needs some water.

Sue

Lavender and sedum... They must be watered until they are established and then they don't care...

spring bulbs, bearded iris, sedum in sun, hostas in shade, butterfly bushes in sun

This is high grassland desert. We are in perpetual drought here, more so in winter months...if you don't have a sprinkler system not much grows (just got mine in last fall) and they must tolerate long, dry, cold winter...but these are fool hardy- some want a little water but will survive with amazingly low amounts and some even thrive w/o any additional to our very low rainfall:
Lilac, lamium, russian sage, other salvias/sages, artemesia, bearded iris, asiatic and oriental lilies, daylilies, perennial geraniums, mallow, grape hyacinth, bergenia, hardy chrysanthamums, penstemon, daisy, japanese iris, sedums, sweet william, all peony (tree, interectional, etc), french taragon, greek oregano, alliums, flowering almond, columbine, oriental poppies, forsythia, echinacea, rudbeckia, sunflowers (annuals), several ornamental grasses, junipers...lots more

Both beds in sun and shade. I didn't realize sedum don't need to be watered. I like some sedum and others I think look like broccoli.

Agastache. I had one by the mailbox and my hose doesn't reach that far. It did great and flowered all summer through the drought. The two violets that were next to it fried and had to be moved.

Agastache is very appealing but not tolerant of humidity. We major in humidity.

What's blooming now that doesn't get watered? Daffodils, tulips, hellebores, veronica 'Georgia Blue' (great plant, BTW) epimediums should start any day now, Virginia bluebells (go dormant after bloom). Pulmonarias do OK so long as they get shade.

Have you tried an agastache Redsoxs? It gets very humid here too but mine didn't seem to notice or care. I know they're very sensitive to winter wet, but even then there are a couple of varieties (Blue Fortune and Black Adder) that are more resistant. My Black Adder is already regrowing and was very pretty last year. The one by the mailbox was Sinning, but I don't know yet if it will come back.

Redsox, in case right now you want to read about different kinds of plants and plan out your beds so they will look like what you want them to, you might be interested in some perennial design books.

One I like is "The Perennial Gardener's Design Primer" by Cohen and Ondra. I read it in the library and then bought a used copy online through Amazon. the information is realistic, I think. Also, a book I love is "The Well Tended Perennial Garden" - she tells you how to maintain and prune those perennials you wind up buying.

The Southern Living Garden Book gives a run down on almost every plant that will grow in the south. I bought this one used too and refer to it often.

You've gotten some great advice on plants, but if you're like me, you only have so much money to spend and will want to invest it in what will give you pleasure. I always like to know what I'm getting before I buy it.

Good luck, and your babies will grow up too soon and then you'll be able to garden a lot more. In the meantime, I applaud your gardening at all; mine were a mess when my kids were little.

Also, if there's any kind of garden club in your area, there will be a lot of old ladies like me who will love to help you get started and give you some plants from their yard.

I got this list from a thread on another forum.

Achillea
Agastache
Asclepia
Baptista
Echinacea
Euphorbia
Gaillardia
Lavandula
Nepeta
Salvia

Here is a link that might be useful: Drought tolerrant plants

Potentilla--every drop that it accidentally gets from the hose when I'm watering something else is a bonus. I have "Goldfinger" and "Katherine Dykes".

I should quality my statement about the Sedum. It is not that I don't water them at all. More to the point I watered them some until established followed by intermittent watering during the summer.

Kate