Oklahoma’s climate is one of the most challenging in the country for landscaping. Hot, dry summers alternate with wet springs. Clay soils expand and contract dramatically. Winter can swing between 70°F and single digits within days. The best Oklahoma landscape designs work with this climate rather than against it. Here are the design ideas and plant choices that actually thrive.
Design Principles for Oklahoma Landscapes
1. Design for Drought and Flood
Oklahoma gets 40–50 inches of rain per year in the northeast — but it comes in concentrated bursts, often followed by weeks of drought. Design your landscape to handle both extremes: rain gardens and swales to manage heavy rainfall, and drought-tolerant plants that can survive weeks without supplemental water.
2. Use Native Oklahoma Plants
Native plants are adapted to Oklahoma’s climate over thousands of years. They require minimal irrigation once established, support local pollinators, and survive weather events that kill non-native species. Some of our favorites for Oklahoma landscapes:
- Oklahoma Redbud (state tree) — Stunning spring flowering, excellent shade tree for smaller yards
- Black-Eyed Susan — Summer color, extremely drought tolerant, spreads naturally
- Purple Coneflower — Long bloom season, attracts pollinators, deer resistant
- Liatris (Blazing Star) — Tall purple spikes, drought tolerant, hummingbird magnet
- Little Bluestem grass — Native grass with stunning fall color, excellent erosion control
- Prairie Dropseed — Fine-textured native grass, fragrant flowers, easy to maintain
- Eastern Red Cedar — Oklahoma’s iconic native evergreen, excellent privacy screen
- Bur Oak — The workhorse shade tree for Oklahoma; drought and ice-storm resistant
3. Layered Planting Design
The most visually compelling Oklahoma landscapes use layering: tall trees for structure and shade, mid-height shrubs for mass and year-round interest, perennials for seasonal color, and groundcovers to suppress weeds. A design with clear layers looks intentional and lush, not sparse.
4. Minimize High-Water-Use Lawn Areas
Traditional Bermuda grass lawns require significant summer irrigation in Oklahoma. Consider reducing lawn areas and replacing them with low-maintenance alternatives: native groundcovers, decomposed granite with native perennial islands, or expanded hardscape areas. This reduces irrigation costs, summer maintenance time, and overall water use.
5. Address Oklahoma’s Problem Areas
Shady north sides: Most traditional sun-loving plants struggle here. Oklahoma native ferns, hostas, and coral bells (Heuchera) thrive in Oklahoma’s partial to full shade.
South and west exposure: These areas get brutal afternoon sun. Choose heat-tolerant, drought-resistant species and consider incorporating hardscape (gravel, pavers) to reduce the plant area that needs supplemental water in these zones.
Oklahoma clay soils: Amend clay with composted organic matter and coarse sand. Or build raised beds for vegetable gardens and perennial beds where drainage is critical. Native trees and shrubs tolerate clay soils far better than most ornamental varieties.
Landscape Design Services from VistaScapes
VistaScapes & Design provides full landscape design services for properties throughout Broken Arrow, Tulsa, and northeastern Oklahoma. We design complete outdoor environments that integrate hardscaping, plantings, water features, and lighting into a cohesive, low-maintenance design that looks great year-round. Call (918) 779-1317 or schedule a free landscape consultation.
