If you live in an arid climate and you're looking for shrubs or small trees to decorate your yard or garden here are few I recommend: Manzanita, Cassia, Wild Lilac, Toyon, Rosemary and Germander.
All of these plants are well-suited for dry climates and are known survivors of drought.

Make sure to plant your garden in a sunny area, one that receives eight hours of sunlight a day. Plant vegetables that need a bit of shade such as cucumbers and lettuce next to tall tomato plants or trellises.

Here’s a new method for watering the garden that will save water and give your plants a better soak. Drip irrigation uses tubes that slowly ‘drip’ water into the ground. Less water is lost to evaporation (as compared to using a sprinkler or hose) and the slow drip prevents the soil from being waterlogged and instead loosens the soil allowing it to hold even more water. This results in a healthier soil and greater crop productivity. Plus it uses less water than any conventional watering method which makes it great even in dry climates.

The best time to transplant new plants you've recently purchased is during the early fall or springtime. This allows your plants some time to get adjusted to the new environment before extreme temperatures set in. Make sure that you plant early enough during the fall so that plants get at least 4 weeks of growing weather before the nights begin to get extremely cold.