Actually no, my first garden was in FL. Before i moved in someone had sprayed poison all over the yard, could not get almost anything to grow, had a tree that was dead on one side even. I lived there during the big dry period, where we were only allowed to water every couple weeks and people were spray painting their grass. I created the fl form of an english garden with free bricks i got and Lots of dead and dying - not a lot of funds. Although yes, dead and dying may carry disease, most don't. i never lost any do to that. I took landscape timbers threw lots of mulch and top soil in them, and then planted, since my plants had to get past the poison first. Last time i was back home, the plants were past the roof of the house, and i never watered them after they started.

I would scrape the rock to the sides use it like a small wall to keep your mulch and water in. If you follow what i did below, the clay holes will act as flower pots helping to keep moisture in until your roots are strong enough to go down. You may have to water a bit the first few weeks, but you will then be able to wean it off. Plants are funny, if you have the right ones in the right place all will hail you as having a green thumb. If you are one millimeter off, everything will die and you will feel like a failure. Never give up and always have an open mind. This is why people in texas grow cactus and you would drown them.

The secrets are as follows.

To be sure your plants have a hope, don't go with unusual at first, see what is in the neighborhood, ask a nurseryman about the plants i stated, to be sure you are on the right track.

Wild plants that grow in the same conditions as your yard often are indestructible as well as free.

if you have a row of 10, 8 will be happy 2 will die for some unknown reason.

If something dies, do not repeat the mistake get something different for that spot.

Never really plant in rows, plant in groups of 3, if you have multiples then you do not notice differences.

always go high to low in plant height.

When you are planting, tear off the roots along the edges of the pot.

Unclump any stuck together soil -keep all you tear off, it is valuable just dry.

dig a hole larger than your roots, fill with water, put in a pierced Iomega 3 fish vitamin.

put root tone on your roots, a light dusting, stick the plant in the hole.

throw all the things you removed in.

fill with fresh potting or top soil first and then what came out of the hole.

Complete with mulch.

If it is really dry like in summer and you see droopage then water them at sunset or early in the morning, especially in the beginning. You want to wean them off this. It really is about giving the right thing a good start, then unless there is a month or 2 long dry spell they will be happy.

if you are a reasonable person and don't try to grow the wrong thing in the wrong spot just cause you want to. You will be happy and your garden will reward you. You are welcome to contact me anytime and i will try to help. i am not a trained expert but i have had huge gardens to avoid grass for over 30 years.

Have fun, and show us pics!