It still may be a little early to tell until spring what survived and what didn't. But so far the only things that I have lost in the drought and heatwave were things that I had planted in the spring. Seeing as how it wasn't until almost OCt before the total ban I didn't hesitate to water and water liberally on my designated days.

An annual which surprised me with its drought tolerance was Angelonia 'Serena Purple'. It's a fairly new one that can be grown from seed. (although the seed are pretty expensive)

Phlox is the first one that comes to mind. I don't know the variety because it was already growing when we moved here, but it is pink and about 14 inches high. It just bloomed its head off even during the worst of the heat and dry weather. So, of course, I bought David phlox and some Blue Paradise phlox hoping they will do well too. Also, my daylilies were just beautiful. None of the annuals I planted last spring thrived, except pansies. Most of them just kind of stood there and never looked luxurious like I had hoped.
Another one I was pleased with was pineapple sage. It had brilliant red flowers on it (which the hummingbirds loved) all during late summer and fall.

Quite a few plants did well in my garden despite the drought. I think mainly I was the one who missed being able to amble around with my hose.

Plants that did well:
catmint
caryopteris
flowering quince
gardenia radicans
lavendar
rosemary
germander
yucca
david phlox
knockout roses
society garlic
lamb's ears
cleome
limelight hydrangea
beautyberry
coneflowers

Suprisingly my black eyed susans did horribly, I didn't know anything could stop those.

Harriet

my blackeyed susans did ok this year. My iris were fine, shasta daisies were fine. lambs ear loved the dry soil. Rosemary and all herbs did well, artemesia was rampant! Canna lilies suffered for a while, but once we got some rain in September/October they were really beautiful. Lorepetalum and ligustrum were fine, crepe myrtles did just about ok. yarrow was fine,butterfly bushes did well. nothing died (that i am aware of at this point)

My blackeyed susans didn't do so well either.

I received some Sweet Williams this year from my mother-in-law during the mid-summer. Despite hardly any watering, they did great!

My Purple BEarded german iris went CRAZY, even in the drought. I was very surprised... I split them up and they took over, I have around 100 or more plants, even now with the frost adn wet weather in winter they are awesome green.
I even got 7 flower spikes in DECEMBER!

Also, echinacea, lavender, rosemary, and chives did well. My squash did NOT do well.

Good thread and I'm jotting names, but the plants to really be concerned with are the big ones. You can always pop some new perennials in and have them flowering a few weeks later, but if you lose the trees and shrubs you don't have a garden. So:

Prunus caroliniana, our native cherry laurel.
Osmanthus heterophyllus and fortunei.
Viburnum burkwoodii.
Cercis canadensis, Redbud.
Cotoneaster lacteus--Parney cotoneaster.

Herboil, my reblooming white iris bloomed its head off for weeks and weeks in August and September, for all the world as if it had finally gotten the perfect weather.

the start for me was Miss Huff Lantana. It seemed to really enjoy the dry heat.

Good point about shrubs and trees vs perennials. In my garden, lorapetalum, eucalyptus, hawthorn, vitex never got any supplemental water.

harriet