Why is it a puddle? Heavy, compacted soil? If they will let you excavate and replace the soil (no buried utilities or maintaining of public access involved) or even dump better soil on top, plant in that (make a berm) then all you have to do is plant drought resistant plants. There is a ton of small shrubs that will survive our summers here (once established) if the soil is open enough for them. Think rock roses, junipers, various other Mediterranean style climate plants commonly seen here.

Callistemon sieberi. Just be sure to find some that are correctly labeled!

If you are supposed to produce a full-looking planting ("hedge") you won't get it from that one.

Callistemon sieberi is a variable plant with many forms - I think I have five or six and none of them has ever been winter damaged. Some of them have a very dense habit. I do have one form with very prickly leaves that is not at all dense and would not make a good hedge unless pruned regularly.

Very dense as in a yew, holly or box? That may be the kind of appearance being called for.

How about that short laurel cultivar that's in all the big parking lots around here? I thought I remember somebody calling it persian laurel, but I'm not sure. Leaves darker green & slightly narrower than English laurel. Tough as nails.

'Otto Luyken' will not want to sit in puddles for long periods and often has a terrible problem with Prunus Shot Hole fungus.

In time it grows well above head height, although this does not happen overnight.

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking about a berm bboy, it might work. I will research suggestions to see if they are on the approved list for our city. Thanks again.