I'm not Pozees, but. There are several varieties of blue stem that do well in zone 6 and did well in our Oklahoma droughts over the past several years...old world blue stem and turkey foot blue stem. They both have a wide blade of grass and good seed heads that the birds liked. Also a form of Dallas grass (buffalo grass) is also a good variety. The chickens would jump up to get the seeds.
Shrubs like Vitex agnus castus (also known as chaste tree, chaste berry, monk's pepper, Indian spice) does well in zone 6 - 11. It is a multi trucked shrub that grows fairly slowly to 15 feet...similar to crepe myrtle. It can die back to the ground, but returns in the spring.
Right, I think we have nearly identical climates. I have had good luck with New Mexico Privet, Trilobata Sumac, Blue Mist Spirea, Russian Sage/Purple Sage, and whatever Juniper is actually native here - we thought it was Rocky Mountain so bought some seedlings, and they struggle and mainly die here, so that was a no-go for trying again. Apples and Maples if you keep them watered with drip irrigation, same for Austrian Pine and Pinon Pine - once they get bigger they need less frequent attention. Chokecherry has done well right next to the yard - meaning it gets water anytime the grass gets watered. Oh, and Honeylocust has been a great performer here as well. Catalpa should have done well but didn't, I think it didn't like the hot wind. Aspen doesn't like as much sun as we get here, I believe, I have a couple still alive but struggling. I have a honeysuckle on the west side of the house that's done well, can't remember what kind though. Elm does well and grows fast with water. Western White Pine, if you can find one a few years old so it isn't just a little seedling, should do well with help from drip irrigation. Not the same as Eastern White Pine.
I like Nanakat's suggestion of some of the blue gramas, we want to try them next year. Catmint, once established, takes off like fire, it's great for honeybees, and what was recommended to me was, only plant it where you want it forever - like most mints.
Herbs do well for me in a bowl shaped bed surrounded with large rocks - I think they absorb heat from the sun and keep the soil from freezing - I have an 8 year old Rosemary plant in there, and have sage that has wintered over twice.
Thanks for all this info. I'll definitely put it in a file for future use.Have you ever tried a live oak tree? They are evergreen with a waxy coating on the leaves that will resist evaporation. They usually grow in coastal areas naturally but I have always wondered how they would fare inland in hot dry places like yours.
Live oaks do well in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range but I don't know if I've ever seen one here. They can take the heat, I wonder about the cold though.