Impatiens make a good indicator plant if you want a signal that it’s time to water. They will wilt and drop their blooms and then languish for a week even after you’ve watered them, but they won’t die without a fight. In partial shade, with minimal water, your impatiens will shine. Some varieties have a sweet scent, but you really have to get down close to tell. Sweet alyssum is extremely drought tolerant and blooms longest if you give it a good shearing in mid-summer.
