Plants for Sizzling Occasions

Drought conditions coupled with hot, sizzling temperatures always make plant lovers long for beautiful yet reliable material that can step up to a stressful situation. No worries. Here’s my list of a few favorite sizzling perennials to recommend as we battle summer temps in the middle of April.

A Sea Holly cultivar that we just love is Eryngium 'Sapphire Blue'. Not only is this perennial drought-tolerant, it’s also salt-tolerant, which makes it a fitting choice for coastal plantings. And if you like making your own cut-flower arrangements, this one is an eye-catcher.

Day lilies are another great choice; the varieties and colors are endless. They offer early green foliage and some even produce extended blooms.

Ornamental grasses and Sedums provide that varying height and texture; so important to a perennial bed while meeting the criteria of minimal water requirements. As pointed out in past posts, Sedums are a perennial camel so we know that means drought-tolerant!

To wrap up the sizzler list, consider the Prairie mixes that can cover a massive area plus give you bountiful color in the garden. Prairie mixes contain flowers such as Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan), Echinacea purpurea, (Cone flower), Gaillardia aristata (Blanket Flower), Gypsophila elegans (Baby's Breath), Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William) and Asters.  Although typical to wildflower plantings, any one or a combination of these still meet the requirements of the job: less water and stunning contrast.

When you plant any or all of these drought-resistant plant combinations, don’t be surprised by the enticing habitat that’s created in your garden. Butterflies, birds, bees…it’s all part of the wonderful planting experience! To summarize the garden rewards, the words of Liberty Hyde Bailey stated it best. “A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them.” Expend your efforts on these plant sizzlers and your garden rewards shall be many!

Image of wildflower/Daylily combinaton taken by Greg Bilowz

If you like this blog, hope you check in for your daily share's worth of inspiration, design, and garden tips; always original, not cookie cutter and copied. Just like our design work, we strive for unique! We invite you to contact Bilowz Associates, Inc., or to browse our portfolios for inspiration. Like our Facebook follow on Twitter or subscribe to the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. You can follow with visuals on Pinterest and find us on LinkedIn and Houzz, too.