Christine Schaub blog

Drought-tolerant plants for the dog days of summer

6/20/2023

Wasn’t spring grand? All those cool, breezy months of budding trees, unfolding tulips, raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens. Ahhh… And then BAM! Almost overnight, we blasted into the dog days of summer—those cloudless, parched, blazing hot, brutal days that suck the energy out of both humans and vegetation.

The dog days are when your outdoor containers really need the workhorses of plants. The persistent sun and heat can dry out soil in even the best-made pots, so filling them with drought-tolerant flora will save you from twice-daily watering and summer-plant fatigue.

Give these a try in your thrill, fill, spill combinations:

Ornamental Grasses. These thrillers will create height and movement in the center or back of larger pots. Their root systems are intense, reaching way down to the soil base where water settles and/or drains out. Consider pennisetum, sedges/carex, miscanthus, and King/Prince/Baby Tut grasses for full sun; hakonechloa, blue oat, and fescue grasses for shadier areas. Water when the soil is dry down to two full inches! Bonus: Grasses work great as solo plants in brightly-colored pots.
Spikes. Fast-growing and happy to take center-stage, these hardy thrillers shoot up from the center of pots with a sturdy stem and “spikey” leaves. Their roots run deep, so they take advantage of water near the pot’s base. Look for dracaena or cordyline. Green-leafed spikes love the hot sun; those with variegated or colorful leaves prefer light shade. Bonus: Just trim off overgrown or weathered leaves from the stem and it will reward you with new growth!
Ferns. Often airy and fan-shaped, ferns look graceful and balanced as either thrillers or fillers. They’re fast-growers and require no trimming, which makes them stress-free. Try asparagus, Kimberly Queen, and holly ferns for full sun; Boston, maidenhair, autumn, ostrich, and foxtail ferns for shade. Water when the soil is dry to the touch. Bonus: Due to their shallow root systems, ferns are ideal for shallow pots.
Ivys/vines. These prolific spillers are never attention-seekers because they don’t bloom. They simply drape their leafy beauty down the sides of your pots, hiding flaws and drawing down the eye, adding grace and texture to any pot in any sun/shade scenario. Look for dichondra, Creeping Jenny, English, Boston, Swedish, and sweet potato vines for a variety of shapes and colors. Bonus: No dead-heading required!
Bloomers. Every pot could use a little color, right? But which ones can tolerate the hottest, driest summer days? Consider lantana, purslane (pictured above), geraniums, daisies, salvias, and trailing Black-Eyed Susans. They require moderate watering, and deadheading only if you feel like it. Bonus: These bloomers are easy to find at any garden center.
Succulents. These are the ultimate hot/dry drought-tolerant plants. They thrive on very little water, prefer hot sun, and reward you with slow growth—especially if the pot is tightly packed. Either buy them already potted or do the potting yourself in succulent soil. For variety, use jade, kalanchoe or aloe for height/thriller; add echevaria, pentas or plectranthus for fillers; tuck in sedum, string of pearls/dolphins/hearts or burros tail for spillers. Bonus: The hen and chicks succulent grows quickly and prolifically, making it ideal for a “solo” plant.
Herbs. That’s right—herbs are ornamental, as well as tasty! Any woody-stemmed herb—rosemary, lavender, thyme, sage, bay—needs less attention and actually prefers hot sun and drier soil. Water sparingly. Bonus: Using the herbs, aka pruning them, is extremely beneficial to health and growth. Snip away!

So don’t let the dog days of summer stop you from planting up those pots! Just make your appropriate sun/shade selections, pot them up, water them in, and check on them a couple of times each week. The reward is in the happy beauty.

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Beautiful Space Invaders: Ground Cover Ideas for your Garden

6/5/2023

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Ground covers often get a bad name, because next to them you’ll inevitably find the word “invasive.” But that may be exactly why you need them! When a creeping plant “invades” a space, it chokes out weeds and can even suppress erosion on hilly landscapes. They spread by either underground runners from the main plant or by developing roots along their stems.

Consider these hardy beauties:

Creeping Phlox. Plant in full sun and enjoy their profuse spring blooms. Perfect for rock gardens.
Sweet Woodruff. Plant in part-to-full shade and inhale their intoxicating aroma all summer. Ideal for woodland areas.
Stonecrop. Plant in full sun and admire their hardiness in dry, arid conditions. Excellent for beginner gardeners as a “mat” laid right over soil.
Epimedium. Plant in part-to-full shade and marvel at their delicate spring blooms. Ideal in dry areas as a border plant.
Lamium. Plant in full shade and delight in their silver-green leaves under spiky summer blooms. Wonderful alternative to struggling lawn areas.
Evening Primrose. Plant in full sun and applaud their showy spring/early-summer blooms on cloudy days. Stunning in moon gardens.
Soapwort. Plant in full sun to part-shade and admire starry pink flowers into the fall. Classic mat-forming spreader.

The biggest bonus to ground covers is their need for little attention. Just let nature do the work! Mulch loosely around them and avoid plastic/rubber mulch or landscape fabric. They need to penetrate the soil to spread.

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Drought-tolerant plants for the dog days of summer

Beautiful Space Invaders: Ground Cover Ideas for your Garden

Christine Schaub

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