This summer has been a real test – on me as a gardener and on my plants. Although I watered my veggies and some other more valuable plants as much as possible, there were some that I did not water partly because I was tired and partly because I thought they would survive the season. It is the summer of Sophie’s choice, there are some that I just had to give up on and the guilt racks me at night.
If you want to be inspired by truly drought tolerant plants, here are a few from my garden. These are mostly perennials that are doing well despite the heat, humidity and lack of water. I have not made it a point to water these, I thought they would do okay while I tended to the divas. Of course, the trees and most of the shrubs are fine and the succulents are laughing at us all. I chose not to show photos of them. But notice a pattern here with these photos: most survivors are herbs!
Winter savory. Low growing, shrub-like and can be used in the kitchen.
Tansy. Blooming now, was actually used in colonial cooking but now as an insect repellant.
Fennel. Blooming now and can get very tall, mine is 5 feet tall. Use foliage in the cooking, save seeds to eat or use as a spice.
Germander. This is an old herb that makes a great groundcover.
Oregano. Blooming now, covered with pollinators.
Knot marjoram. Beautiful knot like flower heads.
Wormwood or Artemisia. Flowered earlier this year, I cut it back and now is flowering again.
Ornamental oregano. Love the way it drapes over the wood. Is not edible.
Rosemary. If it is happy, it will get very large.
Thyme. Great groundcover, is edible.
Curry plant. Blooms little yellow flowers, is not edible.
Green santolina. Bloomed button-like yellow flowers earlier in year.
Sage. Need I say more.
Phenomenal lavender. Is getting past its bloom time but bees love it.
Mexican mint oregano. This will bloom orange flowers in the fall.
I lost a much loved Japonica Andromeda. Have been trying to save a small Rhododendron for a bachelor neighbor who is not aware of it’s needs. I was throwing ice on the ground near both. The Rhododendron responded with good leaves near the ground and dried leaves at the top. The Japonica seems to have some regrowth in the shade a the bottom. Most crops are O.K with daily watering, but the butternut squash has not been it’s hearty self. Growing in leaf litter compost is helping everything. The deeper the compost the damper the soil. The clay is like a rock and weeds can not even be pulled out. However, I think weeds are providing shade. I understand the squash can not set fruit once the temp goes in the upper 90’s. Met a women gardener who has a lovely sedum ground cover that is surviving under small tree cover shade, Shade stakes may be the way to go next year.