Saturday, July 17, 2010

Plants that didn't miss a Beat in the Heat

Connecticut has been unusually hot and dry this year. Each day has brought 90 degrees and higher temperatures with just touches of rain. With only a country well for water, I have been swept back to my California days in the 1990s, conserving garden water at every turn. Unfortunately the carefree, child-free city life of a 20-something married couple did not come with the memory. Just joking kids!

I have fretted over which plants to water and which to sentence to survive desert conditions without a drink from my hose. I don't know at what point my well will run dry, but I don't want to find out. I gave priority to the vegetable garden, potted annuals and any new plants. The following full-sun plants in my garden fared well despite complete neglect (in the order I saw them as I walked around the yard):

Lavendar
Gallardia
Lambs Ears
Roses
Cransebill Geranium
Iris
Sea Grasses
Sedum
Day Lilly
Montauk Daisy
Shasta Daisy
Penstemon
Bronze Fennel
Cone Flower
Phlox
Kent Bell Oregano
Russian Sage
Catmint

All my established shrubs fared fine without a turn at the spigot with one exception. What I belelive is a Niko Blue Hydrangea (I inherited it with the house) did not fare well. It sees little shade and now bares ugly brown blooms that droop their heads in sorrow. Oh well, lesson learned!