Grow a water-wise garden with drought-tolerant flowers
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If you've found yourself watering more than you expected over the past several years, you're not alone. Plants (and gardeners!) suffer because many parts of the country have long periods between rainfalls. But with irrigation restrictions in many communities, grabbing a hose isn't always the answer. Who really wants to do that anyway? Applying mulch to retain moisture and watering deeply to encourage roots to stretch into the soil are two things that help plants survive drought conditions. But ultimately, incorporating plants that can handle less water is a better long-term strategy for combating drought. We've picked 6 of our favorites for you to try here, so keep reading to find out more!
1. Bearded iris (iris hybrids)
Bearded irises, once established, are incredibly drought tolerant, thanks to their large rhizomes that allow these plants to store water and nutrients for future use. Mulch helps most plants through drought periods, bearded irises being an exception. Avoid mulch as it holds too much moisture and rots the rhizomes. Shallow planting is key to keeping these plants happy.
2. Mullein (Verbascum hybrids)
Mulles are colorful and easy to grow. Their long-lasting, sky-high spikes are hard to miss and bring a wow factor to the range. Plus, they make great cut flowers. Although mulleins are commonly known for their yellow flowers, there are other colors as well. For example, 'Honey Dijon', pictured here, displays shades of peach and gold, and 'Cherry Helen' has wine-red flowers and purple centers.
Plants have long, deep tap roots that improve water uptake during droughts. Some mulleins have heavy seeds. Cut off spent flowers to prevent unwanted re-seeding.
3. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serphyllum & Thymus brecax)
Creeping thyme grows low and spreads rapidly where it is happy. This plant is the perfect landscape, border plant, lawn replacement or filler between garden spaces. It grows well on rock walls or stone paths and can handle quite a bit of foot traffic.
When you tread on it, the air is fragrant. Its strong, aromatic scent makes this plant attractive to pollinators and repels garden pests, making it a boon in fruit and vegetable gardens and other places where you have problems with deer or rabbits.
4. Spike Burning Star (Liatris spicata)
Spike Blazing Star is always the first flower that catches my eye in any garden because of its distinctive towering flowers. Flower spikes grow 1 to 5 feet tall, emerge from tender grass leaves, and bloom from mid-summer to fall. Pollinators love the purple or white flowers of Spike Blazing Star. Relatively hardy burning star (L. aspera) is another great choice for drought-tolerant gardens. All burning stars grow from taproots and tuberous roots that store water and nutrients.
5. Bugleweed (Ajuca reptans)
Daygrass makes a beautiful low-maintenance landscape in sunny or shady beds, paths, rock gardens, under shrubs and trees, and even in containers. With so many different foliage colors to choose from, finding a match for your garden should be a breeze. For dramatic color such as deep blue flowers and green leaves with chocolate hues, plant 'Blueberry Muffin', pictured here. For a more subtle take, grow 'Silver Beauty' with pale bicolor foliage and white spring flowers.
6. Myrtle spurge (Euphorbia myrcinides)
Myrtle spurge has a beautiful spreading habit that adds texture and drama to sunny spots in the garden. Very easy to care for and once self-sufficient, it is an excellent plant for beginners as it is almost impossible to kill, so caution is advised when planting: _It is notorious for increasingly self-seeding; In fact, in the Mountain West, it has been identified as invasive and invasive.
It's a great addition to borders, rock gardens, container plantings, and lawns with its dense may of spiral leaves with blue-green foliage. Creates The bright yellow pods retain their color for several weeks.
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