Who would guess that the lovely Jewel of Opar on the left is a drought resistant plant? When you’re planning your garden for this spring, don’t forget to include some drought-tolerant plants or even a whole garden of them. Drought-tolerant gardens are becoming increasingly popular for all the right reasons.
First of all, they reduce our dependence on water during those dry spells of summer. Once established (give new plantings a year to settle in), they’ll need little or no extra water except in extreme circumstances. That means no more dragging around a heavy hose or paying an exorbitant water bill.
Second, drought-tolerant plants prefer compost (yes!) rather than commercial fertilizers. Plants love compost because it won’t burn tender roots and it feeds more slowly than fertilizer. You benefit because compost is free and only requires application once a year. We all benefit because less fertilizer ends up in our streams, ponds and rivers.
Third, many drought-tolerant plants are way down on the list of desirable edibles for our favorite ravenous pests (deer, aphids and slugs--to name a few). Plants that resist moisture loss often have hairy, leathery or dense foliage that is not exactly pleasant to ingest. Both animal and insect pests tend to prefer a diet of tender greens (i.e. water hogs and time-consuming needy plants).
And last but certainly not least, drought-tolerant plants can create a beautiful garden that looks good with very little care. There will still be plenty to do if you love playing in the garden, but if you’d like to have a little time to sit and enjoy your lovely landscape, a drought-tolerant garden will free you from the endless needs of fussy plants.
So do yourself a favor by including drought-tolerant plants in your landscape. And when your neighbors comment on your beautiful garden, you can spread the word about saving water! Here’s a list of some of my favorites to get you started…
Russian Sage (Perovskia)
Wild Indigo (Baptisia)
Lambs ears (Stachys)
Meadow-rue (Thalictrum)
Stonecrop (Sedum)
Sage (Salvia)
Elderberry (Sambucus ‘Black Lace’)
Smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria)
Ninebark (Physocarpus)
Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.
UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS
January 19, 2008: Holiday Gifts & Houseplants
Learn how to care for and maintain your holiday gardening gifts and houseplants. Cost: $10
February 9, 2008
Build a Birdhouse
Do a bird a favor! Learn how to build a birdhouse from a one pound coffee can and wood. This is a hands-on workshop for the family. Please bring a hammer and safety goggles. Cost: $15
Registration required for all events. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website
