Drought Tolerant Plants

Hello again,
We caught a glimpse of wetness coming from the sky yesterday.  It lasted a whole minute!  On Saturday of last week, we received less than an inch, but it's better than nothing.  As dry as we are in the Chicagoland area, some plant are thriving and looking great.  Most of what looks the best are native the region as well. Below are some of the best for the worst of droughts.

Dalea purpurea

I've always been a fan of Purple Prairie Clover.  My only problems have been in the years that we have wet springs. Last year, this wasn't the nicest plant in the garden.  This year, all Dalea are looking quite spectacular.  The white species, D. candida are also blooming their little hearts out.  The only other thing to note on this plant is that rabbits adore it.  So mixing it with plants like Allium and Calamintha are good ways to keep the rabbits off of it.  And they are both drought tolerant making them nice companions in the garden.

Asclepias tuberosa
Butterfly weed thrives on drought.  This is one of those plants where you want to make sure you have the best drainage possible to ensure livability.  I see these growing in Michigan frequently where the soil is mostly sand.  Asclepias in general are the host plant for monarch butterflies, so this type of plant is one that is necessary for your butterfly garden.

Ruellia humilis
Wild Petunia is late to leaf out. These usually emerge in mid to late May.  This year I started to see them in the first week of May.  This plant does reseed profusely and can even move its way into the lawn.  For me, I like that it has become the Violet for the sun in our lawn.  Others may not like it as much as I.  In some of our gardens, it climbs the stems of other perennials and blooms atop them.  This is especially effective with the Liatris aspera.

Allium senescens var glaucum with Stachys minima and Mazus reptans
This is the perfect combination for the trendy fairy gardens.  All plants in this combo are less than a foot tall and contrast very well with one another.  The pink flowers of the Stachys have been here for a couple weeks already and if the cool air persists, it could last for a couple more.  The Allium have yet to bloom but will be soon offering up tasty nectar to Painted Lady Butterflies everywhere.  The Mazus blooms earlier in spring and sometimes re-blooms in fall.

I hope everyone is still staying busy and able to keep all their plants watered.  We still are desperate for rain around here.  It's gotta come soon right?  Until next time, I hope you have a great day.

Perennials in Late Summer

Hello again,
It's been a while since I've posted a blog. My apologies. Hopefully I can make up for it here. There is a mixture of plants that we either grow and will have as new 2011 and some that are still in the trials stage. There are also some nice tried and true plants that were too stunning to pass up. This edition will be the perennials. Shrubs will be coming next week.
Euphorbia 'First Blush'
This is a plant that I've been watching for a couple years now. Two years ago they were planted as small plugs, and now I have some really nice plants in the landscape. Euphorbia in general is not always hardy for this area. Sure there are some like the native E. corrolata that are hardy, and there are some weeds like E. esula that you can't get rid of. But this one shows promise for the garden. Nicely variegated with more pink in spring than now. It grows to 12" tall in a shady location. Interested? Post comments. I'd like to see us do this, but we need some interest first!
Gentiana andewsii
The native Gentiana that we used to carry was such a nice plant. The problem is that it is very difficult to grow. We have a solution for you. While what you see is in fact the native, we are now carrying a variety called Gentiana 'True Blue' which is very close to start blooming in the pots. It shows an incredible amount of potential in the containers, and if you are interested in this type of plant, I highly recommend it. It is available now, and will be new in our catalog for 2011!
Geranium Rozanne
I was always a 'Jolly Bee' backer, but now I'll get with the program and back up Rozanne. Truthfully, she is a non-stop bloomer as well. I've tried planting her with Geranium 'Biokovo' to see how the combination will work. 'Biokovo' has a much shorter bloom time, but I think the fall colors of 'Biokovo' are going to really compliment the blue-purple flowers of Rozanne. Stay tuned!
Parthenium integrifolium
This is a very underutilized native plant. When I first saw this at the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park I fell in love. Bright white flowers act like beacons to bees in the daytime. This image was taken in the morning before the bees were awake. We have this in combination with Liatris spicata and Eryngium yuccifolium and they make a great combination together. These plants can handle the drought, so it offers up something nice for those difficult areas.
Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride'
I've always loved the large panicle flowers of 'Autumn Bride'. Every year when I see this plant, I wonder why it isn't used more often. This is pictured in an area that is half day sun and they are very successful. Also at the Lurie garden in a similar location, this can brighten up a semi-shady spot and look great in combination with Anemone 'September Charm' or for Spring blooms, Geranium 'Bevan's Variety'.

Allium senescens glaucum
One of the last Allium to bloom in the landscape here at Midwest. Allium 'Ozawa' being the last. I've tried a planting of this with Stachys minima. The Stachys will begin to bloom in late June early July. They are spent now, but the seed heads are very attractive. The flowers of the Allium float above the twisted foliage and in this image aren't fully open yet. When they are, they are a site to see.

Pennisetum 'Piglet'
This is one of the best Fountain Grasses on the market. Reliably hardy, it blooms fairly early and looks great long into the fall. While some Pennisetum are known to be seedy, this one has not shown to be so. I have not seen any seedlings anywhere near the plant. Hopefully it remains this way. There are several types that are supposed to be dwarf in the industry, but not all of them are reliably hardy. Try this and be satisfied!
Sorghastrum 'Indian Steel'
We used to carry an Indian Grass named 'Sioux Blue'. That became increasingly difficult to produce and find liners for. Therefore, we have switched over to the very similar 'Indian Steel'. In my opinion, the foliage of 'Indian Steel' is more blue overall. The flowers are now just starting to emerge, and this grass, is in a bit of shade. Therefore, with complete confidence, I can recommend this for a part shaded location. It still gets a majority of the day in full sun, but mornings are completely shaded.

Phlox arendsii 'Babyface'
We are always searching for good Phlox cultivars that are mildew resistant. This variety, being from a different species than P. paniculata seems to fit the bill. I have not seen any mildew on this plant this year even though it is surrounded by varieties loaded with mildew. This one only grows to 24" tall and also has the opportunity to rebloom. This flowered all the way back in June and the deer ate all the flowers off. Now they are back for another show. This will be new in the catalog for 2011, but we do have some available to you now in 2010!
Phlox paniculata 'David's Lavender'
Here is a P. paniculata that has seriously outperformed expectations. This has been in our catalog, but I don't think it has really caught on yet. The color of the blooms in morning is magical. Of all the cultivars in the landscape, this one demands attention. They have grown to 3' tall, but are completely free of mildew. Others nearby are covered in mildew. The flowers of this mixed with Rudbeckia subtomentosa 'Henry Eilers' is stunning. That combination in the back of a border with Sesleria autumnalis up front could be a real show stopper!

Thanks again for taking the time to read. You will be seeing a lot more from this blog in the near future. Until next time, have a great day!