Building drought tolerant gardens!
Gardens in our area are entering Autumn stressed from scorching hot temperatures & the lack of summer rains. However, some plants adapt quickly to dry & hot conditions! Drought-tolerant plants are not only tough and dependable, but also beautiful and functional in landscaping! We encourage you to consider planting drought-tolerant plants this fall that won’t require quite as much daily watering or care next summer! We have an abundance of options out in the nursery, and some friendly Green Thumbers who would love to assist you in finding some beautiful drought-tolerant plants for your yard!
Lack of water can be a major stresser for some plants. Although plants experience water stress due to a lack of rainfall or routine watering, they also lose water naturally through the pores in their leaves. This is completely normal and it’s called “transpiration”. The pores in the plant’s leaves open up to accept carbon dioxide into the leaves for photosynthesis, but unfortunately the open pores also allow water vapor to escape or evaporate. Signs that a plant is stressed due to lack of water include: curling leaves, yellowing of leaves, stunted overall growth, and leaf scorch which looks like crunchy brown burns on the top of the leaves. All of these signs are visible to the human eye & can be addressed with more water! On the flip side, drought-tolerant plants adapt to dry conditions based on their ability to increase water absorption and conservation. They have deeper, better-developed root systems, helping them to source water from further down in the soil, which is helpful during hot & dry conditions. Many drought-tolerant plants also have smaller leaves to reduce the leaf surface area, meaning less exposure to water loss! Leaves are also protected from evaporation by either wax-coating or tiny hairs. Both types of leaves trap water and reduce the amount of water loss!
Consider these species of drought-tolerant plants that thrive in hot, dry conditions: Baptisia, Coneflower, Joe Pye Weed, Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Switch Grass, Coreopsis, Catmint, Yarrow, Butterfly Weed, Gaillardia(Blanket Flower), Daylily, Russian Sage, Sedum, Beebalm, Liatris, Beardtongue.
Remember: If you’re wanting some major new landscaping done in your yard, you can trust our team to come check out your area & design something new & beautiful for your outdoor living space!! MAKIN IT LOOK GREAT SINCE 1948!
