Many garden annuals shrivel up in the summer heat. Below is a listing of many floral beauties that Beat the Heat of Summer. They keep your garden alive with color all through the summer’s dog days and into fall. They’re tolerant of the high day and night temperatures as well as being moderately drought tolerant. […]
Archive for the ‘Drought tolerant’ Category
These Flowering Annuals Beat The Summer Heat
Posted by Hugh on June 15th, 2026
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Cupheas, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evolvulus, Fall Garden Interest, Fan flower (Scaevola), Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowers, Landscape ideas, Lantana, Mexican sunflower (Tithonia), mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Salvia, Scaevola, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spider flower (Cleome), Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips 
No Comments »‘Axminster Gold’ Comfrey
Posted by Hugh on June 7th, 2026
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is an aggressive grower and herbal member of the Borage family (Boraginaceae). For several centuries it has been grown for its medicinal herbal value with purported healing properties for treating joint pains and wounds. Leaves are poisonous if ingested and can cause skin irritation. Plant grows up to 5 feet tall and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Bees and other pollinators, Comfrey (Symphytum), deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Fruits poisonous, Heat Tolerance, Herb, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Slugs, Snails, Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness No Comments »Four Perennial Lantana Varieties
Posted by Hugh on May 25th, 2026
Lantanas (Lantana camara) are garden favorites for their small, lovely blooms in dense, 2-inch (5-cm) wide clusters, (USDA hardiness zones 7-11). Floral colors range from red, purple, pink, orange, yellow, and white, often flower clusters in multiple colors. This woody annual/perennial is in the verbena botanical family (Verbenaceae) family and is native to the West […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flowers, Fruits poisonous, Ground cover, Hummingbird, Invasive species, Landscape ideas, Lantana, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Four Perennial Lantana VarietiesTough Colorful Lantanas
Posted by Hugh on May 7th, 2026
Lantanas are popular flowering perennials in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11 and are heavily planted as annuals in zones 7 and 8. In areas where growing seasons are long, native lantanas are also dependable shrubs in Florida, South Texas, or Southern California. Lantana shrubs may reach up to 6 feet tall in tropical climates. In […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Lantana, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Tough Colorful LantanasSuperior ‘Wolf Eyes’ Kousa Dogwood
Posted by Hugh on March 31st, 2026
Kousa dogwood is indigenous to eastern Asia (Korea, China, and Japan) (USDA hardiness zones 5 – 8). ‘Wolf Eyes’ Kousa dogwood is an exceptional small landscape tree with variegated leaf color. Tree grows 15 – 20 feet tall and 20 feet wide. Hundreds of cream and green flowers appear in spring. Its narrow leaves are […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bees and other pollinators, Borers, Chinese (kousa) dogwood, compact tree, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Pesticide recommendations, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Superior ‘Wolf Eyes’ Kousa DogwoodA Look At Pampas Grass
Posted by Hugh on March 19th, 2026
Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) is a tough, tall-growing grass that forms dense, substantial clumps (tussocks) featuring arching, finely serrated, narrow green leaves that are topped in fall by huge, feathery, silvery white plumes. First introduced into the U. S. in 1848, this giant ornamental grass is indigenous to southern South America. It has been a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower arrangments, Landscape ideas, Non-native, Ornamental Grasses, Pampas Grasss (Cortaderia), Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, winter hardiness Comments Off on A Look At Pampas GrassBaker’s Dozen Of My Favorite Redbuds
Posted by Hugh on March 14th, 2026
Redbuds (Cercis canadensis) are small flowering landscape tree. Most varieties grow up to 20 to 30 feet tall and 20 to 35 feet wide, but there are a number of compact patio forms. It is generally a small understory tree that is often found growing beneath taller trees. Redbuds may tolerate full sun to part shade, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Redbud, Small landscape tree, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Baker’s Dozen Of My Favorite Redbuds“Witchhazel” Winter Time
Posted by Hugh on February 9th, 2026
Add flowering and fragrance to your winter garden. Witchhazels (Hamamelis spp.) are prized for their strap-shape petalled flowers which bloom mid- to late winter. Depending on species and cultivar, blooming begins in late January and many possess fragrant blooms. Witchhazels are medium to large deciduous shrubs, typically 12-20 feet tall. Foliage texture is somewhat coarse. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Caterpillars, Chlorosis (yellowing), Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fragrant, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, Leaf/needle spots, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Witchhazel (Hamamelis) Comments Off on “Witchhazel” Winter TimeStunning Midwinter Fire Dogwood
Posted by Hugh on January 22nd, 2026
‘Midwinter Fire Bloodtwig dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) is a multi-season deciduous shrub that is native to Europe and western Asia. It is an upright, round-topped, spreading, twiggy, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub that typically matures to 8-15 feet tall and as wide. It is native to northern Europe and northwestern Asia (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). ‘Midwinter Fire’ is […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Cornus sanguinea, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Erosion control, Fall Garden Interest, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowering, Flowering shrub, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Ornamental bark, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Wildlife attractant, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Stunning Midwinter Fire DogwoodNew Redbuds From Dr. Dennis Werner
Posted by Hugh on January 7th, 2026
Despite his retirement from NC State University, Dr. Werner, the redbud breeder of varieties like ‘Flamethrower’ and ‘Ruby Falls’, has introduced two more new varieties. Both cultivars are the beginning of the new compact redbud series. The two newest redbud releases from NCSU are ‘Pom Poms’ and ‘Amethyst’ are two new compact redbud trees. (Zone […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Cold tolerance, compact tree, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Redbud, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips Comments Off on New Redbuds From Dr. Dennis Werner
