Not A Drop To Spare? - Walters Gardens

Not a Dropto Spare?HERE’S 25 PERENNIALS PROVEN TOO BEDROUGHT TOLERANTWalters Gardens, Inc.Proud Supplier of Proven Winners PerennialsP.O. Box 137 Zeeland, MI. 49464Phone: 888-925-8377 Fax: 800-752-1879Email: sales@waltersgardens.com

Agastache(ANISE HYSSOP)This is a great plant for hot, dry, sunnyclimates. Well-drained soil is a must,especially in the winter. This plant will nottolerate heavy clay soil but grows well inaverage to light soil with low to mediummoisture levels. In the sandy soil of ourzone 5b trial garden, this variety hasoverwintered with flying colors. Even so, it'sofficially listed as a zone 6 perennial sosome winter protection might be required inyour zone. No serious pest or diseaseproblems have been reported with thisplant.

Agave(CENTURY PLANT)Agave is a tender perennial or"temperennial" succulent plant that growsbest in full sun. Light afternoon shade isrecommended in the hottest parts of thecountry. Plant in well-drained, dry toaverage soil in containers just slightly widerthan the width of the rosette or plantdirectly in the ground. In summer when theplants are actively growing, they appreciatea bit of supplemental watering and halfstrength fertilizer. They should be growndry in winter. Agave is a slower grower, so itwill not quickly overtake the space it isallotted in the landscape.

Allium(ORNAMENTAL ONION)Allium is very easy to grow in full sun to partshade. It will tolerate soil of any fertilityand will grow in clay soil. This selection hasnot been known to reseed and is notinvasive. It may be propagated in fall bydigging it up and dividing the rhizome withthe bulblets attached. Allium is typicallypest and disease free. Its aromatic foliagealso makes it deer and rabbit resistant.

Baptisia(FALSE INDIGO)Native to the prairies of North America,baptisia is easy to grow and thrives withlittle care. It is lovely in meadow plantings,as a backdrop in flower borders, or as aspecimen.Baptisia is a distinctive perennial withshowy indigo-blue flowers carried ontapering spikes up to 1ft. long. They areheld just above the dense, bushy mounds ofsoft blue-green foliage. The blooms appearfrom mid to late spring, followed by 2-3 in.long, black seed pods which remainattractive well into winter. They can be usedin dried flower arrangements.

Buddleia(BUTTERFLY BUSH)Buddleias should be planted in a full sunlocation with fertile, moist, well-drained soil.Studies have shown that adding lime to the soilwill result in increased growth and better floralquality. They are also quite drought tolerantonce established.Since they frequently die all the way back to theground in northern winters, it is best to cutback all of the old wood to about 12" in thespring. Doing so will result in more compactplants. They will quickly grow back to theirnormal height by fall and will flower just asprolifically in late summer since they bloom onnew wood. You may notice that the flowerstend to be longer and deeper colored in coolerweather.

Calamagrostis(FEATHER REED GRASS)Calamagrostis prefers sunny, dryconditions. It can be grown in nearly anysoil, including heavy clay. Be sure to provideplenty of moisture in extremely hot weather.Cut back to 6 in. in spring before newgrowth begins. Propagate by division ineither spring or fall.

Coreopsis(TICKSEED)Coreopsis is one of the easiest perennials tomaintain and is a good choice for beginners.It compliments nearly every other plant inthe garden, and works equally well as aneverblooming hedge or as a filler in themiddle of the border.

Dianthus(PINKS)Dianthus grow best in loose, well-drained,neutral to slightly alkaline soils. Lime can beadded to the soil if it is naturally acidic toraise the pH. Dianthus can be grown in fullsun or part shade, but the foliage will not beas lush and fewer flowers will be produced ifit is grown in hot, dry areas. Regularwatering during prolonged dry spells will benecessary. However, they are tolerant ofshort periods of dryness.

Echinacea(CONEFLOWER)Echinacea is native to the eastern US, so it iswell-adapted to survive hot, windyconditions. It is quite drought tolerant onceestablished. If properly sited, it formsattractive long-lived colonies.Coneflowers are a mainstay in today'sgardens. Many gardeners choose not toremove the spent blossoms, since the seedheads are a wonderfully nutritious source offood for finches and other birds. The driedseed heads also provide architecturalinterest in the winter.

Erianthus(RAVENNA GRASS)This species is the most cold hardy andtoughest of the Erianthus genus. Known forbeing very adaptable, this plant will grow innearly any soil as long as it has full sun. It isdrought tolerant, but will look better if it iskept watered. Erianthus can be divided inspring or fall and is also easy to grow fromseed.

Euphorbia(CUSHION SPURGE)In cooler zones, Spurge grows well in fullsun. In warmer regions, it is best sited inpart shade, avoiding afternoon sun. Itprefers average, well-drained soil. 'AscotRainbow' typically does not need to be cutback after flowering. At the end of theseason, it typically remains standingthrough the fall into early winter. It is one ofthe last perennials to go dormant. Cut itback in early spring before new shootsemerge for a better flowering performance.Use caution and wear gloves when handlingthis plant; it is POISONOUS if eaten and thesap can be a skin and eye irritant.

Gaillardia(BLANKET FLOWER)Gaillardia requires full sun and well-drainedsoil in order to prosper. Given too muchshade, the plants tend to flop over. Thoughthey will perform best in moist soils, theyare highly drought tolerant. Do not enrichthe soil with compost or other richingrediants when planting this perennial. Itdoes best in poor, loose soils and does nottolerate heavy clay.Plants may be divided every 2-3 years ineither spring or fall and are also easilygrown from seed. Deadheading spentblooms will prolong the bloom time.

Helleborus(LENTEN ROSE)Hellebores are enjoyable to grow becausethey are low-maintenance and disease/pestfree. Simply trim back last year's foliage inthe spring. They can adapt to almost anygrowing conditions. Though they preferrich, moist, organic soil, they will also growin sandy or clay soil. They can even tolerateshort periods of drought.Hellebores are shade plants that need to beprotected from the hot afternoon sun. Theywill grow in full shade under largedeciduous trees as long as they receive fullsun from winter to spring before the treesget their leaves.

Kniphofia(RED HOT POKER)Kniphofia is a sun lover that likes it hot anddry, though a good supply of water isappreciated when blooming. It can begrown in any well-drained soil.Kniphofia is evergreen in mild regions andherbaceous in cooler zones. In both areas, itwill benefit by having its leaf tips trimmedin the spring to stimulate healthy, newgrowth. In zones 4-6, the foliage can be tiedup over the crown of the plant in the fall toexclude water from settling there andfreezing, which would be deadly.

Lavandula(LAVENDER)Lavender must be grown in full sun to beable to produce flowers, so do not hesitate toplant them in those hot, dry areas wherenothing else seems to grow. They willactually grow better in poor, gravelly soilthan in rich humus; don't be tempted toenrich the soil when you plant it. Sharpdrainage, especially in winter, is essentialfor preventing crown rot. Other than that,Lavender is known to have few problemswith pests and diseases. Shearing back theevergreen foliage in early spring willrejuvenate plants and stimulate new growth.

Mangave(PERENNIAL MANGAVE)Mangave is a tender perennial or"temperennial" succulent plant that growsbest in full sun. Plant in well-drained, dry toaverage soil in containers just slightly widerthan the width of the rosette or plantdirectly in the ground. In summer when theplants are actively growing, they appreciatea bit of supplemental watering and halfstrength fertilizer. They should be grown dryin winter. Mangave is a slower grower, so itwill not quickly overtake the space it isallotted in the landscape.

Nepeta(CATMINT)Nepetas are so satisfying to grow, you’ve justgot to have at least one! With little or nocare, you’ll be amazed how it starts to bloomin early summer and continues on all theway until fall if deadheaded.They make great cut flowers too, so they’llkeep your vases full all season long. Evenwhen it’s not in bloom, nepeta’s elegantsilvery foliage will accent all the other plantsin your garden.

Oenothera(EVENING PRIMROSE)Oenothera maintains the best form whenplanted in poor, well-drained soil and fullsun. In more fertile soils, it can be a bitrangy. Use it to cover gravelly banks andother areas where the soil quality is poor.Hot, dry conditions are no problem for thisplant.

Panicum(SWITCH GRASS)Panicum is native grass that is very easy togrow and is a good grass for beginners. Itwill grow in any soil, from sand to clay, isdrought tolerant once established, and evenwithstands periodic flooding. Grow thisgrass in full sun. It will tolerate light shade,but will flop over if the shade is too heavy.Panicum is wind and salt tolerant, making ita good choice for seaside gardens or alongroads that are salted in winter.

Penstemon(BEARDTONGUE)Penstemons should be grown in full sun andvery well-drained soil to avoid root rot. Soilfertility need only be average, but a lightmulch in winter is recommended. UsePenstemons in the border, for naturalizing,and for cut flowers.

Perovskia(RUSSIAN SAGE)No sunny perennial garden would becomplete without Russian Sage. This is anessential perennial for the middle or back ofthe border, as it provides the ideal backdropfor all other flowering plants before it. It isextremely long-blooming, from summerinto fall, and makes an excellent cut flower.When not in bloom, the finely textured,silvery foliage lends a light, airy look to thegarden.

Schizachyrium(LITTLE BLUESTEM)This grass is terrific in a border or meadowsetting. It needs full sun and is tolerant ofheat and humidity. Schizachyrium can growin either acidic or alkaline soils, and cantolerate a range of moisture conditionsincluding average to extremely dry. It doesnot need to be fertilized. It's a good idea tocut this grass back to ground level in late fallin order to have a sturdier plant the comingyear.

Sedum(AUTUMN STONECROP)Sedum is one of the most popular perennialsin America because it is very easy to growand hardy in most areas of the country. Itsthick, succulent leaves store water, makingit drought tolerant, and pests and diseasesrarely present a problem. The seed heads ofthe taller varieties provide excellent winterinterest and food for birds.

Sempervivum(HEN & CHICKS)Sempervivum is the perfect plant for hot,dry, sunny locations with very well-drainedsoil. Though they can adapt to a variety ofsoil types, they perform best in gritty soil. Ifa groundcover effect is desired, space plantsclose together because they grow slowly.

Yucca(ADAM’S NEEDLE)Yuccas thrive in any type of well-drainedsoil including those that are very dry.Though they will grow in partial shade, theyreach their full potential only if they receivesun all day long. Many yuccas do not bloomuntil they are mature. Once they start,though, you will see that they were worththe wait. The flower stalks retain someornamental value after the blooms havefaded. Mature plants sometimes developplantlets near their base. These can be dugand transplanted elsewhere if desired.

grow and is a good grass for beginners. It will grow in any soil, from sand to clay, is drought tolerant once established, and even withstands periodic flooding. Grow this grass in full sun. It will tolerate light shade, but will flop over if the shade i