Heat-Tolerant Plants That Will Make Your Garden Gorgeous
Baby, it’s hot outside! So hot, in fact, that we’re breaking records.
No matter how much you’ve longed for warm days after shivering all winter long, our new climate reality may make you appreciate winter’s chill.
Scorching summers and dangerous droughts might make you despair, wondering how you’ll beat the heat and ever grow a gorgeous garden.
With climate change producing prolonged periods of extreme heat and drought, what’s a gardener to do?
How to Beat the Heat
- Check out these water-wise tips to prep your garden for summer’s angsty days.
- Choose the perfect plants that hold their heads high and laugh at sweltering heat and sunny, cloud-free skies. Increased heat and drought does not have to relegate your garden to a collection of cacti.
- Look for these highlighted award winners and new introductions to get your summer garden growing.
Rudbeckia
Everyone adores Rudbeckia. Those classically cheerful, brilliant blooms fill gardens with low-maintenance joy.
From blanketing landscapes in vibrant colors to filling cutting gardens for beautiful, bountiful bouquets, rudbeckia makes an ideal addition to hot, sunny gardens.
Plus, these pretties attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial predatory insects to your garden, helping to keep aphids, thrips, and whiteflies at bay.
And, if you enjoy backyard birding, keep your eyes peeled for feathered friends enjoying a snack of rudbeckia seeds in the fall and winter.
With its extreme heat tolerance, late-summer flower-power, and versatility in the garden, it’s no wonder we’re celebrating the Year of the Rudbeckia!
Some heirloom or native varieties of rudbeckia tend to grow a little lanky or may succumb to powdery mildew.Luckily, newer introductions focus on extended flowering, larger blooms, diverse colors, better branching, and more compact plants for smaller spaces.
Because they’re such easy, adaptable, gorgeous plants, many rudbeckias received AAS Winner status throughout the years like these two recent winners…
If you’re looking to cover a large landscape in long-lasting blooms or prefer to plant in a patio pot, rudbeckia makes a smart addition to hot, dry gardens.
Click here to view the rest of this article, courtesy of National Garden Bureau.