Are you tired of hearing about the "D" word (drought), or do your eyes glaze over when the TV weather personalities talk about rainfall shortages?  Instead, I hope your ears perk up and you pay attention, because as a gardener you must realize that this has been one of the most damaging summer droughts in many years.  Let us all hope that the weather patterns change soon so we won't have to face restrictions in how we tend our gardens. If you were to come into the garden center today, we could show you a myriad of books, lists, articles and pamphlets about plants that are drought tolerant.  However, I thought that you might be interested in what some of us here at Smithfield Gardens have in our own yards.  So I surveyed my co-workers to find out what they grow that have not only survived the drought with minimal irrigation or hand waterings, but actually look really good right now.

     Ann gardens in the Hilton area of Newport News and for annuals, she says her melampodium with its cheery yellow flowers and her 'Lady in Red' salvia look great.  She also likes the way her dragon-wing begonias have held up.  For a tough perennial she and several of us recommend 'Black and Blue' salvia whose dark blossoms start flowering in May, and are still in bloom.  Purple setcreasea is grown for its rich foliage and is more often sold as an annual, but it is usually hardy for Ann.  For tough shrubs, Ann's recommends cleyera and nandina, which I don't think anything can kill.  Despite their delicate flowers, camellias have also proven to be remarkably drought tolerant. 
 
     Birgitta also from Newport News, has found the climate and choice of plant materials quite different from that of her native Sweden.  Her pyracantha has produced a healthy crop of fall berries without a lot of water and looks great paired with hardy 'Miss Huff' lantana, which is on several of our lists.  If you have not tried 'Miss Huff' you should. I don't know of anyone who has not liked it, no matter what kind of rainfall we are getting. Another stunning fall combination is Mexican bush sage with its fuzzy purple blooms and bright yellow helianthus, both of which are remarkably drought tolerant.  She also recommends bearded iris, some of  which actually survive the hottest part of the year by going dormant.

     In her Hampton garden Margie has been enjoying the colorful blooms of dahlias, which being native to Mexico should tell you something.  Although they have finished blooming for the most part, her daylilies have survived with little signs of stress.  They actually can store moisture and nutrients in their fleshy roots.  In this part of the country one of our most revered trees is the southern magnolia, which is just as happy in dry summers as in wet ones. Margie and I both have the very unusual, burgundy leafed 'Summer Chocolate' mimosa.  Although we cringed at the price, we have been glad we purchased one.  Lorapetalum compliments the mimosa with its burgundy foliage and hot pink flowers.

     Jeff gave me a list of evergreens that have survived well in his Porstmouth yard.  Like Ann he also recommends camellias, especially his fall blooming sasanquas.  The commonly found 'Nellie R. Stevens' holly and liriope both look fine, and the less common needle palm also looks good.  If you are not familiar with it, the needle palm is a trunkless, shrubby plant and is the most cold tolerant of all palm trees.  Jeff also grows the very fragrant confederate or star jasmine, which I also recommend. 

     In Smithfield, JoEllen has areas of her yard that get minimal water, and areas that get absolutely no extra water.  For tough perennials she recommends gaura, purple flowered ruellia, catmint, and like several of us the Mexican bush sage and the 'Black and Blue' salvia.  JoEllen also has had good luck with the new annual 'Bonfire' begonia with its hot orange flowers and graceful cascading habit.  You can be sure we will try to have more of this plant next year.  In the absolutely no extra water areas she is growing nandina, Chindo and tinus viburnums, as well as 'Miss Huff' lantana.

     April is our relatively new greenhouse manager; and like the plants we mentioned, she has also survived the heat and drought.  In her Carrollton yard she grows the cherry colored Saliva greggii, which is another survivor from Texas and Mexico.  She and the bees have both enjoyed 'Walker's Low' catmint.  One of her favorite annuals is 'Diamond Frost' euphorbia, which is a recently introduced annual that has proven quite heat and drought tolerant.  Several of us first saw it two years ago combined in a holiday planter with poinsettias, and we never would have guessed it would be so tough outside in the sun.  April also grows roses, and the one that held up the best is of course the 'Knockout' rose.

     Now that the virtual survivor's tour is over, I hope you will consider planting some of these in your yard for next year.  When you come in again, please let us know what has thrived for you.  I also wanted to let you know that I just read an article in an influential scientific journal, and a panel of experts agreed that ignoring the drought or performing a daily rain dance have an equal chance of making it go away. 

Les Parks