Help Drought-Proof Your Garden

He's had to learn how to create a good-looking garden that thrives through heat and drought and has some advice that can help all of us.
PANAYOTI KELAIDIS
Director of Horticulture Outreach, Denver Botanic Gardens
RIGHT PLANT, RIGHT PLACE For starters, Panayoti suggests doing an inventory of your yard with an eye out for microclimates. Make sure you're growing drought-tolerant plants in the driest spots and not trying to baby something along that isn't happy there. You might find dry microclimates at the top of a slope or even in the shade of shallow-rooted trees. Most common are spots near driveways, house foundations or retaining walls, where heat from the sun is often reflected onto the garden. Panayoti likes to say that the north side of his house is like Alaska, and the south side is like Arizona. He grows ferns and woodland plants on the north side, while xeric plants make their home on the hot, dry Arizona side. If a plant is struggling, it's probably not in the right place.
HOW PLANTS TOLERATE DROUGHT Characteristics that help plants through dry times include large, thick or fleshy root systems and leaves that are slender, succulent, waxy or fuzzy.
Prairie plants, such as little bluestem, purple coneflower and cup plant, grow roots deep into the soil to seek out moisture. Fleshy bulbous roots or bulbs of all types, including the foxtail lily at right and the woody rhizomes of bearded iris, store water. Small-leaved herbs, such as lavender, rosemary and fennel, are able to withstand long periods without rain.
Meet a few of Panayoti's favorite drought-tolerant perennials on the next page some of them might surprise you!
Foxtail lily
Eremurus spp. and hybrids
Denne historien er fra Issue 172 - August 2023-utgaven av Garden Gate.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9500+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra Issue 172 - August 2023-utgaven av Garden Gate.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9500+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på

Finding Joy in the Garden
This carefully planned garden is filled with plants that deliver maximum impact with minimal maintenance.

Terrified of Topping Flowers
When you're a first-time dahlia farmer (like me), few things are as terrifying as snipping off the center bloom-or \"topping\" -your dahlias.

A Drought-Tolerant Gathering Spot
Perhaps that hot, dry corner in your yard isn't actually doomed for desolation. With a bit of thoughtful design and some plucky plants, it could become an oasis.

TORCH LILY
Turn up the excitement in your garden with these bold blooms.

CREATE A TROPICAL LOOK ANYWHERE
How would you like to step out the back door of your home into a lush planting that reminds you of your favorite vacation spot?

Dark, Dramatic Plants for a MIDNIGHT GARDEN
A garden doesn't have to be filled with bright colors to be beautiful. Some of the most captivating landscapes embrace the darker side of the plant world.

5 Tips for Your Summer To-Do List
Summer in the garden is not just about watering, though that is often a top priority. Here are five things that will make a dramatic difference in keeping your flowers and vegetables happier and healthier so you can enjoy the season in your garden too!

DO YOU HAVE GARDEN QUESTIONS? WE HAVE ANSWERS!
Q Rinsing with water doesn't get rid of the little black beetles in my raspberries. What can I do?

TROUBLESHOOT YOUR TOMATOES
DON'T LET TOMATO PROBLEMS RUIN YOUR HARVEST! LEARN WHAT'S CAUSING THESE COMMON ISSUES AND HOW TO FIX THEM.

Viburnum
This versatile group of shrubs has year-round garden appeal. Which one is right for your garden?