The Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susans) and Echinacea Purpurea (Purple Coneflower) are obviously flowers which can withstand drought conditions. I have not watered these at all.
The Day Lilies are pretty much done for. This is the last bloom on one of the plants. I think they would bloom until fall IF we got some rain.
The Stachys Byzantina (Lamb's-ear) is blooming and also surviving low to no water rations.
The Autumn Joy Sedum "prefers moist soil in full sun, but can take it drier." Its blossom heads are forming, but no color yet. Note the one little blue flower - yes it is my nemesis, the impossible to get rid of, Monkey face (Asiatic dayflower). The dry conditions have kept it at a minimum this year. I've pulled a bunch of it but always manage to miss a few plants hiding beneath the other flowers.
My Naked Ladies (Belladonna Lily) are just emerging. In a few days they will look like this:
I don't know why the neighbor's bloom before mine. I do note that the color of these and the purple coneflower is much paler this year. I think that may have to do with lack of moisture.
The Hostas on the north side of the house are also blooming without any extra watering. Now for the plants I
have kept watered during this dry spell.
First and foremost, Dougie's Mother's Day plant. It takes a half gallon of water every day.
The purloined Gaillardia (Blanket flower). I can't let this die from lack of attention.
The Cardinal Climber has gone crazy with foliage, but so far only one bloom. I planted several seeds where the zinnias were last year, near the patio.
I've been keeping the one on the west side watered, too, but it isn't as lush as it was last year. The sedums in the pots do okay with only occasional watering.
As do the Impatiens in their mostly shaded corner. I was impatient to plant them this year and settled for the only color available rather than wait for my favored coral color, but I am enjoying these lavender pink ones.
I still don't know what this foliage plant is. It looks like a Coleus, but is a perennial. It literally washed over from the neighbor's and I transplanted it into this planter for the deck.
This is the first time I have tried Wave Petunias. They have done okay, but not as lush as other wave petunia plantings I have seen. Maybe because I only planted one and need to plant several?
Last year I had Royale Peachy Keen Verbena in these deck planters which I hoped to have again. Alas, I could not find any locally, so I planted some Salvia which didn't do well. Having the squirrels pull the plants out may have contributed to their failure to thrive. I finally replaced them with this Easter Basket Mix Alyssum which has thrived and which the squirrels didn't bother.
The Helichrysum and Snapdragons have performed just as I hoped. And I still love the new (end-of-last-season garage sale find) planter!
The Portulaca has not fared as well this year as last. It can handle dry conditions so maybe I have watered it too much?
I would hate to say just which of my plants are my favorites, so I'll just say the geraniums are one of my favorites, but I can say they are in my favorite color.
It has helped that the weather has cooled down some even though it remains very, very, dry.
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