| I have an area in my yard that is very bland and was wondering what kind of shrubs, flowers, ground covers would work? Thank you Julie Curtis |
| Look for native or drought tolerant plants in your garden center. These will thrive in your native soil and won't mind the heat or drought. They will need to be watered regularly until their roots become established but after that will need very little water to supplement your rainfall. Some shrubs to consider include: Aesculus parvifolia - Bottlebrush buckeye; Arctostaphylos uva-ursi - Bearberry; Aronia spp. - Chokeberry; Buddleia davidii - Butterfly bush; Calluna spp. - Heather; Chaenomeles x superba - Japanese flowering quince; Clethra alnifolia - Sweet pepperbush; Comptonia peregrina ? Sweetfern; Cornus mas - Corneliancherry dogwood; Cotinus coggygria - Smokebush; Cotoneaster spp. - Cotoneaster; Erica spp. - Heath; Exochorda racemosa - Pearlbush; Forsythia sp. - Forsythia; Hydrangea paniculata - Panicle hydrangea; Hypericum prolificum - Shrubby St. John?s wort; Itea virginica - Virginia sweetspire; Myrica pensylvanica - Bayberry; Philadelphus coronarius - Mockorange; Physocarpus opulfolius - Ninebark; Potentilla fruticosa - Bush cinquefoil; Rhus spp. (aromatica, copallina, typhus) -Ornamental sumac; Rosa rugosa - Saltspray rose; Rosa virginiana - Virginia rose; Spirea spp. - Spirea, many species; Syringa spp. - Lilac; Vaccinium angustifolium - Lowbush blueberry Viburnum dentatum - Arrowwood. Drought tolerant perennials: Asclepias tuberosa - Butterflyweed; Agastache foeniculum - Anise hyssop; Amsonia spp. - Amsonia; Artemisia spp. - Artemisia; Aster spp. - Asters; Baptisia australis - False blue indigo; Centauria montana - Perennial bachelor?s button; Coreopsis spp.- Coreopsis; Dianthus spp. - Pinks; Echinacea purpurea - Purple cone flower; Echinops ritro - Globe thistle; Erygium spp. - Sea holly; Euphorbia sp. - Spurge; Gaillardia spp. - Blanket flower; Geranium macchrorhizum - Bigroot geranium; Helleborus sp. ? Hellebores; Hemerocallis spp. ? Daylily; Hibiscus moscheutos - Common mallow; Hosta sp. - Hosta; Iris sibirica - Siberian iris; Lavendula angustifolia -Lavender; Liatris spp. - Gay feather; Nepeta spp. - Catmint; Paeonia sp. - Peony; Perovskia atriplicifolia - Russian sage; Phlox spp.- Phlox; Rudbeckia spp. - Black-eyed Susan; Salvia spp. - Sage; Sedum spp. - Sedum; Sempervirens tectorum - Hens and chicks; Stachys byzantina - Lamb=s ears; Stokesia laevis - Stoke=s aster; Thymus spp. - Thyme; Verbascum spp. - Mullein; and Yucca spp. - Yucca. |
