As of the middle of April, Virginia is abnormally dry with drought conditions persisting and no prolonged periods of rain predicted. Some areas of Maryland and the Eastern Shore are already in a severe drought. Where are our spring rains?
Working in the garden has been very frustrating. Weeds have enjoyed the mild winter so there are more than usual, plus it's so dry, they are hard to pull. New plants have to be watered every day and established plants are wilting. At this time we are 4 to 5 inches below our average rainfall amounts, and temperatures have been mild to even hot. So how does the gardener get excited about gardening?! Well, it's not the first time we have been faced with spring drought, in 2001 we had an abnormally dry April and May, eventually it did rain and the rest of the year was fine. We are no strangers to summer drought, a hardened gardener expects it. Plant choices make a big difference and I say it's time to highlight our better choices. In many cases a plant will display common characteristics that indicate drought tolerance. The sun gardener will find that an important sign is tomentose foliage or leaves that are covered in hair. Lavender is one such example, as well as achillea or yarrow and the many artemisias. Narrow leafed plants are also designed to loose less moisture, less water lost through evaporation. Coreopsis verticillata, baccharis or the groundsel shrub and the many ornamental grasses (which include many natives) have narrow leaves. I have been very successful with small leafed salvias which offer great choices in flower color and variable heights. The bulk of these salvias are indigenous to the southwest and Mexico where annual rainfall may only be 7 inches. Salvia greggii, S. coccinea and their many hybrids are just a drop in the bucket to this world of fabulous plants. Plus the hummingbirds find salvia flowers irresistible.
The shade gardener also has drought tolerant choices, one needs to simply look around and find native plants. Life in the company of tree roots and a leafy canopy (like an umbrella to rain), make it difficult, but native plants have evolved and adapted. A drive west on interstate 66 will reveal Christmas fern or Polystichum acrostichoides growing directly out of rock. A few short lived perennials offer drought tolerant answers as they produce abundant seed and disperse it around and near the parent plant. Aquilegia canadesis or our native columbine seeds in abundance. Phlox divaricata and Viola striata give a riotous show in spring. Look for the same narrowness of leaf, such as the many native carex grasses for woodland plantings. There are numerous ferns, native and not, that are drought tolerant. Epimedium, commonly known as barrenwort translates to a plant of barren places. Not a native, but certainly up to the challenge. Solomon's Seal or polygonatum is outstanding, the leaves rimmed in white variegation. Many relatives of polygonatum offer the same toughness, look for smilacina and disporum.
Epimedium or barrenwort with hosta
As much as I hate to talk about drought in April, there are choices, even a few to get excited about.
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