The 10 Best Perennials for Sun
While creating my last A Vine of Ideas digest, I wanted to share a decent list of the best perennials to grow in sun. But the lists I found were lacking. They were too long, not broad enough in terms of zonal hardiness, included fussy or hard-to-find plants, or listed actual shrubs. So I’ve compiled my own list of what I believe are the best low-maintenance, long-blooming winners. They’re all pretty and tough and widely available. Plus, they all attract butterflies, bees, and birds! 1. Daylily Daylilies (Hemerocallis) have got…
How to Garden in a Shaded Sunny Border
I have this tricky garden area on the eastern boundary of my yard. It has a huge oak tree. It has a lawson cypress. The trees shade out an eastern and southern exposure until about two o’clock when the hot afternoon sun blasts through. Then all hell breaks loose. It’s the most difficult area of my yard in which to garden. A shaded sunny border. A Heavy Wet Soil Baked in the Sun Part of the problem is a massively tall oak tree grows along the fence in this part…
Might and Main Monday: Struggling Not to Wilt in Summer
The heat of summer is intensifying. The sun beams a hotter radiation on Earth and challenges all growing things. Plants wilt, dogs pant, people sweat. I sit down at dinner and drink a large glass of ice water, then return to the fridge and refill. As dusk settles, I water my plants with the hose, then go inside to fill the dog’s dish. The sun is relentless and the work, difficult. Just when I feel on top of the watering, another hot day dawns. Because water has taken over my…
