For Drought Tolerant Plants: Try Columbines
One of my old reliables for planning a spring flower bed that really pops with color is the Aquilegia that we refer to as blue Woods Columbine.
Don't be fooled by their fragile appearance....they're as tough as nails.
Gardening in South Carolina summer heat can be brutal but since the Columbines have a fairly long tap root, they sailed right through our dry 90 plus degree days without needing constant watering.
Here we used them as a border plant with the Martha Hitchcock Azalea as a focal point.
The soft pale yellow irises are just coming on and combined with the pink peonies will complete the soft pastel palette.
Wild Flowers Gone Wild
Sometimes, when I'm in a hurry seed collecting....I have a habit of tossing them in a bowl by the back door, thinking I'll get around to tagging them later. Well, you know how that goes. Later can be a year later.
So, since they're already mixed together after the seed pods have broken open, I sprinkle them around a birdbath before a rain and let mother nature take over.
Out of chaos comes beauty with this mix of Gaillarda (Blanket Flower), purple and white Vinca and one of my favorites....Devil's Trumpet 'Black Metel' double flowering Dature on the right coming up out of the white Yarrow.
