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Sep 2, 2012 7:56 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sherri Losee
Bloomington, IN (Zone 6a)
Birds Sedums Plays in the sandbox Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Orchids Region: Indiana
Hellebores Foliage Fan Ferns Dog Lover Daylilies Cat Lover
So, here in the Midwest, we've seen a summer of unprecedented heat and drought. Yet, some plants soldier on and still look good. What are they in your yard? Who are the survivors and who are the wimps (which we may still keep and coddle because they are GORGEOUS!) Here are mine:

Survivors:

Hosta (the number 1 keeper!)
Sedum
Salvia - even when it flops it's pretty
Veronica (both ground cover and upright)
Daylilliles, if I cut them back around this time
Hydrangea paniculata
Campanula persicifolia - unbellievably drought tolerant
Lilacs
Goatsbeard

Wimps that I love:

Hydrangea macrophylla
Heuchera Midnight Rose (because it cares enough to at least survive)

Wimps that are going straight to the compost:
All other heucheras
Delphiniums
Astilbes

How about you?? Smiling
We are stardust, we are golden;
and we've got to get ourselves back to the garden. ~ Joni Mitchell ~
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Sep 2, 2012 8:07 PM CST
Name: Debra
Garland, TX (NE Dallas suburb) (Zone 8a)
Rescue dogs: Angels with paws needi
Dragonflies Dog Lover Bookworm I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Photography Bee Lover
Plays in the sandbox Butterflies Region: Texas Garden Sages I sent a postcard to Randy! Charter ATP Member
Hosta has been a surprising survivor here, too, especially the June and Mighty Mouse varieties. Really like the Campanula, but did not think it would do well down here. Will try it now, thanks. Big Grin
It’s okay to not know all the answers.
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Sep 2, 2012 8:14 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sherri Losee
Bloomington, IN (Zone 6a)
Birds Sedums Plays in the sandbox Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Orchids Region: Indiana
Hellebores Foliage Fan Ferns Dog Lover Daylilies Cat Lover
Campanula is strange - blue clips died on me, but persicifolia is awesome! BUT . . . it took two years to really establish. I LOOOVVVE June hosta, too! Lovey dubby
We are stardust, we are golden;
and we've got to get ourselves back to the garden. ~ Joni Mitchell ~
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Sep 15, 2012 1:16 PM CST
Name: Jan
Hustisford, WI
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Cat Lover Daylilies Dog Lover Irises Region: United States of America
Region: Wisconsin
Survivors: Many daylilies, but not all
Hosta
Iris
Perennial geranium
Digitalis
Speedwell (I think it is called)
Peonies (thank goodness)
Dandelions
Ligularia, even with the drought

Losers: Almost all of my Forget Me Nots
Sea Holly
Balloon flowers
Stemless Evening Primrose
Clover, lost almost all of it growing in my yard
Yet another Chinese Lantern

Struggling: Many of my Coral Bells, surprising me. Some are doing great, others not so great.
Ornamental grass, it's about 3 strands, and 6 inches tall. On the other hand, it hasn't died yet!
My Bee Balm bloomed it's last way early, and the plants look sad.
Ditto for the Cone Flowers. Some of those have completely died away.

Not sure about my spring bulbs, since they bloomed early, but before the main drought hit. ~Jan
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Sep 15, 2012 1:37 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sherri Losee
Bloomington, IN (Zone 6a)
Birds Sedums Plays in the sandbox Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Orchids Region: Indiana
Hellebores Foliage Fan Ferns Dog Lover Daylilies Cat Lover
Wow, your ligularia is doing well? It's so pretty, but I never tried it because I thought it needed tons of water.
We are stardust, we are golden;
and we've got to get ourselves back to the garden. ~ Joni Mitchell ~
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Sep 15, 2012 5:44 PM CST
Name: Debra
Garland, TX (NE Dallas suburb) (Zone 8a)
Rescue dogs: Angels with paws needi
Dragonflies Dog Lover Bookworm I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Photography Bee Lover
Plays in the sandbox Butterflies Region: Texas Garden Sages I sent a postcard to Randy! Charter ATP Member
Surprising about the clover.
It’s okay to not know all the answers.
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Sep 15, 2012 7:10 PM CST
Name: Michele Roth
N.E. Indiana - Zone 5b, and F (Zone 9b)
I'm always on my way out the door..
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Forum moderator Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Master Level Dog Lover Cottage Gardener
Native Plants and Wildflowers Plant Identifier Organic Gardener Keeps Horses Hummingbirder Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
I haven't lost any plants with the exception of a few seedling transplants in the -full sun all day- wildflower meadow. The ones that made it out there this year are super-survivors! Two of note are, Helianthus maximiliani and Salvia Chia. Chia hasn't made much in the way of flowers, but Max is blooming now. Hurray!
These plants are way too far out to take water to them.

Others that survived and bloomed with very little rain and no supplemental water were my new roses. The Herbalist, Jim Bowie, Adelaide Hoodless and Grootendorsts, among others of the same general type. This has been a real eye-opener for me - choosing the right type(s) of roses is so much easier! Big Grin
Cottage Gardening

Newest Interest: Rock Gardens


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Sep 15, 2012 7:11 PM CST
Name: Jan
Hustisford, WI
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Cat Lover Daylilies Dog Lover Irises Region: United States of America
Region: Wisconsin
I picked up my Ligularia a few years ago from the local farmers market. It does like water, and more shade then it gets. It gets droopy in the late afternoon when the sun is at an angle on it. But although I always plan to water it more often, I don't do it as much as I should. It was droopy and blooming today. At my house, it has survived on neglect, and occasional waterings.

I am thinking about moving it to our cottage on the Allegheny River this fall, but then again, maybe not. I kinda enjoy it, droopy or not.

I had some beautiful clover patches in my yard that are now just brown and dead. There is still some small groups of clover in the way back, but my favorite beach towel sized patch is long gone, and that patch is near my flowers, so even though I never put a sprinkler on it ( I didn't water my grass, only my flowerbeds) I got water at least occasionally as I walked the hose through it to clean birdbaths out and water my flowers.
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Sep 16, 2012 10:34 AM CST
Name: Debra
Garland, TX (NE Dallas suburb) (Zone 8a)
Rescue dogs: Angels with paws needi
Dragonflies Dog Lover Bookworm I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Photography Bee Lover
Plays in the sandbox Butterflies Region: Texas Garden Sages I sent a postcard to Randy! Charter ATP Member
I like that Salvia, Adelaide Hoodless, and Grootendorsts. I see that the roses are noted for cold hardiness, but not too sure how they would do in our heat. Maybe I can just get my 'fix' from your photos? nodding nodding

Really surprising about the clover. In my early homeowner ignorance, I made the mistake of asking a feed store employee what would be a good groundcover besides grass. He directed me to yellow clover...and I bought a pound of it. Yep, a whole pound of seed for tee-eyen-see tiny yard. Strew it allllll over the back. Not two weeks later, we had the most rain ever recorded in an eight hour period. My property has a slight side slope and all that seed washed down to the neighbor's yard and out into the roadway. Or so I thought. Big Grin Not much of it is in back, but you should see all the yellow clover that has been popping up in front, and with no water AND SIX YEARS LATER! Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing But is it growing in the never-to-be-sufficiently-accursed grass? Noooooo. It is popping up in the flower beds and pathways. Sigh... Hilarious!

Thumb of 2012-09-16/lovemyhouse/c6dbba
It’s okay to not know all the answers.
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Sep 21, 2012 9:42 PM CST
central Illinois
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Avid Green Pages Reviewer Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Photo Contest Winner: 2017
+ side - New England Asters, Goldenrod, sunflowers, mints, artemisias, self seeded Nicotiana, Fall Clematis, Scutellaria (Downy Skullcap), and Balloon Flowers.
- side - Monarda, Moneywort (Lysimachia), ferns, hydrangea.
Nothing that's been done can ever be changed.
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Sep 22, 2012 7:43 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sherri Losee
Bloomington, IN (Zone 6a)
Birds Sedums Plays in the sandbox Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Orchids Region: Indiana
Hellebores Foliage Fan Ferns Dog Lover Daylilies Cat Lover
J, sounds like you have lots of sun. Surprised about the monarda though . . .? Confused d
We are stardust, we are golden;
and we've got to get ourselves back to the garden. ~ Joni Mitchell ~
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Sep 22, 2012 8:51 AM CST
central Illinois
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Avid Green Pages Reviewer Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Photo Contest Winner: 2017
Lots of sun this summer...w/ attendant heat. I'd estimate 75% of the garden would fall under the full sun growing classification.
A lot of lilies started blooming 3 weeks early but the sun's intensity lessened the the time span of the lily flower's presentation.
I noted some aster and chrysanthemum plants bloom very early, now, they're putting forth a second flush.
I hope this past summer's weather is just an anomaly and not a preview of things to come.
Nothing that's been done can ever be changed.
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Sep 22, 2012 9:22 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sherri Losee
Bloomington, IN (Zone 6a)
Birds Sedums Plays in the sandbox Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Orchids Region: Indiana
Hellebores Foliage Fan Ferns Dog Lover Daylilies Cat Lover
Oh, me too.
We are stardust, we are golden;
and we've got to get ourselves back to the garden. ~ Joni Mitchell ~
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Jun 4, 2014 7:27 PM CST
Name: Michele Roth
N.E. Indiana - Zone 5b, and F (Zone 9b)
I'm always on my way out the door..
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Forum moderator Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Master Level Dog Lover Cottage Gardener
Native Plants and Wildflowers Plant Identifier Organic Gardener Keeps Horses Hummingbirder Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
Crape Myrtle is showing delayed (but appreciated) signs of life today. This poor plant gets hammered every winter, but I thought it was a goner for sure after the one we just suffered through. After today's inch or so of rain it's shooting out new stalks from the base. I don't guess it'll ever be able to make blooms here, but its perseverance is commendable.

Pieris japonica heartily dislikes my garden, but it looks less dead today, too. Whistling

Two shrubs left for dead yet...will wait to see what happens in the next few weeks.

Our weeping cherry looks awful; it never bloomed this year, and it's still not fully leafed-out. Anyone else having trouble with cherries this year?
Cottage Gardening

Newest Interest: Rock Gardens


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Jun 4, 2014 8:21 PM CST
Name: Debra
Garland, TX (NE Dallas suburb) (Zone 8a)
Rescue dogs: Angels with paws needi
Dragonflies Dog Lover Bookworm I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Photography Bee Lover
Plays in the sandbox Butterflies Region: Texas Garden Sages I sent a postcard to Randy! Charter ATP Member
Yea for the returning green Hurray! and sorry about the awful ones. Sad
It’s okay to not know all the answers.
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Jan 31, 2016 6:48 AM CST
Name: Sally
Nichols, iowa (Zone 5a)
Charter ATP Member Birds Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Vegetable Grower Peonies Lilies
Irises Region: Iowa Dog Lover Daylilies Cat Lover Butterflies
Hi!
Marking a spot for this years survivors in my flower beds :o)
A small town has no secrets except itself
Avatar for Shadegardener
Jan 31, 2016 9:08 AM CST
Name: Cindy
Hobart, IN zone 5
aka CindyMzone5
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant Identifier
Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious!
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize that we can't eat money. Cree proverb
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