These drought-tolerant plants beat the heat

Denver's forecast for tomorrow, the first Saturday of Summer 2012, calls for a high of 103 degrees Fahrenheit. Nights should cool down to the 60s, but we're facing a fiery weekend of hot, dry days with not a drop of rain in sight. Drought conditions, high winds, and regional wildfires stress our landscapes; and summer's just starting.

By providing permeable surfaces, shade, and cool greens, our gardens helps cool the earth, but only if we're growing plants that can survive semi-arid conditions of Denver and Colorado's Front Range. I've learned over and over, the hard way, that trying to mollycoddle plants not equipped for our challenging growing conditions only results in torched specimens, wasted resources, and deep frustration.

Instead of striving for a garden more appropriate elsewhere, I'm learning to appreciate more native plants and other species stalwart enough for life on the high plains. There's much to love about these sturdy plants that can take the heat and don't need a drink every time you turn around in your garden. And these plants are obviously beautiful, colorful, and delicate as the Red Birds in a Tree pictured above.

I still haul large containers with tropical plants--hibiscus and citrus, included--inside each winter to fuss over these hot house babies, but outside, I'm recruiting the tough guys.

Links listed below take you to articles about drought-tolerant plants. Just click on the colorful, underlined text.

• This spring, we knew drought was a threat, and sure enough, Denver Water issued a drought alert. Click this link to read my recent feature in the Grow section of The Denver Post: Drought tolerant yucca, columbine and manzanita are 3 desert-tough plants that will be rock stars in your garden.

• Succulents do not suck water. In fact, beautiful, architectural plants, succulents don't require much water at all and will withstand some of the toughest growing conditions. I reported on succulents for The Denver Post: Succulent success story.

• Hens-and-chicks, in the succulent family, delight me during dry, hot days. My mother introduced me to hens-and-chicks many years ago, and I came to love them, too. Here are several articles I subsequent wrote about hens-and-chicks:

Hens-and-chicks, easy architectural plants

• Plant Select researches and promotes "Durable Plants for your garden," I highly recommend the Plant Select options for your garden. The experts from Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens, and Colorado's Green Growers have done the hard homework on which plants fare best in Front Range gardens. These are my go-to plants these days.

I'm growing some trial plants for the program, but I'm afraid I lost a few during the recent heat wave. Here's more on Plant Select trial plants and a few of my favorite Plant Select picks.

• Also, remember than compost helps your soil retain water. If you want the dirt on composting, click on the link for my story for FrontRangeLiving.com.

My garden already shows signs of heat stress, and yours might, too. These tips might help you as we top off 100 degrees this weekend. I plan to water tonight and head for the swimming pool tomorrow. And keep turning toward plants that face a fighting chance in Denver's mile high dry conditions.

••• "Cultivate your corner of the world. You grow your garden; your garden grows you." •••

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