Roses And Rain Barrels: Gardening In A Drought And Heatwave

David Austin Rosa, 'Lichfield Angel', after rain

It rained, at last, in these mountains! Hurray! I've lost count of how many weeks it was dry, but my rain barrels were without water for at least three. To add to our woes, the heat has been brutal, with temperatures sizzling up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Centigrade) with high humidity. I know there are bloggers in other parts for whom this is normal, but not so here -- my garden is just not used to it (and neither am I).

Daily watering has been a challenge. I planted a new rose bed this year, and I am glad I installed a soaker hose as none of the new plants, except for lavender, are considered drought tolerant. I planted three shrub roses and two climbers, a clematis, lavender, perennial geranium, and lupines. The border is edged with miniature roses. I showed the climbing rose Iceberg and the Knockouts in a previous post.

A soaker hose under the mulch keeps the new plants hydrated.

'Lichfield Angel' is named for a plaque of an angel in Lichfield Cathedral, England. 

I bought the David Austin mainly for its name. I went to school in Lichfield, and know every corner of the cathedral. The rose seems to like its new home, probably because HH incorporated a generous amount of organic matter in the new garden. I added four inches of mulch. As you know, mulching moderates the soil temperature and holds in water.

I have four rain barrels. My pride-and-joy is the one I won when, back in March,  Jan of Thanks for Today asked bloggers to write about sustainable gardening in honor of Earth Day. Click here to read my entry for the challenge. I am very grateful to Jan, Joe Lamp, and Fiscars for this wonderful prize. I located the barrel in my kitchen garden where it collects water from the tractor shed roof. Thanks again, Jan! Everyone should pop over and take a look at Jan's wonderful July garden!

Fiskars rain barrel with diverter that channels rainwater from the downspout into the rain barrel. Holds 57 gallons.

I also have two half barrels located near the flower gardens, and a full-size barrel that collects water from the barn roof.

Conserving water in rain barrels, mulching, incorporating organic matter into your garden, using soaker hoses, and drip irrigation are all important factors in xeriscaping. As you probably know, xeriscaping can be described as 'water wise' or 'water efficient' landscaping.

Another factor of water efficient landscaping is choosing plants appropriate to their site, so they can be maintained with little supplemental water. I don't have enough drought-tolerant plants in my garden (as exemplified by the new rose bed!) but I do have some:

Butterfly bush Buddleja davidii

Kobold Gayfeather Liatris spicata 'Kobold'

Yarrow Achillea 'Coronation Gold'

Purple coneflower Echinacea Purpurea. HH bought the mirror at a flea market.

Clockwise from bottom: Echinacea (with butterflies), lambs' ears Stachys byzantina, and yarrow Achillea 'The Pearl'

Other drought-tolerant perennials in my garden are black-eyed Susan, coreopsis, catmint, sweet woodruff, hellebore, and blue mist shrub. Marigold and zinnias are drought-tolerant annuals that I grow. For a comprehensive list of drought-tolerant plants click here.

In spite of the heat and lack of rain, I have some beautiful blooms today:

Shasta Daisy Leucanthemum

Spider flower Cleome basslerana, and Daylily Hemerocalis 'Chicago Apache" (far right)

Gooseneck Loosestrife Lysimachia clethroides

The gooseneck loosestrife is loved by the swallowtail butterfly

Turkscap lily Lilium Superbum

And of course sunflowers:

Sunflower Helianthus 'Del Sol'

Finally, here is a sneak peek at something exciting happening in my garden right now:

Yes, we are installing a pond. Of course, you will see the finished product in a future post.

Well, I hope my rain barrels stay full for the rest of the summer! And I hope YOUR gardening conditions are perfect!

Have a great weekend!
Pam x

~~ I love reading your comments. I hope you leave one so I’ll know you visited!

I look forward to visiting your blog in return.