In shell you have n’t get word , it ’s July , and it ’s hot alfresco . How hot ? This weekend , a gargantuan oestrus noggin will hide half of the United States . Oklahoma is n’t just the centre of the heartland , it ’s also the beating heart of summer heat .
We need plants that thrive in Oklahoma summer .
Oklahoma gardeners are n’t disturbed though . Like goodBoy Scouts , we ’re disposed . We grow plants that not only live but flourish in summertime .
Let ’s await at what work here . [ press gallery photos to enlarge them . ]
I ’m talking flowers and tropical leafy plants . Do n’t look at your tomatoes because you might just see their blooms shine off . If so , try not to occupy . Once temperatures come below 100 ° F , your tomatoes will bloom and fruit again .
First up are coleus, orPlectranthus scutellarioidesif you prefer.
I ’d rather just call them flame nettle . It ’s easier . There are so many great potpourri of these plants now . I’mcrazy ’bout coleus .
Once established , they are very sun tolerant if you water them . They do require water as do all plants except fictile single .
Just say no to pliant plants .
What goes great with flame nettle ? Well , almost everything , but their blanket , brilliantly - colored leaves take care heavy with prairie plants , both aboriginal and selected diversity .
Prairie plants love the heat.
Prairie plant life like magniloquent coreopsis , ‘ Henry Eilers ’ sweet coneflower and various varieties of royal coneflower all are fly high in the heat . Perennial ornamental grass are also starting to strut their stuff although it will be in August and September that they come into their glory . Asclepias incarnata L. , swamp milkweed , is just starting to bloom as are Joe pye weed and loving cup plant . I grow both ‘ Little Joe ’ and ‘ Baby Joe . ’ ‘ Baby Joe ’ was most forced out byMonardasp . , bee balm , in the first place this summertime so I do n’t have any photos of it . I pull up the bee balm . I have so much of it already . It ’s another good summer bloomer if you have the room and do n’t mind tending to its mobile ways .
I ’m trying several new types of coneflower this twelvemonth with mixed winner . I determine genus Echinacea a bit hard to get going , but once they are happy , they will thrive and often reseed throughout the garden . It ’s the getting them startle that ’s hard . I find the natives hardest to start , but I think it ’s deserving it . I would show you some photos , but I do n’t have any good 1 of the natives right now . Just do it that any prairie plant botanically close to its native relative that produces germ also makes ambrosia to draw in pollinator .
I know I write and talk all the time about ‘ Cheyenne Spirit ’ coneflowers , but they really are fabulous if you want colour other than purple in your genus Echinacea . ‘ Cheyenne Spirit ’ and PowWow ® Wild Berry Echinacea are also bothAAS Winners . You should grow them . ‘ Prairie Splendor Deep Rose ’ empurpled coneflowers gain a Fleuroselect Gold Medal in 2007 . This is my first year to grow this variety .
Good old garden phlox are also heat lovers.
Phlox paniculataare such suitable summertime plant life , and many of the newer selections are powdery mildew resistant . If you want to grow summer phlox , know that they like well - drained , prolific soil . They sleep together hot summertime sunshine , but will also thrive in some shade .
Some of my ducky are :
If you require butterflies and moths , and who does n’t plant phlox . Butterflies have a go at it the flowers .
Let’s not forget true lilies either.
Several honest ones will produce well once you get them going . They do n’t care crowd though , and since I tend to crowd together my plants , I ’ll be replanting a few this fall . Order lily now , and the companies will ship them to you in October . implant them straightaway so they do n’t rot . Also , it takes three seasons for them to get plant , and they do n’t seem to like shade . Morning sun is hunky-dory .
This office is a belated one ofGarden Bloggers ’ Bloom Dayhosted on the 15th of each month at May Dreams Gardens .
Okay , my friends , that ’s all I ’ve got for now . Must step inside where it ’s cool . Have a glass of ice tea or lemonade and dream of a thriving summertime garden with me .
The Gardenangelists Podcast.
If I have n’t bored you airheaded , and you want to learn more , head over toThe Gardenangelists podcastwhere Carol Michel and I dish each week about “ bloom , veggie , and all the in force soil . ” you could now find out our podcast onStitcherandTuneIn . It is also onApple Podcasts , Spotify , and Google Podcasts , plus other places where podcasts are found .
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