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Midsummer Garden Collection
Related to ‘Space Genie‘, I asked a highly skilled Burpee vegetable breeder, now retired, what he thought Mr. David Burpee meant by the crossing of interplanetary and intergalactic plants. He knew him quite well.
“Oh, he always wanted to extend the range—so it was heat tolerances mainly, I’m sure. Plants from hot planets might be able to add genes that would make drought and heat tolerant plants here. Things for desert areas.”
He agreed that Mr. Burpee was a bit unusual in his reverence for the potential of genetics. (Mr. Burpee founded one of the world’s first private endowments for a Genetics Chair at Bucknell University.) However, he also regarded his old boss as a genius, if a bit eccentric.
“He used dark green ink in his fountain pens—did you know that, George?” (I did.) “He used to ship jars of it out to California in a small crate ahead of time. He had it made especially for him. Then he’d take a slow train out. He didn’t fly. He’d spend the entire summer here writing the catalogue.”
Therefore, in the spirit of naturally occurring heat-loving plants with good drought resistance—if not also in the spirit of green ink—we present to you a list of shrubs and flowers that will stick it out through the torpor—even the stupor—of midsummer. Maybe one day in the very distant future they’ll meet Venusians or perhaps intergalactic “phytonauts” and make deeply rooted cosmic music together.
Our “hot and dry” list includes:
Can you tell me if you know of any heat/drought tolerant berries or grapes that can handle Texas’ Hill Country? Thank you.
This looks like an excellent list of hot headed plants for any zone 5 summer garden.
George, how long did it take you to respond to all of those comments on “Camp Obama?” I think it’s great that you took the time to talk to each of us on a personal level, at least that’s how I felt about your reply to my rant.
Your emails are pure delight — jam-packed with info, well written, a joy to read. Many thanks.
Very Cool, George. How about something for hot and shady, in case these planets are poorly lit under enormous Baobab trees?
I’d like to suggest another plant for your “hot and dry” list — the native Eryngium yuccifolium. It’s a handsome and durable plant that once grew on the tallgrass prairie. In those days it roots were used to treat rattlesnake bites, giving rise to its common name, rattlesnake master.
which of these ‘hot & dry’ plants that you suggest can also make it thru the type of harsh cold winter we are experiencing in the Willamette Valleys, Salem, Oregon. We might as well be living in upper desert. Georgia
Thanks for the plant list-four years of drougthy weather and very high water costs,especially 2008 left my garden with the vacant Blues(four huge norway spruces and one Serbian spruce and many pernials) now I can try your plants to fill in my deserted garden.I have been gardening 55 years and I certainly know global warming when I see it.