Plant communities are made up of plants with similar growing conditions and whose appearance complements each other. Baptisia, Geranium, Calamintha and Sporobolus are four hardy perennial plants that grow in full sun and require well draining soil. These perennials are drought tolerant making them easy to grow in a sustainable garden. Here are details on these individual plants and ideas for growing in a small garden.
Baptisia Purple Smoke
Baptisia has a mounding appearance with tall flower spikes. It has a strong upright structure. The hybrid ‘Purple Smoke’ grows 20” – 30” tall and eventually spreads. The bluish green finely textured leaves are a good foil for the pea shaped dusky-purple bluish colored blossoms. The foliage turns very dark to black in fall.
Baptisia is a drought tolerant plant that attracts butterflies, two characteristics of a sustainable garden. In this plant grouping, it is the tallest making it a good background plant. The fluffy appearance of Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta sets off the Baptisia and will soften the sharp corners of a garden bed.
Calamintha Nepeta SSP. Nepeta
Calamintha has a soft textured appearance. The long lasting blooms open in late July as white but change to a powdery blue in fall. The plant grows 12” – 15 “ tall while filling in open soil spaces.
Another ground cover is Geranium ‘Ankum’s Pride. Although shorter than Calamintha nepeta, it does spread and intermingles among other plants.
Geranium Ankum’s Pride
Geranium ‘Ankum’s Pride’ flowers mid-June through August, overlapping the bloom time of Calamintha nepeta, with a profusion of small pink flowers. The dark green leaves are deeply incised, turning a red fall color that is an added value to the garden.
This plant is the shortest of the group, growing 8” – 12 “ tall. Perennial Geraniums look best planted at the edges or among other plants in a garden bed.
Sporobolus Tara
Sporobolus is a type of prairie dropseed ornamental grass. It is native to North America preferring dry soil. The light airy flowers set above the foliage and blooms the end of summer through middle of October. Fall color is golden yellow.
Although it has a stiffly upright appearance similar to Baptisia, Sporobolus ‘Tara’ remains narrow and growing only 18” – 24” tall. Its short height makes it an excellent ornamental grass for the sides or at the front of a small garden.
Flowering Bulbs
Ornamental onion plants are good flowering bulbs to add to drought tolerant gardens. Allium tanguticum ‘Summer Beauty’ has round lavender purple flowers, blooming late June through July. The yellow foliage in fall is striking against the reddish brown stems lasting into winter.
Inspiration for additional perennial plant communities can be found in the garden book, Roy Diblik’s Small Perennial Gardens.
Permission received for all photos used in this article.
Chris Eirschele - Chris writes on plants grown and gardens explored; she is a member of the Garden Writers Association.
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