Time and energy have limitations. As I find myself solidly sitting in middle age, I face the fact that it isn't possible to tend to everything equally well. As a single gardener on an acre and a half, I can no longer pretend to be meticulous about maintenance. A certain amount of laissez-faire is required. So OK. Let's look for players that get along fine on their own (mostly), don't need a lot of water, fertilizer or get all pissy about benign neglect. This Bluestar (Amsonia hubrectii) is such a love! Soft fluffy green in the spring with delicate grey-blue flowers and a nice way of pouffing around the siberian iris and the baptisias. It's a nice contrast in the summer to the bolder foliage around it. In the fall, it casts a golden glow all around and shimmers in the late afternoon sun. The bed that contains this plant received only two supplemental waterings all summer, no kidding! The baptisia 'Carolina Moonlight' in the header above is also a good drought tolerant plant. Baptisia australis is also a great performer with varied seasonal interest like great seed capsules and an interesting lead like color in winter. As I have no irrigation system and have to pull hoses around, some beds in the far reaches are going to get less attention than others. These droughts are likely to continue and some plant materials are just too hard to keep looking good. I believe you can plant for beauty and practicality. I'm learning.
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