Cait's Garden

I had to dump out the contents of my rain gauge this morning because although it holds 5 inches of rain, it was nearly full. This is not a typical rainfall for our area, but it does happen. Sometimes in May, sometimes in August. Droughts and floods around here are quite unpredictable. We’ve had hot dry April’s and cold rainy July’s. That is why reading your plant labels before you buy plants is more important than ever. Drought resistant plants are all the rage, especially with the new interest in native plants. But make sure those plants are also moisture tolerant. A plant that loves it dry all summer will not be happy with our occasional month-long rainy spells. Likewise, a plant that requires constant moisture needs a great deal of babysitting through drought season. The key is to pick plants that are survivors, no matter the weather extremes…because we live in Illinois and things get crazy here!