The real winners of heat and drought: sustainable garden landscaping

Climate change, drought seem to define modern gardens to a growing degree.But what should be done if rain is increasingly common?Preventive shaping of gardens with resistant, thermophilic perennials which -at the same time -can survive without constant watering, is becoming an important goal of many gardeners.In her book "The Real Winners of Heat.Sustainable Garden Design with Drought-Loving Perennials", K. Lugerbauer shows readers how to shape dry sites sensibly and sustainably.In this case, it is helpful to look at the natural location of the plants, because there are many heat profiteers (winners), which can easily survive the drought.Katrin Lugerbauer shows 15 triedand-tested combinations of ornamental plants, including their alternatives and supplements that are relevant to the seasons.There are already enough plants that need such conditions to grow optimally in hot weather: permeable sandy soils, areas with low rainfall, sunny locations with poor soil substrate.This book by K. Lugerbauer serves a purpose of finding such plants.The basic assumptions of the book include the following conditions: multifaceted design of gardens and flower beds, protection of natural resources, ecological thinking in gardening, appropriate plant selection ("which plant is suitable?"),use of the dynamics of plant development, optimization of plant care, and selection of plants from the existing pool of diversity.According to K. Lugerbauer, climate change requires the use of new plants that -despite originating from the Mediterranean, steppes, prairies or various coastal areas -must also cope with Central European winters.In modern gardens, it is necessary to use the dynamics of plant development, which includes the use of annual and biennial plants and short-lived perennials (often propagated by sowing).Spring-flowering plants (geophytes) and bulbous plants are also used, as they tend to complement the perennials.There is diversity in the flowerbed, which is also strongly correlated to the season.Optimizing care includes changing the existing soil, using a soil cover, using specific treatments to make the flowerbed more resistant to drought.Native wild perennials are not only resistant, but also support the representatives of the animal kingdom in the garden, dry shady areas have huge shaping potential, in the case of quick action, resistant annual and biennial plants should be used (using sowing).Flower beds and gardens in drought and heat conditions are undoubtedly very diverse and limiting ourselves to just a few plants is clearly an overly simplistic approach.Luckily, K. Lugerbauer draws attention to several real winners in the current conditions of climate change.Such winners include primarily: mugworts (Artemisia), dyer's chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria), spurges (Euphorbia), various types of thistles, various types of wild or species tulips, or various species of ornamental sage.Mugworts, especially species with silvery foliage, reach their best form only in hot weather.Many mugworts develop stolons in poor soils: this is an excellent botanical property.They combine with their partner perennials and provide that sought-after southern charm at the site.Shiny, bright flowers on a hemispherical "leaf bush"; this is how yellow chamomile presents itself, a perennial friendly to insects, which also has excellent garden varieties.They bloom bright yellow (including the 'Wargrave' variety) and grow into a large plant within a single season.Euphorbias, on the other hand, have deep roots and durable leaves.A large number of Euphorbias prefer sunny locations and are decorative all year round.Their yellow-green flowers appear from spring to summer.Euphorbias Katrin Lugerbauer has been dealing with gardening and nature-related topics for many years.The author is particularly interested in the use of perennials in accordance with the requirements of a given site.With the right choice of plants, flowerbeds can be shaped more easily, and dry or shady places can also "bloom".In her books, the author combines gardening descriptions with appropriate photographs from her own garden flowerbeds.