From My Garden to Yours
White and Purple Osteospermum Yellow and Orange California Poppy - Eschscholzia californica ssp. maritima 'Coastal Form'
Hollyhocks in Hot and Dry Cottage Garden
June 24, 2018

Hot & Dry Cottage Garden

I adore a traditional cottage garden but certainly don’t have the weather for it. Starting in late May, the weather begins to heat up and our summer sizzles with temperatures often above 100F well into the fall. With the exception of a couple bouts of humid weather, the summer months are generally very dry. We typically don’t get any rain until mid fall.

So I’m always looking for beautiful flowers and plants that can withstand the heat, but don’t require a lot of water. To maximize their resistance to heat and minimize their thirst, I keep most of them nicely mulched.

Here is a gorgeous line-up of blossoms that are perfect for the drought-tolerant cottage garden.

Cottage Garden Flowers

These flowers are a mix of annuals and perennials. They are all low-maintenance plants and many have long blooming seasons. My yard is heavy clay soil, thus all can tolerate clay soil. Though some need more drainage than others.

Purple Agapanthus
Agapanthus
Alyssum
Alyssum
Pink Purple Angelonia angustifolia
Angelonia
Yellow Mexican Marigold - Tagetes lemmonii
Artemisia
Purple Aster - Symphyotrichum chilense
Aster chilensis
Magenta Calandrinia spectabilis
Calandrinia
Red Columnifera ratibida
Columnifera Ratibida
Pink Coreopsis rosea
Coreopsis
Pink Cosmos
Cosmos
Red and Yellow Day Lily
Day Lily
Red Dianthus
Dianthus
White Echinacea
Echinacea
Yellow Encelia farinosa
Encelia farinosa
Red Yellow Gaillardia pulchella
Gaillardia
Pink Gazania
Gazania
Yellow Golden Fleece or Dahlberg Fleece
Golden Fleece
White Hollyhock
Hollyhocks
Pink Hyssop - Hyssopus officinalis
Hyssop
White Iris
Iris
Red Orange Lantana
Lantana
White and Purple Larkspur - Consolida
Larkspur
Purple Lavender - Lavandula
Lavender
Purple Liatris, Yellow Rudbeckia, Yellow & Red Coreopsis, Bachelor Buttons and Sunflowers
Liatris
White Linaria
Linaria
Orange Marigold - Tagetes
Marigold
Desert Marigold - Baileya multiradiata
Marigold – Desert
Yellow Mexican Marigold - Tagetes Lemonii
Marigold – Mexican
Narrowleaf Milkweed - Asclepias fascicularis
Milkweed
Purple Morning Glory
Morning Glory
Pink Nicotana
Nicotana
Purple Nierembergia
Nierembergia
Blue Nigella
Nigella
White and Purple Osteospermum
Osteospermum
Yellow and Orange California Poppy - Eschscholzia californica ssp. maritima 'Coastal Form'
California Poppies – Coastal Form
Pink Rock Rose - Cistus
Rock Rose
Yellow Rudbeckia - Irish Eyes
Rudbeckia
Pink Saliva Coccinea
Salvia coccinea
Purple Salvia guaranitica
Salvia guaranitica
Salvia microphylla - Meza Azure
Salvia microphylla
Purple Salvia Nemorosa
Salvia nemorosa
Pink and Magenta Scabiosa
Scabiosa
Scarlet Bugler - Penstemon centranthifolius
Scarlet Bugler
Purple Statice - Limonium
Statice
Pink Sedum
Sedum
Red Snapdragons - Antirrhinum
Snapdragon
Yellow Sunflower - Helianthus Annuus
Sunflower – Helianthus
Yellow Perennial Sunflower - Helianthus maximiliani
Sunflower – Maximillian
Orange Tithonia rotundifolia
Tithonia
Pink Verbena rigida
Verbena rigida
Purple Verbena bonariensis
Verberna bonariensis
Purple Wallflower Erysimum
Wallflower
White Yellow Pink Yarrow - Achillea
Yarrow
Red Zinnias
Zinnia

Cottage Garden Shrubs, Trees & Vines

Painted Lady Butterfly on Butterfly Bush
Butterfly Bush
Purple Canary Island Sage - Salvia canariensis
Canary Island Sage
Purple Chaste Tree - Vitex agnus-castus
Chaste Tree
Pink Crape Myrtle - Lagerstroemia
Crape Myrtle
Pink Desert Willow - Chilopsis linearis
Desert Willow
White Yellow Honeysuckle - Lonicera
Honeysuckle
Purple Jacaranda Tree
Jacaranda
Pink Cape Mallow - Anisodontea capensis
Mallow – Cape
Orange Desert Mallow - Sphaeralcea ambigua
Mallow – Desert
Pomegranate Tree Blossom
Pomegranate
Rose of Sharon - Hibiscus syriacus
Rose of Sharon
Black Sage - Salvia mellifera
Sage – Black
Purple Mexican Sage - Salvia Leucantha
Sage – Mexican
Purple Russian Sage
Sage – Russian
Pink Leucophyllum frutescens - Texas Ranger
Texas Ranger
Purple Wisteria
Wisteria

4 Thoughts

  1. Angela on July 1, 2018

    This is a great reaource! Thank you. Beautiful yard!

  2. gardening-for-purple on July 1, 2018

    Thank you Angela!

  3. Maria on January 20, 2020

    Great list! Thank you!!

  4. gardening-for-purple on January 21, 2020

    Thanks Maria! 🙂

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