Wild and unpredictable weather is hard to contend with as a gardener. This year has seen flooding followed by searing sun and high temperatures, often within a matter of weeks. Across the US, extreme weather patterns seem to occur all too often, with states like Iowa and South Dakota experiencing dangerous and deadly flooding, while New Mexico and California battle heatwaves and wildfires.
For plants, adapting to such weather fluctuations is undeniably a challenge, and in many regions, prolonged periods of rain can be followed by months of drought. While plants can tolerate much change in the weather, even for the most resilient plants, this can be a tough ask. Working as a gardener myself, I have had to contend with unpredictable weather for much of my professional career.
Fortunately, many types of perennials, typically referred to as ditch plants, exhibit an incredible amount of resilience, growing happily in any place and any weather. Ditch plants are versatile and hardy, so named for growing in tough terrains, along the roadside, on grass verges and in ditches. So, if you are looking for and , these invincible perennials can help to future-proof your yard.
Ditch plants are those that can thrive in challenging circumstances. Surviving icy winters and long, dry summers, ditch plants can be relied upon to keep growing and blooming despite an uncertain and fluctuating climate. As a gardener, I have found that the most resilient planting is that which produces deep root netwo.