A quick turn around our front garden each day tells me which shrubs and perennials are suffering from this miserable, blistering heat and high humidity. Native shrubs like clethra, yaupon holly, and beautyberry are thriving. The native perennials, including baptisia, goldenrod, rudbeckia, echinacea, and liatris are holding up well, as are Mediterranean herbs like lavender, thyme, and rosemary. The roses, too, manage the heat well, although the Japanese beetles currently are launching their daily attack, which will end in a few weeks.
Affected most by the high temperatures and lack of rain are the few shade plants still left in the garden: hostas and astilbes suffer the most, their leaves turning dry and crunchy. The hydrangea blossoms have faded too early, and the shrubs seem to need continuous irrigation.
The gardenia bushes continue to sprout glossy, leathery, dark green leaves and produce fragrant masses of snow-white flowers, seemingly unfazed by the hot, muggy weather. Gardenias (...