These drought-tolerant perennials will come through a dry spell without a great deal of watering.
* Purple coneflower. It has many purple-red, daisy-like blooms from midsummer to early autumn.
* Lavender. This mounding evergreen shrub with silvery-gray needle-like leaves and spikes has purple or white flowers in summer.
* Silver king or silver queen. Has aromatic silvery-gray foliage. It may be invasive in some parts of the country.
* Sedum Autumn Joy. Almost all sedums are drought-resistant. This one has deep pink to bronze flowers in the fall.
* Coronation Gold yarrow. Gold flowers on tall silvery-gray leaves in summer to early fall.
* Drought-tolerant annuals include cosmos, dusty miller, marigold, moss rose and zinnia.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
