It’s July, it’s hot, and we need to talk about plants that can handle this weather without getting the vapors. I have often written of the drip system I use for my many containers which gives me the freedom to travel without worrying about having dried arrangements when I get home. There are a few places in the garden where using drip irrigation is inconvenient. In those areas I use pots of drought-tolerant plants, the best of which are the many succulents.

The popular open-air series “Lunch and Learn” has returned to the Port Royal Farmers Market! The series of talks kicked off with a presentation by J. Weidner called “How To Prune About Anything.” The season continues this Saturday and continues through mid-September. This FREE series is presented by the Lowcountry Master Gardeners Association. Classes begin at 11:30 each Saturday. Just bring a folding chair!

Gardening in the shade is the delight of Southern gardeners. Because a mature garden is often a shady one, we are blessed with trees and large mature shrubs. There may be a part of the landscape that gets full sun – usually the south or west side of the house. The eastern and northern exposures will be in the shade in summer and winter; temperatures may be considerably cooler in these areas. In the site plan of any new landscaping you would want to know where North is. It is usually shown as an arrow. Looking at a landscape plan, the relationship of the buildings to the north arrow will help in the selection of the right plant for the right place.