Regional Choices: Tough Plants

It’s important to first define what a “tough” plant is. In my opinion, it’s a plant that will thrive on its own if planted in a location that provides its basic needs and is given adequate water. It won’t back down if it has aggressive neighbors, complains if it hasn’t been pruned for a year or two, and requires special care to stay beautiful. A beautiful, tough plant is one that looks much more delicate than it actually is.

1. ‘Seashell’ Peony

Many herbaceous peonies fit into the bulletproof category, offering unmatched fragrance and stunning beauty, and will last for years with little care. All they ask for is full sun, humus-rich soil, and good ventilation to dry out the leaves and minimize fungal problems. I’m not always a very careful gardener, so I lean toward single-flowered peonies, which don’t need hoops, trellises, or stakes to keep their blooms upright. ‘Seashell’ is an old cultivar that appeared in 1937. This plant arrived in my garden several years ago, has continued through many moves between gardens, and has remained in the same spot for over two decades. The satiny pink petals flutter in the breeze, and the tall stems bounce but don’t bend in the rain. The bright yellow magnificence of the stamens in the center is beautiful, and the fragrance is lovely, though mild. A mass of these is quite stunning.

2. ‘Sherwood Purple’ Creeping Phlox

This phlox is an easy-to-grow ground cover that is dense enough to help suppress weeds, but open enough for sturdy perennials to rise. From mid to late spring, purple flowers adorn 6- to 8-inch stems and emit a sweet fragrance. The paddle-shaped leaves are 2 inches long and half as wide, and they wear long stalks that creep along the ground, occasionally rooting. This reliable species is suitable for gardens as far north as zone 5. It requires almost no care, does not require deadheading, and is drought-tolerant once established. It makes a great living mulch for those who want to minimize weeding and create a natural garden, and it pairs beautifully with other creeping phlox cultivars.

3. Summer Hyacinth

Summer hyacinth may seem like a surprising choice for New England gardens, as it hails from South Africa. It is said to be hardy only to zone 7, but it survived in a sunny spot in a friend’s zone 6 garden for more than 10 years without any fuss or fuss beyond regular care. It returns year after year, sending up gray-green, leathery leaves that are accented by sophisticated creamy green flowers in midsummer. Sturdy flowering stems rise from the leaves and climb to 2 feet tall. With a pendulous and delicate beauty, the pale green flowers are long-lasting and pair wonderfully with rich purple, orange, or red. The trick is to plant the bulbs in a sunny spot, in fertile soil that is evenly moist during the growing season but never soggy in winter. No critters will bother the bulbs or leaves, and they will bloom fearlessly year after year. If you garden in colder areas, or if your soil gets too wet in winter, dig up the bulbs in the fall and store them like dahlias or gladioluses—in a cool, dark place where temperatures are between 45° and 50°F, or grow them in a container and bring them inside for the winter.

4. False Hydrangea

False hydrangea is a hardy, deer-resistant, underutilized plant that works magic in my summer garden. It grows well in shade, thrives when moisture is plentiful and fades when it is lacking. Even after short periods of drought, it reblooms profusely, and by midsummer it has a waxy appearance, swaying lavender flowers in clusters atop 18-inch stems. Bumblebees love the prolific blooms, ignoring the occasional sterile blooms scattered throughout the cluster. You can see the family resemblance to hydrangeas in the 6- to 8-inch-long leaves and the appearance of bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla) and mountain hydrangea (H. serrata). The leaves add texture to the garden even when the plant is not in bloom.

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