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Here are shrubs and perennials for your garden that enjoy the heat and need less water

The end of September is not the time to start pruning back hydrangeas, roses, magnolias, and most other trees and shrubs. Pruning always stimulates growth, and now is when you want to encourage your plants to slip into winter dormancy.

But you can still harvest the blooms of roses, hydrangeas and especially the autumn flowers of sedum “Autumn Joy,” chrysanthemums, dahlias and asters to enjoy.

And snipping back a branch or two from a shrub or tree that is blocking a pathway or window should always be done as soon as you have clippers in hand despite the season or time of year. People come before plants and your mature shrubbery should not be allowed a hostile takeover of pathways and indoor views.

I received a question from an Olympia reader, asking me to suggest some shrubs and perennials that enjoy more heat and need less water so she can spend less time watering and reduce her water bills. That’s what I will devote this column to.

When it comes to drought resistant plants, there is no perfect planting that never needs care. How much water a plant or shrub needs is dependent on the soil as well as the sun and heat.

Fall is a good time to add trees and shrubs to the landscape, but you might want to wait until spring to add the water-saving perennials listed below. They often have trouble surviving our wet winter weather and these perennials may be easier to find at nurseries in the spring.

Perennials for the Unthirsty Garden

Lavender: The English lavender (Lavender angustifolia) seems to do best in Western Washington and can be used along pathways and in sunny spots that have good drainage.

Erysiumum “Bowles Mauve”: This old-fashioned favorite has a big flush of spring blooms and then keeps on putting out flowers for most of the summer. This perennial can handle partial shade as well as full sun.

Euphorbia: There are many types of this drought-resistant perennial and the spring blooms are mostly yellow or chartreuse with various foliage colors on tall and upright plants. Euphorbia can reseed in a good way if you have a wild or informal part of the garden, or grow these in pots on either side of a bench for year-round color and structure.

Corsican Hellebore: This green blooming hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius) is known for being able to compete with tree roots and will even bloom in deep shade. It grows taller than traditional hellebores with a distinctive lime green flower in spring that looks good as it dries on the plant.

Shrubs for the Unthirsty Garden

English Boxwood: The classic evergreen hedge in English gardens, boxwood does well with little additional water in Western Washington landscapes. There are dwarf boxwoods that need less clipping as well as taller varieties that can become hedges. Boxwood are great for formal landscapes or for clipping into balls and growing in containers.

Rock rose (Cistus): Many types of rock rose do well on rainfall alone, but these shrubs need full sun and can grow to 5 feet tall and wide. Look for compact varieties if you don’t have the room for a huge shrub, and have fun with the range of colors that this spring bloomer will display. Rock roses come in color tones of purple, orange, pink, yellow and white.

Camellia: Yes, this old favorite for the shade is more drought tolerant than rhododendrons and azaleas once the roots are established. The secret to drought-resistant camellias is to mulch with 2 inches of wood chips and protect from drying winds by planting close to the house or amidst trees. Filtered shade is a must as the foliage can burn in the afternoon sun. The east side of a building is perfect for camellias as they enjoy the morning sun.

Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of several books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.