What to plant in summer’s smokin’ heat

GRIFFIN — The Georgia heat has many outside enthusiasts inside looking out, enjoying gardens and landscapes only from the comfort of their air-conditioned cars. Indeed, in the throes of summer in Georgia, while it’s brutal for us outside, there are many landscape plants that are in their glory this time of year.

While there are a variety of beautiful shrubs in Georgia gardens this time of year, a few really steal the show. Panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) is breathtaking. This hydrangea’s large, showy blossoms are mostly white. There are a few pinkish variations with some cultivars like “Vanilla Strawberry,” though the blossom color is not sensitive to pH changes like other hydrangeas. These varieties not only offer stunning displays in the peak of summer heat, they produce abundant flowers that are fun to cut and bring inside. This hydrangea is a reliable plant that endures the sun and heat better than other hydrangeas.

This summer has had enough moisture for the smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) to offer a delightful show. Considered a native of the Eastern U.S., this showy shrub sports large, velvety leaves and chartreuse-to-white blooms. Several cultivars are available on the market. While these plants are simply stunning this time of year, remember that they prefer partial shade and moist soils.

Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) is also a gem in the July garden, and our pollinators couldn’t agree more. Clethra is also native to the Eastern U.S., adapted to our warm and humid summers. While Clethra will grow in the full sun, it’s commonly found in moist, swampy soils. It is a great plant to grow on the edge of trees, where it will benefit from some shade.

Those looking for more color variations should consider abelia (Abelia hybrids). There are many different cultivars on the market offering a variety of mature size, leaf color and bloom color. Choose from a spectrum of green leaves or plants with white, cream, chartreuse, yellow-gold and pink variations. While many abelia have a classic white bloom, some have blooms in shades of pink and purple. Abelia does well planted in the sun, and its summer blooms offer nectar for many insects.

When summer hits its stride, a few trees distinguish themselves in the landscape. Among them are crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia) and chaste tree (Vitex spp.). Crape myrtles have long been valued for their tolerance of poor soils and heat, so they are often used in streetscapes. These trees are available in a variety of heights, green and dark purple foliage, and blooms in white, pink, lavender and many shades in between.

An added bonus is the bark of this tree. When a crape myrtle gets some age to it, its bark begins to curl and flake off in a way that makes some think of cinnamon sticks. Some cultivars have contrasting bark colors, adding to their appeal, especially apparent in winter when their leaves drop.

Chaste trees (Vitex agnus-castus and V. negundo) are great for the summer garden as well. They have distinctive compound leaves with lance-shaped leaflets, and their flowers range from violet blue to lavender, depending on the species. Be sure to give these small trees plenty of space for their 15- to 20-foot height and shrubby nature.

A few perennials also shine this time of year. These are plants that reliably regrow from their roots each year but die back in the winter. A few that show off their blooms in the hot July summer include Montbretia (Crocosmia hybrids), a plant growing from underground corms. They are available in a variety of reds, oranges and yellows, and make good cut flowers.

Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia fulgida) and coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) are respectively showing off their signature yellow and purple blooms.

If a summer garden doesn’t sparkle to its owner’s liking, said owner might consider some of these plants to add to the year-round appeal of their landscape. While it’s blazing hot outside now, the good news for your garden is that fall planting season is just around the corner. Make plans to add a few of these summer beauties to your garden.

Special Photo: Sheri Dorn/UGA-CAESSpecial Photo: Sheri Dorn/UGA-CAES