Welcome to spring and a new gardening season

The Okanagan Xeriscape Association celebrated the official start to spring with the first Dig with Sig volunteer event recently in the greenhouse, as we began potting-up plants for our upcoming plant sale.

Spring is an exciting time for gardeners and our annual spring plant sale is a highlight of the season.

I’d like to describe some of the new cultivars which will be available for purchase at our May 10 sale. Three outstanding perennials recently potted up include: Anacyclus “Silver Kisses”, Pycnanthemum “Smokey Mountain”, and Oenothera “Twilight”. All deserve special attention for their remarkable drought-tolerance and beauty. These plants offer gardeners resilient options that thrive with minimal irrigation while providing both visual interest and ecological benefits.

Anacyclus “Silver Kisses”, a member of the daisy family, has emerged as a must-have ground cover for water-wise landscapes. Its finely dissected, silvery-gray foliage creates a striking carpet-like appearance that remains attractive even when not in bloom. The delicate, ferny texture provides excellent contrast to bolder plants in the garden.

Come spring, this Mediterranean native bursts into flower, producing an abundance of white daisy-like blooms with distinctive red undersides. These cheerful flowers hover just above the foliage, creating a floating effect that attracts pollinators while requiring minimal moisture. Its silvery foliage isn’t just ornamental, but is a drought adaptation that reflects sunlight and reduces water loss.

A deep taproot allows Anacyclus “Silver Kisses” to access moisture far below the soil surface, making it remarkably resilient during extended dry periods. Once established, this perennial requires very little supplemental irrigation. Anacyclus “Silver Kisses” tolerates poor, rocky soils and thrives in heat that would wither less adaptable plants.

Its compact growth habit, reaching two to four inches tall, with a spread of 12 to 18 inches, makes it perfect for rock gardens, border edges and container plantings where irrigation may be limited.

Pycnanthemum “Smokey Mountain”, commonly called “mountain mint,” delivers unexpected drought tolerance from a genus typically associated with moisture-loving plants.

This North American native combines the aromatic qualities of the mint family with remarkable heat and drought resilience.

The Smokey Mountain cultivar produces silvery bracts that surround tiny white flowers, creating a misty, smoky effect in the garden from midsummer through fall. This perennial reaches 24-36 inches tall, forming an upright, bushy clump that requires no staking despite its height.

What makes this perennial exceptional for xeric landscapes is its adaptability. Once established, the deep root system efficiently utilizes available soil moisture, allowing it to sail through dry periods that would stress many other plants

Its aromatic foliage contains natural oils that reduce water loss, and simultaneously deters deer while attracting beneficial insects.

Gardeners will appreciate that unlike its mint relatives, Smokey Mountain is well-behaved in the landscape, forming tidy clumps rather than aggressively spreading.

This self-sufficient perennial thrives with minimal care in full sun to partial shade, making it versatile for various garden locations where irrigation might be limited.

Oenothera “Twilight”, a selection of evening primrose, brings dramatic twilight displays to any water-wise garden.

As dusk approaches, its satiny lavender-pink blooms unfurl in a fascinating display that continues throughout summer into early fall.

The drought tolerance of Twilight evolves from its heritage in the American Southwest. Its slightly succulent leaves store moisture, while a substantial taproot searches deeply for available water.

This perennial typically reaches 12 to 18 inches tall and wide and possesses exceptional heat tolerance, performing better during hot, dry spells than in cool, wet conditions.

Its drought adaptations include a reduced leaf surface that minimizes transpiration and specialized cell structures that efficiently store water.

Beyond water conservation benefits, Twilight adds wildlife value to the xeric garden as its nectar-rich flowers attract pollinating moths, filling an ecological niche often overlooked in garden planning favouring butterfly gardens.

These three exceptional perennials demonstrate that water-wise gardening needn’t mean sacrificing beauty or garden performance.

By incorporating Anacyclus “Silver Kisses”, Pycnanthemum “Smokey Mountain”, and Oenothera “Twilight” into the landscape, gardeners can create resilient, ecologically-responsible gardens that thrive through challenging conditions, all while delighting the senses.

Visit our website at okanaganxeriscape.org for information about where you can next meet up with representatives of the Okanagan Xeriscape Association. As in years past, we will be representing the Make Water Work campaign at nurseries up and down the Okanagan Valley and will be onsite to answer any of your gardening and xeriscaping questions.

Mark your calendar for OXA’s plant sale May 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 840 Old Vernon Road. We will host a member’s-only pre-sale on Friday, so consider becoming a member for this and other valuable benefits, as outlined on our website.

The Okanagan Xeriscape Association is grateful for the ongoing financial support of the Okanagan Basin Water Board and is proud to be collaborating on the Make Water Work campaign. Check out its Make Water Work plant list at makewaterwork.ca.

Sigrie Kendrick is a master gardener and executive-director of the Okanagan Xeriscape Association.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.