Hope for a Sunny Oklahoma Flower Garden

Many Oklahoma gardeners have experienced the scenario: they work so hard to find and grow a beautiful flower just right for that special spot in their garden . . . and then summer comes, and for eight days in a row the temperature hovers at the century mark with no rain in sight. And those beautiful flowers often don’t survive the trial.

However, hope (and some other key h-words) is in sight. There are some reliable and beautiful perennial flowers for a sunny Oklahoma garden that will thrive and add pleasure to the garden-viewing for years to come. Oklahoma gardeners can follow the rule of 3 H’s to have a successful flower garden: hardiness, height, and heritage.

For Hardiness: Coneflower

Coneflowers are from the composite family, which is a large group of sun-loving flowers that love Oklahoma summers. Plus, they come in many varieties and are just gorgeous. They grow wild in many areas, but the cultivated varieties are much showier. They spread by seed on their own and pop up in lovely, unexpected places in the garden. They are also easy to transfer from one spot to another.

Coneflowers are a tall flower, usually 2 to 4 feet tall. They grow in clumps and do need some space in the garden; however, they look great combined with other clumping flowers, such as daisies or black-eyed Susans. The most popular color for coneflowers, and the easiest to find in nurseries and catalogs, is the purple coneflower that comes in varying shades, but gardeners should not neglect the white variety because it offers a cool, crisp view on a hot and dreary day.

For Height: Climbing Roses

Contrary to what some may believe, roses are not necessarily difficult to grow. They love heat and sun, especially the climbing varieties, and Oklahoma certainly offers a lot of both of those. Climbing roses need sturdy support for their growth habit, but they are a wonderful vertical element for the garden and provide color in the summer at eye level when many other flowers are struggling to survive.

According to Steve Dobbs in Oklahoma Gardener’s Guide, some of the ‚”most disease-tolerant cultivars include ‘New Dawn,’ which has pale-pink double flowers for a great spring display and readily reblooms.” Another variety that grows quite well in Oklahoma is Climbing Old Blush (Rosa chinensis), ‚”a southern favorite with shades of pink,” which is also a ‚”rebloomer with good disease tolerance.” Most climbing and rambling roses grow from 6 to 20 feet and spread 4 to 6 feet.

For Heritage: Bee Balm

Bee balm, also called horsemint, monarda, bergamot, or Oswego tea, is a native Oklahoma plant, so it has a heritage fit for growing in this state. According to Dobbs, bee balm with its ‚”balmy fragrance and aromatic foliage is a favorite of bees and hummingbirds.” Bee balm needs room to grow, or else the gardener will be dividing it every year; however, with a large garden with lots of sunny space to fill, bee balm is an excellent choice.

The most common color is red, though pink, blue, and white varieties can also be found. Bee balm usually grows from 15 to 36 inches tall and looks great with daisies or in front of a hedge of butterfly bushes, which will bloom at the same time.

A lovely Oklahoma flower garden that adheres to the criteria of hardiness, height, and heritage can be an enjoyable and virtually care-free space. Coneflowers, roses, and bee balm are reliable and beautiful flowers that all Oklahoma gardeners should include in their landscaping plans.

Reference:

Dobbs, Steve. Oklahoma Gardener’s Guide. Nashville: Cool Springs Press, 1999.