This summer I have been thinking a lot about plants that survive and in some cases even thrive despite the record drought. I am reminded of this on a daily basis when I look out my kitchen window at the white, rose pink and lavender rose of Sharons, Hibiscus syriacus, that bloom and bloom.

Despite the fact that they receive no water unless it rains, these tough guys provide almost continuous summer color. I had planned to take them out (they were here when I moved in last year) but am reconsidering given their flower power. Although unnamed seedlings of rose of Sharon can be pesky when they sprout up uninvited in other parts of your garden, there are more recent cultivars that set little or no seedpods. Some of my favorites include those with large single flowers such as 'Diana' with pure white blooms, 'Minerva' with ruffled lavender-pink blooms with a reddish eye, and 'Blue Satin' with royal blue flowers and a red eye. Keep in mind that established plants are more tolerant of drought than those that are newly planted.

ERICA GLASENER/Special (ENLARGE)

Blue Satin rose of Sharon with royal blue flowers and a red eye is a strong grower and makes a colorful hedge in the summer.

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Among summer-blooming trees that tolerate hot, dry weather, the goldenrain tree, Koelreuteria paniculata, is a good doer. Clusters of bright yellow flowers in early to midsummer are followed by showy seed capsules that persist into fall. The leaves, up to 15 inches long with seven to 15 leaflets, start out purplish and turn bright green. Reaching 20 to 35 feet at maturity, this medium-size tree makes a good specimen and will thrive in urban environments. Its relative, Chinese flame tree, Koelreuteria bipinnata, blooms later with similar flowers but has very decorative seed capsules that look like miniature Japanese lanterns, which turn shades of red, orange or salmon.

Another reliable summer bloomer that stands up to drought and heat is the chaste tree, Vitex agnus-castus. This large shrub or small tree will quickly reach 25 feet and offers aromatic fanlike foliage and spikes of fragrant blue flowers. If you garden at the beach, this is one tree that should do well for you. Incorporate Vitex into your shrub border and combine it with perennials like daylilies and butterfly bush.

While I have admired hardy cactus, I have never grown any but the spineless prickly pear, Opuntia ellisiana, which stands up to heat, drought and cold. A good companion for this architectural beauty is the Mexican feather grass, Nassella tenuissima.

Among perennials, Scott McMahan of McMahan's nursery in Clermont recommends Heleniums, also known as sneezeweed, H. 'Canary' with yellow blooms, H. 'Mardi Gras' with flowers that start out orangey-yellow and turn dark red, and H. 'Moerheim Beauty' with solid red flowers. By cutting them back after they bloom, he says they get three flushes of bloom in one summer. Pair these with ornamental grasses like miscanthus or sedges like Carex 'Indian Summer' with coppery-orange foliage. A black-eyed that Susan Scott likes is Rudbeckia 'Henry Eilers' with yellow rounded petals on plants that grow 3 feet high.

ERICA'S PICK

Blue Satin rose of Sharon

Botanical name: Hibiscus syriacus 'Blue Satin'
About the plant: This summer bloomer is a strong grower with large single blue flowers and a red eye. The large shrub grows 8 to 12 feet high and 3 to 5 feet wide.
Use in the garden: Use it in the shrub or herbaceous border and combine it with perennials, grasses and colorful annuals. It also makes a colorful hedge in summer.
Planting and care: Plant this hibiscus in a well-drained soil in full sun or light shade. Prune to shape it in late fall or early spring.

Source: Scottsdale Farms, 15639 Birmingham Highway, Alpharetta. 770-777-5875.