How well do your plants look?

Mid-August is the perfect time to do an evaluation to see how well your plants have withstood the record summer heat.

Start by scrutinizing each plant in your garden, including trees, shrubs, turf, vegetables, fruits and flowers. How do the plants look? How well are they growing? How are they handling the heat?

If some of the plants and trees in your garden don't look well, perhaps it's time to consider replacing them with specimens that will better tolerate Utah's harsh summer conditions.

While the following list of plants (annual flowers and tender perennials grown as annuals) is not a scientific sample, it is based on observations of many local and private gardens. These plants have weathered this summer's record heat and are still thriving.

Based on these recommendations, you can make plans for next year's garden, knowing that the following plants grow well with minimal effort, making your garden even more beautiful in spite of whatever heat and water restrictions come next year.

One note: It is important to distinguish between heat tolerance (the plant's ability to tolerate high temperatures) and drought tolerance (the ability to use less water). Some plants are able to tolerate both conditions. As you select flowers, group those with similar requirements together to maximize the tolerance to one or both of these conditions.

Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum), is a flower that has been around for a long time but plant breeders are adding new varieties to the garden palate. The plant grows 12 to 18 inches high and has fragrant cup-shaped ivory, pink, purple or blue flowers on each stem.

These flowers are outstanding performers, even with the heat and drought. They grow well in containers or in mixed beds and make excellent cut flowers.

Gazania (Gazania rigens) grows 6 to 12 inches high and is covered with fragrant daisylike blossoms. The flowers are usually yellow and orange, but newer shades include lavender, red or muted pink.

They thrive in the full sun and bloom throughout the season. These plants work well as mass plantings, in borders, containers and mixed plantings. The flowers are both heat and drought tolerant.

Joseph's coat (Amaranthus tricolor) is also known as summer poinsettia. The plants grow up to 6 feet high and will make a real showstopper in the garden. Grow them for their highly colored leaves that are ablaze with shades of red, orange, purple, gold or lime.