August marks the ending of summer, and it is showcasing its true colors. Good news is... you don't need to set foot inside the Garden to see them! If you only make it to the parking lot, you will still get a fabulous show. The plants in our parking lot are the toughest of the tough, as they need to be able to handle tougher conditions than the plants inside the Garden.

Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)

This Utah native tree is drought tolerant and a show stopper with its large pink flowers.

Oregon Grape (Mahonia repens)

This is a tough Utah native that makes a wonderful groundcover, providing beauty through every season.

Prairie Verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida)

This sprawling, perennial groundcover adds a soothing light purple to the landscape when in flower.

Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower (Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit')

Fire hydrants need to stay visible and accessible, and if your local fire station allows, planting small flowers nearby is a great way to beautify the space around one. The Unified Fire Authority states on their website, "If you are concerned about how the hydrant looks on your property, you are more than welcome to beautify the space around it with flowers. But in doing so, be aware that the hydrant must be visible, accessible, and that the possibility of destruction of your plant life around the hydrant is very high in the event of an emergency." Click on this link for more information: https://unifiedfire.org/prevention/fire-hydrants

Rocky Mountain Bee Plant (Cleome serrulata)

This is a Utah native annual that spreads easily by seed, so it tends to move around the parking lot.

If you can't take the heat and want to pop out of your air conditioned vehicle and then back in, come see what we have "growing on" in the parking lot!

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Photos by, Heidi Simper