In summer, the young (and old) gardener’s fancy turns to thoughts of water. Sometimes there’s too much of it. Sometimes not enough. Either way, it controls what happens in the garden.

Rare is the year when Chicagoland’s water supply is just right. But even when things are fine quantity-wise, we still have to think about quality. Pesticide runoff from lawns and fields leads to pesticides in ground water, rivers and lakes. A problem, we all agree, and everybody else should cut down on pesticide use, but as for me...I really need to get rid of those dandelions in my lawn. Thinking globally but acting locally is harder than we imagined.

If global warming comes to pass, we’ll be thinking about water more than ever. Oceans are expected to rise, leading to coastal flooding and the disappearance of some high-rent real estate. Storms may intensify, causing even more flooding, while other areas turn arid. The news of late has not been reassuring.

Earlier this year, a chunk of Antarctica the size of Rhode Island broke off and sailed away on its own. A couple years ago, scientists who took a summer cruise to the Arctic, fully intending to stroll on North Pole ice, were greeted instead by water. Lake Michigan, which rises and falls as part of its normal cycle, is currently shrinking, but the cause appears related to our recent warmer winters.

The July-August issue of Chicagoland Gardening includes several water-related stories. First, we have a feature on drought-tolerant plants with a focus on sedums and succulents, species that will be downright miffed if you overwater them. While sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ has become the American garden’s most overused plant, the opposite is true of its groundcovering brothers and sisters. These terrific little guys not only carpet the earth with brilliant masses of yellow and rosy-pink; they stay evergreen besides.

We also tell you how and how much to water. Are you a rank beginner? Never fear. So, once, were we all. A story in The Beginner’s Garden gives you the basics of watering, whether for lawn, garden beds or containers, and will set you on your way with confidence. A related story, in The Hands-On Gardener, unlocks some of the mysteries of drip irrigation systems. The good news here is that you can indeed do it yourself.

More water, of course, in The Water Garden, where we introduce five easy-to-grow "marginals," i.e., plants that grow along the edge of a pond or stream. And in Chicago By Design, there’s a garden that was created to link a swimming pool area to the main house. Move along to Potpourri and there’s a synopsis of University of Illinois/Chicago research into our incredible shrinking lake.

For a change of pace, we visit with Hollis Turner and her incredible blue fence. We even crash a party and show there’s more to garden life than "just" working in it, although for some of us, the work is the fun. Moths and butterflies take center stage in Wildlife Watch, and in Natives, we review the magnum opus of yet another Chicagoland Gardening writer. Turn to page 26 to find out who.