Tim Johnson,
director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe.

Susan Wysock,
wholesale sales representative at The Natural Garden, St. Charles.

"I like any of the catmints (Nepeta), especially 'Walker's Low', because it's easy to grow, has a long bloom period and the color combines well with many different things. Plus blue happens to be my favorite color. I also like prairie dropseed (Sporobolus). Its "flowers" are sometimes described as having the fragrance of buttered popcorn. Among shrubs, I like Juniper chinensis 'Sea Green' for its texture, habit and toughness. All of these do best in full sun."

Photo Courtesy of the Chicago Botanic Garden

"Once they're established, purple coneflowers (Echinacea) are pretty drought tolerant, and any of the rudbeckias will have good drought tolerance. My favorite native one is sweet black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia subtomentosa), and my favorite cultivar is 'Viette's Little Suzy'. My favorite grass is prairie dropseed (Sporobolus). There's even a native Illinois cactus, prickly pear, that overwinters here. It has a beautiful flower. And there's always sedum."

Barbara Bridges,
greenhouse manager at Sid's, Palos Hills and Bolingbrook.

"When it comes to annuals, moss rose (Portulaca) is one of the best. They like it hot and dry. All the different licorice plants (Helichrysum) are also good--anything with a silvery leaf. They get beautiful and lush in a container and will rot with too much water. For perennials, daylilies, lady's mantle, artemisias delosperma, and of course there are countless sedums."