I would suggest zinnias for sure. They were fine through the drought last year. Also gomphrena.

dahlias, anise hyssop, jewels of opar. Since water is going to be problematic, may I suggest straw mulch?

Thank you for the suggestions. I was looking into the possibility of seed-free straw or hay mulch but I must sheepishly admit that I have no idea where to look to buy it. Any suggestions?

Hi!

Check out the link below. I just did a search on this forum using the word "favorite". You should get lots of ideas from that!

Good luck!
Dee

P.S. When my daugher was a girl scout and we had to help maintain a garden downtown, we would transport water in old milk jugs. Kind of a pain in the neck, but... Make sure to water wisely - deeply (as opposed to lightly-and-often), at the roots, and yes, mulch, mulch, mulch!

Here is a link that might be useful: favorites

Find out the nearest store that sells pet food, horse food, etc. If they don't have it, they can suggest who might. Get STRAW !!! It's the stuff animals lay in, not eat. There may be wheat, oat seeds in it. But that goes well in a bouquet also.

Definitely wheat straw, avoid hay completely. Some dormant wheat will sprout but it pulls out easily. The straw really helps in retaining moisture.

Here in GA, all the big boxes and local garden shops sell wheat straw. It comes in large, bound bales. Wonderful stuff, reasonably priced at $4 - 5 per bale.

The funny thing is, I sell cut flowers at the farmers market so am always looking for new stuff. I mulch with straw also...don't pull it. The wheat makes great cutters in the fall! Especially if it happens to be bearded wheat! Granted you can pull what makes the bed look messy, but a little is great for fall decoration.

Cosmos are a great addition!!! They do take up a lot of space but if you have an extra plot then space is not an issue. They need next to no care throughout the season. They grow in below average soil, no need for heavy watering or mulch.
follow the link below for more info... how and where to plant it.

Here is a link that might be useful: how to grow cosmos