By the time you read this, I hope it has rained—a lot. But whether it has or hasn’t, this growing season is already history. It’s time to reflect on the champion plants that, despite the poverty of moisture, were and still are beautiful and vigorous. I’d like to offer some nominees for “drought champions of 2016.” I hope you’ll find the list helpful when you’re shopping the fall garden center sales or planning next year.

Before we “name names,” however, it’s important to remember that while species selection is important, root establishment is equal. Most of the plants that performed well in my landscape have been there for several years and probably have well-developed roots. Which leads to this suggestion: Fall is a wonderful time to promote roots because soil is warm. Plants are moving nutrients downward for storage. Beneficial soil microbes are active, providing their root-nurturing services.

Bottom line: Don’t hesitate to plant right now, even if the weather is dry. After planting, topdress the soil with a one-inch layer of finished compost or a soil enhancer such those made by Coast of Maine, Sweet Peet, or Green Envy. If you’re already in the garden, don’t hesitate to topdress your other plants. You won’t be sorry.

As for the plants themselves, sedum is well known for drought-tolerance—but what about less obvious choices?

Top honors, in my opinion, go to several members of the enormous mint family. Two native mountain-mints, short-tooth and narrow-leaf, kept their good looks in my dry meadow. Other minty stars include thyme, purple hyssop and catmint. Dusty blue caryopteris is currently putting on a show in several friends’ gardens. In addition to their value as pollinator plants, most mints are very deer-resistant.

Brown-eyed Susan is a vigorous, almost invasive, Midwest native that is easy from seed. Other “black-eyed Susans” are more contained but not more thirsty, such as native Rudbeckia laciniata or the Midwestern visitor, Rudbeckia hirta.

Native yarrow is blooming even now in my dry meadow and has been since June.

Joe Pye weed, and boneset, and perennial hibiscus (not the shrub) are often considered best suited to wet locations, but this year they performed well with no water added.

Culver’s root put on a great show a bit earlier in the season. New York ironweed did not disappoint. Another personal favorite is a graceful plant with an unlikely name, white snakeroot.

This list would be incomplete without beardtongue, a.k.a. penstemon, which has thrived in my dry field with no support. The same is true of several varieties of goldenrod.

Finally, where would we be in dry times without asters? New England aster, low-growing ‘Snow Flurry’ heath aster, New York Aster, and Wood’s Blue aster are showing up in full color despite the lack of rain.

Among groundcovers, blue plumbago seems to laugh off water shortage and is a wonderful weed-suppressor as well. Also among groundcovers, native seersucker sedge earned top honors in my gardens for dry shade survival.

Among vines, native trumpet honeysuckle is playing its important role as a food source for hummingbirds and long-tongued insect pollinators despite the drought.

Someone once said, “Plant ‘til you’re planted.” I would add to that, “Dry times notwithstanding.”

Kathy Connolly is a garden writer and speaker from Old Saybrook. She thanks Chuck and Debby Landrey of Old Saybrook for contributing to this article. If you have a “drought champion,” please send it to Kathy through www.SpeakingofLandscapes.com.