Sprucing things Up!

First there was the freeze...you know that hundred year freeze. Then there was the Ice storm. Then there was the drought. Then there was another freeze. All this in 3 years!!! And the drought is still here. And somewhere along the line we all lost interest. But, we want it to look like what it used to look like. So Fran called me and said they want to make the landscape look good again. So, we are going to try. But, we are still dealing with the drought...but let's try. I know I lot of plants that will definitely help. So, here are some good ones.

-Showers of Gold Thryallis will get about 3' tall and bloom all summer.

-Purple Heart Wandering Jew- once it's established it's carefree. It needs little care and comes back every year.

-Orange Bulbine blooms all summer.

-Autumn Sage comes in many colors. This is coral and it loves it hot and sunny...or even a little shade is okay.

-Foxtail Fern can handle sun or shade.

-Blackfoot Daisy is a native to the Texas Hill Country...that's one reason it does so well in San Antonio and Austin.

-Probably the most commonly used perennial in Texas is Lantana because it's so dependable. This is New Gold, and there are other trailing varieties also.

-Pink Skullcap blooms on and off all summer. There is also a Purple Skullcap that is awesome.

-Bells of Fire Esperanza- yes, it's orange and blooms like a champ!

-Question: What plant do hummingbirds like the most?

-Answer: Firebush. Don't believe me? Plant one...you'll see.

-Red Drift Rose gets about 15" tall and blooms all summer. It's a good one. (there are about 6 different Drift Roses, all colors. Check them out)

-Blue Plumbago- in our area is a perennial that blooms from spring to fall. It gets about 2' tall and wide.

-Red Ruellia is great for shade.

-Chocolate Chip Ajuga great for shade and holds up better than regular Ajuga in my opinion.

-Orange Shrimp Plant is hardier than the other Shrimp plants. And hummer like it...almost as much as Firebush.

-Here are 3 different Coral Bells Heucheras. And when you go to your local nursery you'll find a dozen more. They are colorful, hardy, and awesome. Try them.

-Pride of Barbados usually gets about 5' tall but can get 8' tall and about 3'-4 wide. And they bloom from June thru October.

-Goldsturm Daisy is a black-eyed Susan that gets better every year. This planting started as 3 1 gallon sized plants 3 years before. They get better every year.

-Black and Blue Salvia is for shade only. It gets about 3' tall. When one of those spikes quits blooming cut it off and it will do it again.

-White Datura- yes, it's poisonous but don't freak out. Just don't eat it. It's really pretty.

-Santa Barbara Salvia gets about 3'. it's for full sun.

Okay, I told you there are three different Giant Leopard Plants (there's actually more but for today, there's 3).

-Giant Leopard Plant- the most common. Gets about 18" tall and wide. Blooms in December.

-Spotted Leopard Plant- has the yellow spots that give it the name.

-Crested Leopard Plant- kinda hard to find, but I like it a lot.

These all like the shade. They do not like to be dry, if they do the leaves will go away but pump the water to them and they will come back after a while. And they are pretty hardy...at least hardy for us in Central Texas.

-Variegated Japanese Sedge is great to add color to a green landscape. There are some sedges that are gray also.

-Milky Way Aspidistra does well in the shade too. It's a little smaller than regular Aspidistra.

-Acanthus mollis has several common names so remember this name. It blooms in early summer with blooms stalks 5' tall. Then in July- August when it's really hot, it loses some of it's leaves, then regrows them in the fall. Great plant!

That's it for today!!