Cimmarron Sage

Love the grey color and summer blooms of Texas Sage but need something
more diminutive in size? Enter Cimmarron Sage from Mountain States
Nursery. Beautiful and soft rounded foliage highlighted by soft blue
flowers in summer, and it only gets three feet tall! Full sun and
excellant drainage a must.

Going Bananas!

Our banana plant is producing it's first crop. I believe this is an
"Orinoco", the most common variety grown on the gulf coast. The banana
is actually an herb, ours is planted in a sheltered location on the
east side of our house. The location plus a mild winter last year has
resulted in the developing fruit. So exciting!

Another found surprise in the garden

Variegated silver thyme surviving the heat and drought nicely. I could
have used some of that a while back when I made that fish dish...

They ain't all weeds

Italian parsley under the weeds!

Daddy & mommy's helper

Surprises under the weed carnage

Pepper plant

End of summer cleanout

Well, okay, it's not really the end of summer here in Texas. A more
apropriate statement would be; the summer has made and end of our
garden. At any rate, it's time to clean it up and replant for the
fall. That's right, even though the dog days of summer are here (have
been all summer actually) it's time to plant fall tomatoes, peppers,
cucumber, and more. So, the grunt work has to happen first. But even
grunting has it's rewards, a clean garden yes, but also some
unexpected surprises.

Pride of Barbados , I really like this plant!

Caesalpinia Pulcherrima, also known as red bird of paradise is one of
those must have plants. This one doesn't even get going until temps
really get cranked up. That's when this beauty begins to really shine.
Does best in full sun and a protected south exposure. Try it, you 'll
like it.

Blue Emu, cool plant from Australia

Here's another great plant from Australia. This beauty has soft
silver- grey foliage and beautiful blue flowers, is extremely drought
and heat tolerant and thrives in full sun. Botanical name is
Eremophila Hydrophane. It reminds me of Texas Sage, but much smaller
(2' to 3 ') and has larger flowers. Blooms from spring to winter. I
like!

The heat is on

Here in Central Texas we have seen consistent triple digit
temperatures since mid June and summer has just begun! What's a
gardener to do? Enter Tithonia. This plant just screams HOT! Common
name is Mexican torch flower and it lives up to it's name with
scorching orange color that's as guady as it gets. This plant is super
heat tolerant, easy to grow from seed, and if that's not enough, it's
also a butterfly magnet. Check it out.