November 6 , 2023
Texas Tough Plants, Milkweed Seeds, Shady Design
Spotted in his aboriginal home ground : John Dromgoole ! 30 years ago , he and Jane createdThe Natural Gardenerto beautify our garden with hardy plants that respect lifelike resource , include our wildlife . I’ve wandered the Butterfly Garden many times over the year , and it ’s a testament to plants that hold whatever nature throws its way of life . In warm conditions , bees are all over fragrant African blue sweet basil against orangeness - flower cannas . Fall bungle Mexican mint marigold clusters against the crushed granite path . Dramatic weather condition ’s here to stay , so let ’s play with it ! This calendar week , Kirk Alston , The Natural Gardener ’s plant emptor , adorn out our set with shade and sunlight lovers for pollinators . He join John Hart to spotlight just a few tried - and - dependable plants . In this group for butterfly and bees : a more compact yellow bells , Tecoma stans Lydia ™ ; kidneywood ; and Salvia leucantha . Note : do mulch Tecoma stans when institute in late fall to protect youthful roots in difficult freeze . Whale ’s lingua agave complements with silver spikiness . Kirk take heavyweight ’s tongue for its inhuman validity that withstands hard immobilise like February 2023 ’s ice storm . At ACC Highland , hail batter a few leaves recently , but they ’ve sailed through Baron Snow of Leicester , ice , and drouth alongside aboriginal silver ponyfoot , Mexican feather grass , and Hesperaloe parviflora ‘ Yellow . ’At The Natural Gardener ’s butterfly stroke garden , blank - flowered Mexican bauhinia , golden cowpen daisy , and a purple - hued Salvia leucantha cultivar more often than not attract a bunch of bee , butterflies , and hummingbirds ( along with other pollinators ) . Many salvias populate this garden , include Salvia farinacea and S. guranitica that tolerates more shade . In this mathematical group for butterflies and bee : turk ’s cap for part tad , narrow-minded Rose of Sharon ( Althea ) ‘ Purple Pillar ’ , Queen Victoria agave , and ‘ Adagio ’ overshadow maiden Gunter Wilhelm Grass . althaea are one of those old - fashioned never - fail drought tough shrubs to appeal hummingbird . Kirk observe that ‘ Purple Pillar ’ usually blooms almost nonstop from May to frost . Its columniform shape works well for narrow garden , growing about 4 ’ spacious to 8 - 10 ’ marvelous . It is deciduous but will leaf - out pretty quickly in spring . Native gage abound in the garden , too , including Lindheimer muhly with native ashen mistflower , also shout out shrubby boneset . bee were all over mine this weekend , while others reported set of butterflies , too . ordinarily it ’s one to assist the sovereign in migration , but this year ’s timing was simply all off . I’ve always loved their cascade gentle Eupatorium coelestinum ( genus Conoclinium coelestinum ) , unremarkably treat in queen butterflies . Hamelia patens can be ho-hum to retort after hard freezes , but this one always has . Bumble bees zoom in and out of those fire - colored efflorescence . Next threshold , golden Mexican mint marigold adds fragrance to this vivid squad . Clip it back through the time of year to sprinkle its tarragon - flavored farewell into salad dressing , sauce , and eggs . We saw only a few grownup butterflies , but we found several different butterfly stroke caterpillars , including an Eastern black swallowtail larva on rue . Here ’s how to tell the dispute between swallowtail , monarch , and queen caterpillars . In this home ground for shelter , food , and water , many generations will recognise us in the futurity .
Here ’s The Natural Gardener ’s partial list of Texas tough flora . Monarch caterpillars only provender on milkweed plants . As habitat fall , especially milkweeds , crowned head lack innkeeper plant to enkindle the next multiplication . On top of that , it ’s hard to feel aboriginal milkweeds in nurseries and they can be tricky to start from seed . So this week , Sonia Koschureck , co - founder ofThe Monarch Sanctuary Project , read us how . All we have to do is follow her recipe that recreates nature ’s trick to scarify and cold-blooded stratify seeds . Pop in container and plant out later to feed monarch butterfly caterpillars in spring . Last year alone , The Monarch Sanctuary Project , a non - profit voluntary group , grew over 2000 aboriginal milkweeds . See how to get involved!On tour , filmmaker Lori Najvar and architect Glen Chappell loved the view on their brow creekside property . Glen designed the home to tuck in gently against a rocky cliff overlooked by bouncy oak tree trees . To tackle rain runoff and eating away , garden architect Leah Churnerbuilt a ironical creek bed , installed cedar log eating away curbs , and chose ghost - broad , wildlife habitat plants that work in clay soil . Read their story from our TV sojourn last gloaming . Already a few wintry tease send warm weather annuals to the compost pile . But what do astronomical and meteorological winter mean ? And what ’s the dispute between Robert Frost , freeze , and hard halt ? Daphne Richards breaks it down and explains why container plants are more susceptible to freeze down temperatures . Plus she answers Jo Ann Printy ’s great question : “ Can she plant herb in an older metallic element - lined raised layer ? ” YES !
take in it all now !
Thanks for barricade by ! Next week , allow ’s encompass winter ’s garden with gleefulness . Linda
tag :
