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Salvias stand up to Central Texas heat, drought

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Salvia 'Indigo Spires'Take a stroll through almost any Central Texas garden and chances are you’ll come upon  at least one type of salvia.

Salvia is the largest genus of plants in the mint family, and is also commonly referred to as sage. All sages are salvias; those used for medicinal purposes or as culinary herbs are generally called sages and the name salvia is generally associated with the ornamental plants.

At one time, there were more than 2,000 named species and subspecies. Horticultural revisions have recently consolidated the species to approximately 700 shrubs, perennials and annuals, found all over the world.

One of the most well known of the salvia varieties grown around Austin is the Greggs’s salvia (Salvia greggi). From shades of red to fuchsia and purple, this salvia graces countless area gardens.

The Texas sage, or cenizo, is not actually a sage, or salvia. The sage attached to its name is a trade name for the Leucophyllum frutescens. Nonetheless, it, too, is a great water-wise plant. The cenizo, with its gray leaves and lavender blooms is often relied upon by gardeners to foretell of coming rains, as they bloom profusely before or after a rain.

Versatile, drought tolerant as well as deer and critter resistant, there is a salvia perfect for your garden. Whether you need plants that are tall or short, need sun or shade, or you want a certain color, you can find a type of salvia to meet your needs.

The following are among the salvias that thrive in our often difficult climate and conditions. There are many more – staff at your local independent nursery can guide you to even more choices.

May night salvia (Salvia nemorosa ‘Mainacht’ ) A very compact salvia, it has wider leaves than most of those we see in Central Texas and a short bloom of dark purple or almost black. It can grow to 18 inches tall and approximately 15- 18 inches wide. It is water-wise and self-sows freely. Because of its size, is a good choice for containers.

Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha) – This salvia prefers full sun, tolerates ordinary soil and is drought tolerant. Its gray-green leaves are fuzzy and topped with blooms of light purple or lavender. Some varieties also have purple and white blooms. It generally grows to about 2.5’ feet tall by 4 feet wide.

Forsythia sage (Salvia madrensis) – This majestic salvia likes partial shade here in our heat. It grows to 6-8 fee tall and 24 to 36 inches wide. Its Blue-Green leaves are topped with very long bright yellow blooms and it is a fall bloomer. It has average water needs.

Tropical, “coral nymph or scarlet sages (Salvia coccinea) – These shade-loving varieties come in white, red, pink and peach blooms. The light colors provide a bright splash of light in a shady garden. They will tolerate dry soil and will grow in the worst of our Central Texas conditions — caliche, sandy loam or clay.

Indigo spires salvia (Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’)– A vigorous plant, Indigo spires towers over most other salvias and boasts 12 to 15 inch spikes of dark violet blooms. Blooms appear in spring and continue through fall. It will reach 4 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide, likes full sun to light dappled shade and has average water needs.
Hot lips salvia (salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’) This sun-loving salvia can steal the show in your garden with its hot red and white blooms.  It grows to 3 feet tall and wide and flowers summer through fall. Drought tolerant and perfect for xeriscaping, its vibrant blooms also draw hummingbirds and butterflies.

Amistad salvia – (Salvia PPAF ‘Amistad’) – The stunning, rich and deep purple blooms of this plant make a real statement in the garden and put on a dazzling display from spring until frost. At 3-4 feet tall and about 3 feet wide, it can grow in full sun or dappled shade. This is a new plant introduction by Southern  Living that is growing in popularity in Central Texas. It requires moderate watering and is heat and drought tolerant, excellent characteristics as even some drought-tolerant plants simply can’t take our heat when it hits record-setting highs. I first saw it at the Garden Writers Association meeting last fall in Tucson, and fell in love with it.

Although most salvias appropriate for our area are drought tolerant or have moderate water needs, it’s important to remember, as with all plants, that they are only drought tolerant once established. New plantings require a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish the deep, healthy roots that will make them water-wise as mature plants.

Diana Kirby is a Landscape Designer and Garden Coach and can be reached at http:/www.dianasdesignsaustin.com. She writes a garden blog at https://www.dianasdesignsaustin.com.

By |2017-11-29T23:27:14-06:00March 23rd, 2013|Articles|1 Comment
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Ideas for an alternative lawn

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photo of alternative landscape ideaFor decades, carpets of lush, green suburban lawns have been icons of an attractive, well-maintained home. But our recent drought has made more than a few homeowners reconsider the composition of their landscape. Last year, almost all of my landscaping clients requested a design that included eliminating at least a section of lawn as part of their overall plan.

Citing skyrocketing water bills, parched and dying grass and constant maintenance woes, homeowners are eager for eco-friendly alternatives to traditional lawns that are becoming harder and harder to maintain in our climate.

But many people are unsure about how to approach it. Some believe they are limited to a stretch of glaring white gravel with thorny cacti. The fact is, we don’t live in the desert (despite occasionally feeling like it) and there are many other beautiful landscaping options to match a wide range of personal styles.

Lawn replacement choices run the gamut from low-maintenance beds to welcoming patios, paths ad dry creeks to enticing features like water features, play spaces, gazebos and fire pits.

While xeric or drought-tolerant plants require less water, all plants need to be watered. Central Texas boasts a long list of native plants that, once established, can survive our rigorous conditions with less watering. When planted, they will require regular watering for several months to get them started, but will then be less thirsty than other non-native or adapted plants.

In addition to flowering plants like lantana, salvia, yellow bell, damianita, skullcap, plumbago, catmint, and blackfoot daisy, to name just a few, many xeric grasses and sedges can also be used in a smaller area en mass to create a grassy, non-traditional green space. Among the most successful grasses for achieving this look are Mexican feather grass, little bluestem grass, Texas sedge and Berkley sedge. Planting a small space with these grasses may also have the added benefit of appeasing some rigid HOAs.

Groundcovers and creeping plants can also be used to take up lawn space – some of those that work well here include Asian jasmine, sweet potato vine, silver ponyfoot, purple heart, wooly stemodia and a variety of thymes.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (www.wildflower.org) center maintains an excellent database of native plants — their needs and characteristics – that grow well in Central Texas.

While removing swaths of grass and expanding flowing lines of landscape beds with water-wise plants is one solution, it’s not practical for most gardeners to replace an entire lawn this way.

Creating an attractive and inviting landscape usually includes an interesting mix of plants and paths, patios and other areas designed for outdoor entertaining and enjoyment.

You can replace lawn with sitting and entertaining space – using paths of mulch, decomposed granite or flagstone, patios of native stone or bricks, wooden decks and gazebos, creating an inviting garden space when combined with planting beds. Dry creeks can be added to meander through your landscape – to address drainage issues or simply for aesthetic use as a textural contrast to plants and mulch. Water features – from ponds to disappearing fountains in ceramic pots can add a focal point and invite wildlife into your garden.  Playscapes, hammocks, washer pits and fire pits or chimenarias can also be placed on a variety of hardscape materials in lieu of grass.

Austin garden blogger, writer and author Pam Penick’s newly released book, Lawn Gone! Low Maintenance, Sustainable Attractive Alternatives for Your Yard, provides homeowners with practical solutions for gardeners wanting to replace some lawn.

The growing demand for lawn replacement options led Penick to write the book, which includes a section on top rated, regional plant recommendations to help gardeners put their ideas into action.

“So many people in our area want to replace their lawns with less thirsty, greener alternatives,” said Penick,  “but they just don’t know how to begin. That’s who I wrote this book for. I want to inspire people with the options and show them how to do it.”

The book covers plant options, design considerations and extensive DIY information on the different methods for actually removing the lawn, including solarizing and lasagna gardening. It also includes a wide selection of inspirational color photos with examples of attractive no-lawn or reduced-lawn landscapes.

So if you thought your only alternative was to live with half-dead grass or pave your lawn  over with concrete, take heart – with a little creativity and some sweat equity – you can create your own xeric lawn alternative landscape.

A Landscape Designer Garden Coach, Diana Kirby provides landscaping tips at http:/www.dianasdesignsaustin.com and writes a garden blog at https://www.dianasdesignsaustin.com

 

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By |2017-11-29T23:27:15-06:00February 23rd, 2013|Articles|0 Comments
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Plant bare-root roses now for spring blooms

Even though it hit 83 degrees in Austin this week, it is now officially winter and that means it’s time to think about planting bare root roses for your spring garden.  “Bare root” refers to the way the plants are shipped while they are dormant and doesn’t have anything to do with the different types of roses.  Planting these roses now gives them time to develop a strong root system before they begin putting on foliage in the spring and prepare for the hot summer that surely lies ahead.

Getting started

If you don’t already have a rose bed started, it’s important to remember that roses need 6 full hours of sunlight to bloom well and thrive.  A little bit of late afternoon shade would also be ok in our sweltering summers.

To ensure a good growing environment a raised bed is optimal so you can build up the bed with quality soil.  Roses do best in a loose, loamy soil with good drainage.  If you have hard or compacted clay soil, you can add sand or compost to the bed to loosen the soil.  They don’t like to have wet feet.  They are also susceptible to fungal diseases like black spot disease or powdery mildew, so it’s best to water them in the morning instead of at night and make sure they are planted where they have good air circulation.

Bare root roses are simple to prepare for planting.  As soon as you bring them home, you should trim off any dead roots or stems. Then put them in a bucket of water for several hours to revive the roots. If you are not going to plant them in their permanent place, plant them temporarily in another part of the garden until their plot is ready. The roots should not be allowed to dry out.

The wax coating on the root tips is put on by the growers – don’t worry about it – it will wear off once you plant the rose.

Be sure to consider the size and growth habit of roses before you buy them.  Many varieties can get quite large.  My Maggie roses, for example, are significantly taller than I expected them to be at full maturity.  But I bought them for their amazing scent and now there are just more roses to scent the air.  Personally, I only buy very fragrant roses – it is the feature I love most about roses.  Other traits to fall in love with include size, shape, growth habit color…the list goes on and on.

There are many different types of roses – floribunda, grandiflora, climber, shrub and landscape, hybrid tea and miniature.

Floribunda
Developed in the last century, Floribundas are bushy shrubs with showy blossoms and they set clusters of blooms (from three to as many as 15) on a stem.

Hybrid Tea
These are the most popular roses – tall, long-stemmed beauties perfect for cutting.  They usually have only one flower to a stem.  They are often focal points in landscape design and many varieties are fragrant.

Grandiflora
A cross between a floribunda and a hybrid tea, grandifloras are tall and regal and they bloom over and over throughout the season.   The have clusters like hybrid teas.

Shrub & Landscape
Shrub roses have a natural disease resistance, grow in a wide variety of climates and require less care and pruning thanks to their compact growth habit.  They flower prolifically over a long period of time.

Climber
Climbing roses produce long, arching canes with flowers all along the cane.  They can be trained to grow up a fence, trellis or any other kind of structure.

Antique Roses
Antique roses are generally considered roses that were introduced before 1867 and the development of the first modern hybrid tea roses.  Antique rose rustlers and collectors consider most roses more than 75 years old to be antique – with the shared characteristics of beautiful fragrance, ease of cultivation and disease resistant.  Many of these roses were gleaned from old cemeteries or abandoned estates where they thrived with little or no care for years and years.  Hybrid tea roses often lack the fragrance of antique roses, but on the other hand modern hybrid tea roses come in a vast array of stunning colors, while antique colors are more subtle.

How to plant bare root roses

Bare root roses are made up of the rootstock and the flowering canes.  Where those two parts join is called the graft union, and should be planted just above ground level here in Central Texas.  Dig the hole just deep enough so the graft union will be at the correct level and wide enough to let the roots extend without bending.  Partially refill the hole with the soil you removed and make an inverted cone of soil over which to spread the roots.  Holding the rose at the right height, fill the hole with soil.  When it’s almost full, water all around to allow the soil to settle.  Then finish filling the hole, making a well around the rose and water again.  Be sure to apply a nice layer of mulch all around the rose, but keep it a few inches away from the canes so that you don’t cover up the graft union.

Selecting the right rose will require a little research since there are so many from which to choose.   Be sure you know your size requirements or limitations, how much time you have for pruning and care, and what characteristics are most important to you in a rose.

Local independent nurseries can help you select roses that are disease resistant, drought tolerant and prolific bloomers.  There are many heirloom roses and “Earth Kind” varieties (tested by A&M and proven to be tough enough to thrive in our Central Texas weather and soil conditions).  Big box stores will have large shipments of bare root roses, too, but you’ll have to do your research and be careful to ensure the varieties they offer are appropriate for our climate.

Diana Kirby is a Landscape Designer and Garden Coach.  She writes a garden blog at https://www.dianasdesignsaustin.com and can be reached at http:/www.dianasdesignsaustin.com.

By |2017-11-29T23:27:15-06:00January 21st, 2013|Articles|1 Comment
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Sharp ideas from Tucson’s arid climate


photo of cactiExtended droughts and excessive heat seem to be becoming the norm in Central Texas and many other parts of the country. This June, more than 170 all-time U.S. heat records were either tied or broken. Cracked earth and wildfires threatened lives and livestock across the nation.

The experts don’t all agree on the causes and the debate rages on about greenhouse gasses and global warming.

Whether these recent weather patterns are a natural and temporary period of heating like the dustbowl, or part of a larger, long-term climate change, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to garden around these parts.

So gardeners are doing what gardeners do – trying to second-guess the weather conditions to achieve gardening success.

I recently traveled to Tucson, where I was eager to learn more about their approach in a hotter climate – their gardening techniques and the plants they use. While Tucson is a desert and extremely arid, there are some similarities to our most recent climate changes.

Against the backdrop of the rugged Santa Catalina Mountains, tough, structural plants dot the landscape of the Sonoran Desert.

Cacti, yuccas, hardy woody perennials and trees thrive in the desert.  Lawns are a true rarity – even our resort had only a small token strip at the front entrance. The rest of the property was threaded with crushed granite, mulched paths, boulders and native, drought-tolerant plants.

Only the toughest plants survive there, where the temperatures soar into the 100s throughout most of the summer, yet also dip below freezing in winter. They also have a monsoon season, between June and September, when they can get huge amounts of rainfall in very short periods of time.

The soil in the desert is mostly sand or clay or caliche and is alkaline, much like most of Central Texas. Caliche can be just below the soil and retard plant growth. Even worse, caliche can slow drainage to the point that plant roots suffocate and die.

Like Austin and the surrounding area, fall is an excellent planting time in Tucson because the warm soil and moderate temperatures help roots grow to get plants established after the excessive summer heat.

Most of the shrubs and trees we saw throughout the area had very small leaves – a natural survival characteristic which helps reduce plant water loss in heat and drought. Many of the desert plants also have very long taproots, instead of shallow, horizontal surface roots, allowing them to get as much water as possible from deep in the soil. Others have a thick, waxy layer on their leaves to protect them from the heat and sun.  And succulents store water in their stems or leaves.

They grow many of our tried and true favorites like lantanas, salvia, agaves, yuccas, acacias, desert willows, daleas, and gopher plants, to name just a few.  hey also grow an entire palette of cacti and agaves that we don’t normally find here. Some might provide new interest and structure for our increasingly warmer gardens.  We may or may not be able grow some of them here because our climate isn’t as arid, but I’ll be researching more plant varieties as I’m adapting my garden.

With approximately 2,500 different species of cacti, and about 400 different kinds of aloes, there are plenty from which to choose.

My favorite plant towering in the desert was the saguaro cactus, Carnegiea gigantea.

This is one we really can’t grow here — the saguaro only grows in the Sonoran Desert, and it doesn’t do that very fast. Saguaros only grow between 1 to 1-1/2 inches in their first 8 years, according to information published by the Saguaro National Park.

Saguaro can be as old as 75 years old before they grow their first branch.  In drier areas, it can take up to 100 years to grow a branch. They begin to bloom at about 35 and can live to be 175 to 200 years old. They can get 50 feet tall and weigh as much as 6 tons.

During a heavy rain, a saguaro absorbs as much water as it can. To accommodate the large amount of water, saguaro’s pleats expand like an accordion. Conversely, when the desert is dry, the saguaro uses its stored water and the pleats contract.

Gardening in a changing climate is a challenge. Our success as gardeners will depend not only on the adaptability of the plants we use, but also on our own adaptability as we consider a different aesthetic in this new climate.

By |2017-11-29T23:27:15-06:00November 24th, 2012|Articles|0 Comments
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October is perfect time to sow wildflower seeds

coreopsisTexas transforms into a beautiful floral painting each year as spring ushers in. Wildflowers don’t just dot the landscape, they envelop it. Vibrant colors billow in the breeze, changing from month to month as different wildflower blooms open up, each in its own time.

If wildflowers can survive in the harsh conditions along Texas highways, you can grow them in your garden, too.

Wildflowers are easy to grow in the home garden. A little soil contact and a little water and you’re ready to go. Frankly, the most common problem for home gardeners is that they baby them too much.

Getting started

Wildflowers need a lot of sun and direct soil contact. Seeds don’t like mulch – it prevents the ground contact they require to germinate. And even if one does germinate under some mulch, that scrawny little seedling doesn’t have a chance against that chunk of wood. If you’re not starting on a bare patch of soil and are sowing in an existing meadow area, you’ll have less immediate contact, but over time wind and weather will also help some seeds find their way down to the ground, just like Mother Nature does every year. You can help that along by raking the seeds into the soil or sprinkling a light covering of soil over them.

Seedlings need water to germinate and should be kept moist until they come up and are stronger, taller seedlings. Once they’re up, you should water them very lightly about twice a week for 2-3 weeks. Then you can water occasionally, depending on whether or not we get the rain we’re predicted to have this fall. But don’t overwater them once they’re up and going. Most wildflowers also prefer well-drained soil, so if you garden in heavy clay, you might want to amend the planting area with something like a little decomposed granite.

Remember, when those spring bloomers germinate in the fall, they start developing a little foliage to carry them through the winter. And though they aren’t growing much or blooming, they will spend the cold season growing roots and getting ready for spring. If we’re not getting any rain at all, you’ll have a much better crop of flowers if you give them a drink now and then. But don’t fertilize them once they’re growing – that will encourage lush, healthy foliage, but not blooms.

Which wildflowers to start with

You’ll have more success with native Texas wildflowers, because they are accustomed to our different soil types. Bluebonnets do particularly well in the alkaline soil and limestone here in Central Texas.

John Thomas, founder and president of Wildseed Farms in Frederickburg, recommends that gardeners plant collections of mixed Texas Wildflowers when they are starting out.

“For the typical homeowner, I recommend a wildflower mix, a blend of seed that works well throughout Texas,” said Thomas. “This increases their chance of success, and you learn what grows best in your soil. Then you can buy more of those the next time you plant.”

With 37 years of experience in farming and ranching, Thomas started in the turf seeding business and began to focus on native grasses. When asked about growing wildflowers, he discovered that they were difficult to find and decided that he could fill that void.

“Someone needed to be growing native wildflowers,” he said.

So he changed his focus and started Wildseed Farms, the largest working wildflower farm in the U.S. It has 200 plus cultivated acres at its Hill Country headquarters and another 800 acres at its growing, packing and distribution center in Eagle Lake.

Thomas pioneered the practice of planting wildflowers in rows on large acreage and produced specialized planting machinery able to handle tiny wildflower seeds.

Between the two farms, Wildseed produces 88 varieties of wildflower seeds, which are available individually and as regional mixes, specialty mixes or custom blends.

According to Thomas, October is “prime time” for wildflower seed planting in the Austin area.

If you’re looking for ideas about which seeds to plant or you are trying to remember the name of that beautiful bloom you enjoyed seeing along the highway in April, check out the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s website at www.wildflower.org. They have an online library of more than 7,200 native plants and detailed information about what to grow and how to grow it. And the beautiful grounds of the Wildflower Center are open year-round to inspire and educate visitors.

By |2017-11-29T23:27:15-06:00October 6th, 2012|Articles|0 Comments
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Herbs Add Depth to Cuisine

They thrive in dry environments, give mild flavor to meats

In the last few weeks, I’ve written about growing herbs in your garden or in containers, and little about each herb and its growing needs and uses.  Today, I write about more herbs, starting with the letters in the rest of the alphabet.  If you missed A-L, visit Grow herbs in containers all year long.

Marjoram
Though a tender perennial in the oregano family, marjoram is very different than oregano. It has a much milder flavor, and is used to add depth to meat and pork dishes without overpowering them with the Greek/Italian flavor of oregano. It is also used in quiches or frittatas, stuffings, peppers and sausage.  Unable to take our full sun, give it some afternoon shade. Indoors, it will need good light to survive the winter inside and will grow best in a bright window. It can go back outside when the chance of frost has passed in the spring – typically early to mid-March.

Mint
Mint likes the sun, but can struggle in the harshest summer heat.  It needs plenty of water.  It is also frost tender.  If you are planting it in the ground, keep it separated from other herbs and mints, as its strong flavor can overtake other herbs.  It can spread quickly, so consider that as well – my experience required the purchase of a machete to keep it under control! Personally, I grow mint in pots. Because it is a fast grower, it will need a larger pot to allow the roots to grow. Mint is used in most of the world’s cuisines and there are hundreds of varieties (did you know that lantana is in the mint family?  But don’t eat it; its leaves and berries are poisonous.) But you can grow and harvest edible varieties like spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, apple mint, orange mint and pineapple mint.  Mint is easiest to grow as a transplant.

Parsley
Possibly the most common herb, there’s much more to parsley than meets the eye. There are two types of parsley – curly and flat-leaf.  In addition to a pretty garnish on your plate, parsley adds seasoning to countless dishes and is its own condiment when combined with pine nuts, oil and Parmesan to make pesto. Parsley also has nutritional value — it contains flavonoids that act as antioxidants and is a source of vitamins A, (beta carotene), B (folic acid) and C.  Even the ancient Greeks and Romans used it for medicinal purposes.  Parsley should get 6 to 8 hours of sun a day and it likes well-drained soil.  A biennial, parsley will usually go through the winter, flower and go to seed and then die.  You can wait for the seeds that dropped to germinate the next year or you can also buy inexpensive new transplants each spring.

Rosemary
Rosemary means “dew of the sea” and makes a beautiful ornamental shrub anywhere in your landscape.  It can grow as large as 4 feet wide and 4-5 feet tall, so make sure you give it plenty of room to grow. It’s usually cold hardy in Central Texas, likes full sun, is relatively drought tolerant and likes rocky soil.  It does not like wet feet and can struggle in those rare instances that we get a lengthy rainy spell. Rosemary plants are best started from transplants as they have a low germination rate. It is often used to season meats and potatoes and to flavor oils.  Woody rosemary stems can be used as skewers for grilling.

Sage
Like rosemary, sage is another Mediterranean herb that likes a dry environment. With a robust and distinctive flavor, sage is frequently used in stuffings, sausages, poultry, roasts and stews. It is frost tolerant but you can enjoy growing sage on your windowsill with plenty of light and good drainage. You can also steep sage to make an excellent gargle for the sore throats of coughs and colds.

Thyme
Tough as they come, thyme is compact and low-growing. It gets about a foot tall, though many varieties are even used as ground cover. It is semi-drought tolerant and is sometimes evergreen in a mild winter. It is often paired with lamb, beef and pork dishes. There are more than 100 different varieties of thyme, and while some have less flavor and are used primarily as ornamentals, they are all, in fact, edible. It can also be used as an insect repellant by steeping the herb in boiling water and putting it in a spray bottle to use in outdoor living areas.

By |2017-11-29T23:27:15-06:00September 15th, 2012|Articles|0 Comments
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Escape in the garden

Gardening to destress or grow food has never been more important. Get my FREE Five Quick Container Tips to start your own restorative gardening project today. Hook me up now!

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