Help your garden survive the drought.
January 10, 2012
It is time we stopped and listened to Mother Nature is telling us. We don’t have unlimited resources and the weather patterns are changing. And so we need to change our way of thinking and doing things. The drought that has started in 2011 continues, and we need to adjust accordingly. We need to learn how to deal with extreme weather.
Re-evaluate your landscaping. It is important to take the following things into account when designing or re-evaluating your landscaping:
Purple coneflower
– check if the existing plants are native or well adapted to your area,
– prepare your soil right,
– always mulch,
– go organic and don’t forget to feed your plants to help them survive stress,
– water deeply and infrequently,
– create pockets in the garden that serve different roles, both visually and practically,
– don’t forget about wildlife,
– capture rain water,
Butterfly milkweed
– and lastly, don’t forget about your trees – they are extremely valuable and they are suffering! We tend to let trees take care of themselves. Because of their size we think that they can survive just about anything and need not our help. This is far from the truth. Trees are our great resource in so many ways – the clean the air, the add value to landscapes, they provide habitats for wildlife, act as sound barriers, produce oxygen, and help us save energy.
Texas rock rose – rolling with the punches.
August 28, 2011
There are many plants that do well in north Texas. And then there are a few that do fantastic. Texas rock rose (Pavonia lasiopetala) is one of them. I have one in my front yard. It is, to be perfectly honest, neglected and left to its own devices. It is in full sun and in poor soil. I watered it only once in the last 4 months. Since we’re experiencing a prolonged drought, and have hardly had any rain this summer, I expected it to decline. Not die – I knew it would survive – but decline. Apparently I have underestimated it. Every morning it is covered in blooms. It satisfies my appetite for color this summer, while most things look like they are about to wither and die. This is a tough little native. Give it room as it tends to spread and make it a showpiece. It deserves it.
Texas rock rose
Happy Gardens 