You Need This Plant in Your Garden

When searching for a great addition to your pollinator garden, what are some of the prerequisites you require?

•     nectar rich
•     continual blooms
•     waterwise
•     perennial
•    disease resistant

There may be many plants that meet these requirements, but there is one that is often overlooked.  That plant is Zexmenia (Wedelia acapulcensis var. hispida). 

Zexmenia defies our hot summer weather and is unperturbed by the humidity.  If it suffers from any disease issues, I have not found them.  Producing bright golden flowers from May thru November, this tough perennial will provide excellent nectar for smaller butterflies and other pollinators in your garden.  It will grow to a height of about two feet. 

I very successfully grow this winner in a brick-enclosed courtyard where most other plants have failed. 

Zexmenia happily survives on nature's rain and most any soil from clay to sand.  

You need this underutilized perennial Zexmenia in your pollinator garden.

💗 For the Love of Seeds 💗

I am totally fascinated with seeds and seed pods, and fall is the prime time of the year to collect.  Seeds come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.  Of course, their real purpose is the reproduction of the plant; however, they are also a source of wonder and fascination.

The largest seed is the Coco de Mer which weighs about 40 pounds.  The smallest seeds are tropical rain forest orchid seeds which weigh only 35 millionths of an ounce.   

I could not possibly give a survey of all the interesting seeds and seed pods, but here are a few.

The Aristolochia tomentosa (Woolly Pipevine) is very intriguing due to its shape.  Most seeds are somewhat round or oval, but this one breaks that rule.  It is a triangle.  The seed pod itself is also interesting.  The grayish seeds are packed tightly together as if they had been lined up inside the pod.

Stately Magnolia trees are beautiful, but equally lovely is its cone and brilliant red seeds.  Many find these cones a nuisance; however, I love to gather them and use them as decorative objects.  Sprayed with shellac, these beauties are a treasure.

Besides being a host and nectar plant for Monarch and Queen butterflies, the milkweed plants produce amazing seeds.  Nestled tightly inside the pod, each of these brown seeds is attached to a fluffy white silk.  The silk can be used in all kinds of commercial applications and floats in water while supporting as much as thirty times its own weight.  Its real purpose, however, is to help the seed fly away to start a new plant.

As you enjoy the cooler weather and have the opportunity to walk around your neighborhood, look for interesting seeds and seed pods.  Nature is fascinating! 

Succulent Pumpkins

 

Okay, I know that it’s not even September, but if Starbucks can advertise ‘pumpkin spice’ drinks, then I can surely talk about my all-time favorite craft project—SUCCULENT PUMPKINS!  Several years ago, I discovered this art, and I can’t wait to share it with you.  Nothing says “autumn” quite like pumpkins.  The days are growing shorter, the heat is beginning to break, and the holidays are approaching.  Let’s get creative!  You need a pumpkin, some sphagnum moss, a lot of succulent cuttings, a glue gun, and perhaps a helpful teacher on the side.  I also use other decorative items from nature, such as nuts and seed pods.  There are few rules—just have fun and be creative.  When the pumpkins are properly cared for, they can last for months.  I will be offering a class thru Texas Discovery Gardens in October.  If you are interested, I would love to have you join us.  To encourage you, I’ve included a few photos of some of my pumpkins from the past.  They can be large or small, fancy or plain, but once you create a Succulent Pumpkin, you will be hooked! 😊

This one was 3 months old and still looked great.  

This mini-pumpkin was beautiful with just a single succulent rosette.

All kinds of succulents.

Mangaves

 Mangaves are hot!  My love of succulents is no secret, and I have found one that is particularly fascinating.  Mangaves are a  hybrid created by cross-breeding Agave and Manfreda.  The result is a beautiful plant that thrives in our summer heat.  Actually, I should say 'plants' because there are a myriad of different varieties.  Some of these beauties are hardy to Zone 7; however, most are hardy to Zone 9 (20F).  Mangaves grow faster than agaves, and most don't have spines.  They also have interesting colors and shapes.  I like to grow Mangaves in pots so that I can move them around when necessary.  They require well-draining, gritty soil and sparse watering.  Many of them also produce offsets which then make nice presents for friends.  Full-grown Mangaves can be a bit pricey, so you may want to check out the plugs available thru Mountain Crest Gardens.  I have ordered plants from Mountain Crest for years, and I am always well satisfied with their products.  I've attached several of their photos, and I hope you will grow to love Mangaves as much as I do.  

Snow Leopard Mangave (photo from Mountain Crest)

Silver Fox Mangave (photo from Mountain Crest)

Red Wing Mangave (photo from Mountain Crest)

Purple People Eater Mangave (photo from Mountain Crest)

Moonglow Mangave (photo from Mountain Crest)

Inkblot Mangave (photo from Mountain Crest)

Falling Waters Mangave (photo from Mountain Crest)

Blazing Saddles Mangave (photo from Mountain Crest)

Bad Hair Day Mangave (photo from Mountain Crest)

Pineapple Express Mangave (photo from Mountain Crest)

Fabulous Fall Color

As we turn our calendars to August with summer in full swing, it may seem a bit odd to be talking about "fall color."  Planning is important in all aspects of life, and planning for the garden is also essential.  I will be posting a few of my fall favorites over the next few days.

I'm always delighted to find a plant which is interesting over a long period of time.  It's also a bonus if that plant is not only pretty but is also functional in other ways (i.e., nectar for the pollinators).  For that reason, I think Ajania pacifica (commonly called Gold and Silver Chrysanthemum) is a winner.  It thrives in our summer sun, needs little extra water, and tolerates our winters as well.  When few plants are providing nectar in late October and November, this one is a favorite of many small pollinators.  The beautiful white margins of the delicately-scalloped leaves are stunning year-round.  Give it a good "haircut" in the spring, and this beauty will provide lots of interest in your garden.

Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice is one of my favorite days of the entire year.  Surprised?  Well, it's not so much the actual "day" as it is what the day represents.  From this point forward the days will begin to be longer and longer--spring is just around the corner.  Well maybe that's a slight overstatement, but it always helps to dream.  I looked around the garden today and reminded myself that even in winter, there are some sturdy plants which are growing.  Others have retreated to their subterranean winter home.  As a bonus there are even a few blossoms (pansies).  This winter I have many of my small tender perennials snugly tucked into a small greenhouse on the patio; the larger ones have taken residence in the garage.  On warm, sunny days I raise the garage door so that they can bask in the sun's rays.  On cue my Christmas cactus (although protected indoors) is producing beautiful fuchsia blooms, and the fennel is spreading its feathery wings in defiance of the cold.  The multiple varieties of kale also enjoy the chill.  One of my surprises is the Ornamental Catmint which is still beautifully green as is the Mexican Hat.  Even the Pipevine continues to grow alongside the Japanese Holly Fern and other hardy ferns.  The Sorrel and Arugula also enjoy the frosty evenings.  So welcome Winter Solstice! 

the bashful Pansy brings color and joy to my day

(click each to enlarge)

Artemisia

Fennel

Frilly Kale

Tassel Fern

Pansy

Holly Fern

Kale

Christmas Cactus

Pipevine

Sorrel

THE LAST FLOWERS OF SUMMER

Candlestick Tree Seedpod

(click each picture to enlarge)

Purple Datura Seedpod

Angelique Clematis Seeds

Sunflower Seeds

Red Yucca Seedpod

Swan Milkweed Seedpod

Mexican Sunflower Seeds

Mallow Seedpod

Antelope Horns Milkweed Seedpod

Poppy Seedpod

Dill Seeds

After a blistering summer that extended well into September, we are now facing the threat of an early frost--that dreaded time for gardeners.  First the hummingbirds left, then the Monarch butterflies, and now my pretty flowers are about to succumb to “Jack Frost.”  Well, that means it’s time to harvest seeds or pull out the catalogs and begin planning for next year.  Seeds and seedpods are amazing structures.  They demonstrate an astonishing ability to perpetuate the species.  Moreover, they have an incredible beauty all their own.  The flowers may be going away, but they’ve left a marvelous reminder--their seeds.