June 1, 2017
Hot Stuff: Plants That Don’t Break a Sweat
Whatever the weather, something’s going on in my oft-neglected garden. One constant has been my adorably spikey, silvery-hued Agave striata in its small container. And then, boom! 
Seemingly overnight, it shot up a flower spike, topping out at 5-1/2’. Limber it is, changing direction to follow the sun. 
Fortunately, A. striata is not monocarpic (dying after flowering), so I won’t be shopping for a replacement!
In back, my passalong Mexican Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana) keeps an eye on the bees, butterflies and birds that visit skeleton-leaf goldeneye, grasses, crinums, lantanas, salvias, and scads of other things.
We planted the mountain laurel hedge from seed long ago, just as this little shrub/tree was started by a friend. Mexican Bird of Paradise grows lots faster!
Butterflies and hummingbirds are all over the Turk’s cap that won’t tire out until hard freeze hibernation.
This week, Liz Morphis from Barton Springs Nursery picks the hottest trend-setters to dazzle summer’s containers or beds in sun and shade.
For bright light spots indoors, fiddle-leaf fig glows with easy-care gusto.
Ooh, wouldn’t your house, office, or shady patio simply love ‘Lemon Lime’ dracaena? Both it and fiddle-leaf fig are not cold-hardy, so bring them indoors in winter.
Outdoors in part shade, white-striped dianella, bold Kong® Red coleus, ajuga, and silver ponyfoot (Dichondra argentea) conquer color without breaking a sweat. 
Penta and verbena, in sun to part shade, make sure that bees and butterflies aren’t flying on empty.
Native rock rose (Pavonia laseopetela), native Gregg’s mistflower, and ‘Fireworks’ goldenrod promise a wildlife buffet line, especially in fall with goldenrod and mistflower. Watch now for all her “can’t beat ’em” ideas!
Zinnias certainly put zing into things, especially for butterflies. Trisha teams up small and tall with tips for growing these hot weather annuals.
Narrow-leaf zinnia (Zinnia angustifolia or haageana) clusters close to the ground on compact bouquets that bloom all summer to the bees’ delight. ‘Crystal Orange’, ‘Crystal White’, and ‘Crystal Yellow’ are some that you’ll find in local nurseries. 
It’s absolutely thrilling how many CTG viewers are growing for wildlife and not bandying about pesticides! In Bastrop, Amanda and Brad Craig spotted these Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies “starting a family.”
These superstar gardeners are just as handy with their phones/cameras, so this week Daphne highlights some of their on-the-spot action. Click here for all the great shots and the stories behind them!
On tour in San Antonio, meet charming, wise and witty Claire Golden for tales of her restoration that nurtures her and many friends, including grateful wildlife!
Read my original post here.
And watch now!
Thanks for stopping by! See you next week for rain garden design, Linda
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