February 27 , 2020
Drought Design, Garden Art, and Luscious Liqueurs
A few weeks ago , I hard whacked backSalvia microphylla‘Hot Lips ’ . Already , this incision is send off post - Valentine ’s kisses . unbend in dry summertime , its vim return key in fall , along with ours!Since long periods of teetotal , red-hot weather are now the norm , this weekMary Irishencourages us with Passion of Christ , enthusiasm , and on - target details about beautiful industrial plant that love living with us . Mary ’s experience as a drouth - design expert , author , and landscape consultant working in California , Arizona , and Texas issue forth throughin her many book of account , including many for Arizona . Here are the ones I rely on : After 25 years in Arizona , she and hubby Gary moved to Castroville , near San Antonio , where they started over on vacuous terra firma . In just four year , they transformed it into a sundry perimeter of stunning , drought - long-lasting plants for pollinators and bird . Two plants she mentions are ones that I ’ve rationalise back recently in my garden . I reduce back Skeleton - leaf goldeneye ( Viguiera stenoloba ) to remove dead growth and mess up up its current gangly feel so it ’ll calculate like this again in recent natural spring and fall . Shrubby Eupatorium perfoliatum / white mistflower ( Ageratina havanensis ) salad days in fall , attracting all kinds of pollinator , include Painted Lady butterfly . Its seeds feed birds in wintertime , so I delayed pruning until last weekend when I cut browned leg to about a foot above ground . I just lightly trimmed this young one that did n’t freeze back . Its business is to hide out the waste pipe cleanout binding and frame the front porch . I wager it will attain its end this class . Here ’s Mary and Gary ’s flora list .
Meeting Mary ( and Gary ! ) old age ago was one of my favorable days . You’ll see why when you watch now !
Since we can also go from drouth to deluge in a few hour , Daphne explain why dry - sentence plants issue imbrue soil . My ‘ Hot Lips ’ can handle both extremes . But drenches in winter or humid summers can pass over out dry - feet plants like succulent , lavender or artemisia in my garden . Conversely , Daphne mark how the “ lasting wilt gunpoint ” touch on them ( like our Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ) when there is no rainfall for extended periods . view now for the whole story !
Drought - problematical plant life are good for another reason : luscious liqueurs ! Alejandra Rodriguez Boughton fromLa Flacaurban farm mix up yummy concoctions with Mexican mint marigold , mint , calendula , and lavender .
catch now to see how to do it !
On term of enlistment , when Kathy Payne and Greg Bright move to rocky Lago Vista from Houston , they could still grow some of their favorite works . The rules had deepen , though , while Kathy ’s designing imagination simply conform for rock and roll , inundate slopes , and deer . To sell with their sloping , implosion therapy hill , Greg design and built a multi - even keep back wall that finish roadway runoff from heading to the house . Kathy draw near her designs with a question : “ If we were painting a painting , what would we do with the space ? ” She balances texture and colors with succulents , culinary herbs , and perennials that resist browsing cervid while attracting pollinators . She pairs spectacular , large leaves like American aloe with small one , including mealy blue salvia ( Salvia farinacea ) , select plants that hold juiceless times . gild garlic and ‘ Santa Rita ’ prickly pear . A spider got into the artistic spin . Along the front porch , Kathy wanted the pith of water while keeping a low profile . She presented Greg her design for ground level art . “Beaches ” of sandy gravel bank the winding river of cool grey Mexican river stone . She swirls in coloration with recycled red drinking glass . Her heap technique prevents shifting and allows unwavering footholds to voyage . They turned a chunk of backyard limestone into a disappearing spring . Kathy wielded a rock bar to pummel into stone for the 15 - Imperial gallon basic that recirculates mildly flowing water to attract birds , pollinators and lizards . Greg engineered its hole diam for the perfect spout . He also read over irrigation and electricity . Kathy said , “ We are such a great couple when it comes to projects like that . We have very gratis attainment , so it ’s really fun to work together . Greg is so good at the technical ; he can make art out of a hunk of Sir Henry Joseph Wood or a piece of metal or some concrete . And I wish to contrive through flora and form . ”Even in a few hours , the site goes from tincture to full sun and back again to shade . So , when Kathy tucked in the plants , she chose various varieties of thyme and succulent that bear light pas seul and brief irrigation . On Greg’sFix It Wise website(and YouTube ) , he deliver how - to crest and video recording of all kinds of home undertaking , including tone - by - step instruction of their rough river . catch their inspiring ( and how - to ) chronicle right now !
Thanks for kibosh by ! See you next calendar week , Linda
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