JULY: PLANTS FOR A HOT COTTAGE GARDEN

In to the furnace we go!

With no rain for two weeks, low humidity that dries out the soil daily,

and an all time record high of 107 degrees for this week 

in Houston,

what could possibly be blooming or looking good?

Let's see!

Let's start with the toughest of the tough.

These Opuntia 'Old Mexico' are adding new pads.

I actually think they ENJOY living here!

Agave lophantha, Agave 'Mr. Ripple', and these variegated yuccas are also quite adept at living in oven weather.

Agave americana, silver artemesia, and purple secretia

are living through the heat wave with no problems.

Mexican feather grass, various aloes, and another Agave along with a pot of silver sage

are all adapted to high heat conditions and offer a nice array of textures.

Silvery gray Licorice plant (Helichysum petiolare) is a great ground cover

and tough as nails. It can wither, then revive after a watering. I like that!

This is probably the last nice picture I'll have of this year's cottage garden since many of these flowering plants will shut down and lose their blooms as they try to survive the rest of the summer heat.

 If I were a plant, I would do the same.

It's making me a bit sad to talk about these in past tense, but the Gomphrena, the mealy cup sage,

and the Coreopsis 'Route 66' will all be invited back next year!

(And who knows...we might get rain and cloudy, cooler weather the rest of July...uh...yea...right)

Beautiful little rock rose might try to bloom no matter what.

I really don't like Mexican heather, but it was on sale and it's blooming

its little heart out. I shall get some more next year.

Winner, winner chicken dinner!

This is my second summer to add blue plumbago to the cottage garden and I love it!

Pentas take daily watering in heat, but well worth it.

It's another one that can wither and look dead, then revive after a drink.

Butterflies love the stuff.

This is my first summer to try Russian sage and I LOVE IT!

The fancy name is Perovskia atriplicifolia.

Finally, I am shocked that the sun-loving Coleus group is doing well.

They do need mostly shade here in Texas, but unlike a regular coleus,

they do not wilt when a speck of sunlight hits their foliage.

This one is called 'Gay's Delight'.  Pineapple Sun is also a great cultivar along with Coleus 'Dijon'.

I love the yellow foliage it provides when mixed with blue flowers.

Here it is with silver lavender, purple Angelonia and the dusty blue of Russian sage in the

background. Deeeelightful! (if only they would make it through July & August...sigh)

I'm trying out little Zinnia solcita right now. I'll tell you how it does next month.

All for now....keep cool.

Happy Growing!

And thanks for stopping by.

David/:0)