The TEXAS COTTAGE GARDEN: 50 PLANTS THAT LOOK GOOD ALL WINTER (Part 1)

It's easy to love all the variety and blooms of a cottage garden in summer. But what about winter?

Does a southern cottage garden have to look like death warmed over for 3 months?

Well, the answer is a resounding NO!

My Texas cottage garden here in Houston in January.

Below are the first half of 50 plants I grow in a dry style (xeric) landscape in Houston. I took these photos in my garden during January on a rare sunny day. All of these garden gems can look nice down to 25 degrees F (US zone 9b) or -3.8 degrees C and some can take much lower.
We don't get many days as low as 25, so these plants should look good year after year.
***

This past month the garden has endured a freeze of 24 F, a six hour frozen rain storm, and a day of snow and sleet with temperatures down to 29 for a third time. I'm amazed ANY PLANT can look alive after being covered with ice, but most came through nicely!

So, while your favorite flowers are sleeping, why not try a few of these to fill in the gaps. They'll give you something to enjoy during our southern winters.

David/:0)
NOTE: These plants could be tried in Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, The Rio Grande Valley, Galveston, coastal Texas, New Orleans and the delta region, coastal Mississippi and Alabama, and  Florida south of Gainesville and Jacksonville.
Names and descriptions are below the photo series.

Left: Lantana montevidensis (trailing lavender lantana)

Top: .maybe a form of Squill (this one has yellow flowers) Can someone help me name this one? :0)

Middle: Mangave 'Macho Mocha' ( I take this one in even though it could stay out...I love the leaves too much to risk it)

Bottom: Westringia fruticosa (smokey Australian rosemary)

Left: top plant Agave stricta (hedgehog agave); bottom plant Nassella tenuissima (Mexican feather grass)
Top: Salvia blepharophylla (Eyelash-leaved sage)
Middle: common parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Bottom: Agave americana

Left: common oregeno (Origanum vulgare) Note: This is my first year to grow this splendid little plant as a ground cover. It stayed green through a hot summer and now through a cold winter.
Top: Aechmea 'Burgandy'
Bottom:  dwarf yaupon (Ilex vomitoria)

Top: Unknown bromeliad (probably Dykia choristaminea 'Frazzle Dazzle')
Middle: Kentucky Colonel Spearmint (Mentha cordifolia)
Bottom: Agave lophanta 'Splendida'
Right: Yucca gloriosa variegata (in foreground)

Left: Opuntia 'Old Mexico'
Top: Short-leaved Aloe (species unknown...my neighbor just calls it Mexican aloe)
Middle: Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Bottom: Gazania species

Large photo: Agave weberi
Top:white licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare)
Middle side: Agave geminiflora
Bottom right: Texas bluebonnet
Bottom middle: Gulf Coast Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
Bottom left: Walker's low catmint (Nepeta x faassenii)

OTHER GARDENS: THOUSANDS OF FLOWERS IN A TEXAS COTTAGE GARDEN

Chances are if you were to google 'Texas cottage garden', 

the first entry to appear would be Cindy's garden at My Corner of Katy.

 So what exactly IS a Texas cottage garden? 

Unlike the English versions of cottage gardens, the rules must be bent to conform to the harsh summers here in Texas. This includes some very different but exciting plant combinations including Agaves.

Cindy's cottage garden includes flowers all summer long, even in the worst Texas heat.

Here you see bold zinnias drifting along waves of native white Gaura.

Try counting the flowers as we take our tour. We're already up to a hundred!

Her combinations are timeless. Here she has the boldness of purple coneflowers playing against the dainty violet skullcaps and white blackfoot daisies. A sprinkling of daylillies add to the flavor.

Are you still counting flowers?

Let's take a break from the flowers to see Cindy's river of succulents. They seem to flow down the rock garden.

Agaves, sedums, aloes, and Dykia bromeliads are part of the collection.

I have the first plant, but can't recall the name. Some people call it a Flapjack plant.

Please don't ask me to name all these plants. Just enjoy the view.

Are you remembering to count the flowers in her cottage garden?

Cindy has a unique sense of humor. In fact, she has friends and relatives eager to add to her collection. This is one of my favorites.

Speaking of favorites, I'd have to say this sea of Salvia was at the top of my list.

They seem like little butterflies floating above the garden.

(You can stop counting flowers now. We'll be at a thousand by the end of the tour)

Here's one more photo from the front garden. An angel moves quietly through waves of Rockrose and Sweet Alyssum.

So, are you ready to view the backyard?

Not scared, you say?

Flowers spill over into the beautiful stone and gravel pathways.

This refreshing pond filled with waterlillies and mosaic plant attract birds and dragonflies.

Here's a view of her birdhouse collection and some of her lovely roses.

Like all gardeners, Cindy is never finished trying out new plants. Right now she's experimenting with exotic tropicals like this Colocasia 'Hilo Beauty'. Isn't it gorgeous?

I think she's got the hang of growing tropicals!

This might be Colocasia 'Cranberry Stem' with Cindy having some fun with the camera.

It's just about time to leave, but first I wanted to show you her whimsical wall of wonders.

This little Rudbeckia was a parting gift and has found a new home here at Tropical Texana.

So there you have it. A Texas style cottage garden right here in the Houston area.

You can find out a lot more about Cindy and what she's up to by visiting her wonderful garden blog.

In the meantime, instead of counting sheep tonight, you can be a true gardener and count flowers.

If you reach a thousand, you're at My Corner of Katy.

Thanks for stopping by!

David/:0)