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.
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We don't get many days as low as 25, so these plants should look good year after year.
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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.
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)
Top: Salvia blepharophylla (Eyelash-leaved sage)
Middle: common parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Bottom: Agave americana
Top: Aechmea 'Burgandy'
Bottom: dwarf yaupon (Ilex vomitoria)
Middle: Kentucky Colonel Spearmint (Mentha cordifolia)
Bottom: Agave lophanta 'Splendida'
Right: Yucca gloriosa variegata (in foreground)
Top: Short-leaved Aloe (species unknown...my neighbor just calls it Mexican aloe)
Middle: Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Bottom: Gazania species
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)
