Happy Day everyone! We’re having an unusual rainy few days in Texas. Which is sad for trying to go to the pool but absolutely great for my garden. If you happen to also live in Texas, you know how miserably hot the summer is. This year, anything under 95 has felt like a cool front. And it lasts straight until October. Which makes growing a lush, bountiful garden a feat of magic.
It wasn’t that long ago that every plant I touched ended up dry and shriveled. I am a self-proclaimed black thumb that has killed so many cacti and succulents that I shouldn’t be allowed to purchase them anymore. But this year I’ve had a turning point. I don’t know if it’s a matter of persistence or just probability, but this year has been my year for a successful garden.
This once black thumb has managed to propagate a beautiful, aromatic garden from spring until summer. So as a full-fledged (ok this might be an exaggeration) garden goddess, I want to share my tried and true plants that can withstand a week of 113+ temps and a somewhat lazy watering schedule. I’ll also include some of my new trial plants. These plants are my go-to favorites every year and are nearly impossible to kill (at least in the North Texas region). So let’s get planting!
All-Time Favs
Basil
Basil. BASIL. BASIL! I cannot stress it enough, but basil might be the easiest plant to grow ever. It’s at the top of my list because it’s cheap, available just about everywhere and smells wonderful. Plus I feel like the ultimate modern garden goddess when I’m able to go out back and snap off a few leaves of fresh basil to throw on pizza or add some flavor to a sauce. Basil also loves to shoot out seeds and I have six basil babies that are growing from my initial plant. It’s my must-have every year.
Euphorbia
Not to be confused with a designer drug, euphorbia or diamond frost is a favorite of my mom’s and a staple of mine. It’s available a little later in Spring, but the tiny, delicate white flowers bloom all summer long and easily grow in a container garden and can be quite sculptural.
Rosemary
One of the hardier herbs, rosemary grows wonderfully in our hot climates. Whether you want a wild full brush of fragrant rosemary, or have the patience to grow an artful topiary, rosemary is a perfect addition to any garden.
Mandevilla
Finally a lovely flowering plant! This plant loves the heat – as long as you remember to water. The flowers come in white, red and pink and are great climbers. I love using a trellis and watching these climb and flower all summer long. I chose white to go with the white diamond frost.
The New Guys
Sage
If you haven’t figured it out, I love love love a fragrant garden. That’s why I’m adding yet another herb to my list. Truth be told, this is my first year with sage, but it has absolutely grown like a weed. I started with a small little plant in my fairy garden that has grown into a massive plant that has enveloped the fairy house and the entire pot. I will definitely be getting more sage next year.
Coneflower
If you saw my post on creating a purposeful memorial garden, then you know I’ve recently added raised beds into my garden. My Mom, who lives in equally the harsh Oklahoma climate, swears by coneflower and had so many come back this year, she’s her own little nursery giving away plants. I love the color they add. So we will see how well they hold up.
Mint
I could not pass up the chance to add Chocolate Mint to my garden. It’s more of a creeping plant that smells exactly like an Andes candy. It’s been doing so great in moderate shade but some evil insects have recently made it their #1 snack.
One of my greatest gardening achievements this year has been to grow some regular mint from seeds. What started as a seed packet from Ketel One (obviously for mojitos) has turned into several thriving little mint plants. My windowsill has become a home for seedlings that sprout indoors and then thrive outside in my container garden. Turning these little seeds into a real plant has given me the greatest sense of gardening accomplishment this year.
Lavender
Ok, I’m going to be honest. I have not figured this one out yet. Lavender is my all-time favorite. I love the smell, the pretty purple flower and just the idea of having rolling fields of lavender. But as I don’t have my own villa in the south of France with a thriving lavender garden, I’m really trying to make it work in North Texas. I started on the porch and moved it twice. I haven’t found the right place for my lavender and even lost one plant. But I refuse to give up because I love it. And I will not be defeated. PS: my lavender does not look like the image below….yet.
Too Soon to Tell
Salvia
Another mom-endorsed plant. I just planted this one a few weeks ago. But it has gorgeous flowers and supposedly likes the sun. Not sure if that is Texas sun. But we will see.
Lemon Tree
I have a wonderful large pot I got from Costco (a great resource for cost-effective but fantastic pots every spring) that is perfect for a small tree. I’ve since killed not one but two Japanese Maple trees. While I love the way these look and turn red in the sun, I cannot seem to keep them alive and they’re far too costly to keep killing. But I am also in love with the idea of growing my own lemons. Meyer lemons at that. But after reading that this just won’t happen for me in an outdoor Texas garden, I’m opting for a regular old lemon tree. So far so good, I just have to keep it in the shade and make sure it’s really watered. No lemons for homemade lemonade yet, but I can wait.
Baby Bok Choy
An avid Blue Apron user, I’ve been concerned about all of the waste that the service ends up contributing to. So recently I did a google search of plants that can be grown from kitchen scraps. My first attempt is with baby bok choy. I love cooking it. So why not try and grow it. I have set up my scraps in a bit of warm water and low and behold the centers are sprouting. Pretty soon they should be ready to pot and we’ll see what goes from there.
The Garden of Good and Eh
I know it may seem like August is too late to post about a new garden. But hey, it’s Texas. Summer is maybe halfway over. So there’s plenty of time left to cultivate and grow. Plus, a little research and I’ve found that there are tons of things to plant in late summer/early fall. And I can’t wait to continue this garden adventure on the road to becoming a real garden goddess. Plus, once I prove this out, there’s nothing I can’t take on. Like maybe chickens or goats…..
Love,
Sara
Favorite Gardening Resources
Home Depot – for plants and other supplies like edging, pebbles, and soil
Lowes – for affordable plants
Ruibals – a local nursery that has a great variety of plants and unique garden items
Homegoods – great variety of cost-effective pots and garden sculptures
Sprouts & Trader Joes – usually have a really good supply of herbs
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