Monet

The inspiration for some of my garden designs.

Christmas in July

Here we are at the end of July and only 145 shopping days until Christmas. Escape the hot weather, why not think about planning a Cool Yule. Stores are beginning to display holiday decor; now is a great time to get out the Christmas decorations and repair broken ornaments, check the strings of lights for burnt out bulbs, and take stock of what should be revived or thrown out and start fresh.

Xeriscape

\ZEER-uh-skayp\ noun
a landscaping method developed especially for arid and semiarid climates that utilizes water-conserving techniques with the use of drought-tolerant plants, mulch, and efficient irrigation.

The Daily Word

saute (verb) to fry in a small amount of oil or butter.

Fall is for planting

August is the best time to make plans for all the changes and additions that you want to make to your garden. Fall is the best time to plant new trees so that they have time to establish before the heat of next summer. Fall is also the time to plant spring flowering bulbs like daffodils and tulips. Go to your local nursery or look through catalogues to see what is available and what is appropriate for your climate. You can also find great bulb sources online. Some of my favorite spring bloomers are Tete a Tete mini daffodils and King Alfred giant daffodils. I have used both varieties with great success in my garden designs. Look here for more plant ideas.

Lantana: great heat loving annual

Is your garden looking a little tired? Lantana is a great annual for the heat and humidity that the Dog Days of late summer brings. With over 150 varieties it is easy to pick just the right color for your garden. Lantanas work well in containers or as a bedding plant and will bloom until frost. Butterflies love them and humming birds are attracted to the red and orange varieties. For the biggest impact it is best to mass plant them.