| Houston is a unique year round southern garden | | | | plants comprising the tropical portion. In creating the |
| Houston is a unique style of the southern garden | | | | year round color garden the traditional southern |
| because of our location to the Gulf coast. Our climate | | | | garden plants bloom in Houston starting with azaleas |
| is a mixture of the hot humid south and the tropics | | | | and spireas around February, spring includes red buds, |
| of Mexico. This gives us rich year round possibilities | | | | star jasmines and Carolina jasmines and camellias. As |
| for gardening. Even in the Carolinas were gardening | | | | summer continues to heat us around June, tropical |
| might be 9 months out of the year, Houston is 12 | | | | plants can really help to provide variety and color |
| months out of year gardening with freeze possibilities | | | | through the hot summer months: Bottle brush, |
| only lasting from January 15-February 15th. Once you | | | | plumbago, Ruessellia, Katie Ruellia, bulbine, salvias, |
| address the problems of compacted soils and poor | | | | knock out and nearly wild roses. Below are some |
| drainage, Houston can truly inspire the year round | | | | must have southern garden plants as well as exotic |
| southern garden. Were else can you have your | | | | tropicals for Houston. |
| favorite beverage on the porch during Thanksgiving | | | | Houston Southern Plantings |
| or Christmas in shorts? | | | | Trees: Live Oak, Shummard Red Oak, Nealy Stevens |
| Designing the Southern Garden | | | | Holly, Japanese Blueberry Tree, Tuscarora Crepe |
| I find it so interesting how the pace of life, hobbies | | | | Myrtle, Japanese Maple, Bottle Brush, Angel Trumpet, |
| and interests, home styles and the way we use our | | | | Japanese Yew, Saucer Magnolia |
| homes vary in different parts of the country. As hot | | | | Shrubs: Camelia, Azalea, Viburnum, Philodendron, |
| and miserable as Houston can be in the summer | | | | Gingers, Boxwoods, nearly wild roses, knock out |
| months, there are opportunities for outdoor living just | | | | roses. |
| about every month of the year. The key to creating | | | | Perennials and Flowering Plants: Buddlea, Russelia, |
| a landscape design in your garden is to plan for hot | | | | Angelonia, Coleus, Mealy Sage, Plumbago, Bottle |
| humid weather so you can enjoy the garden year | | | | Brush, Salvia Coccinea, Cross Vine, Star Jasmine |
| round. Deck and patio areas for entertaining need to | | | | Groundcovers: holly fern, foxtail fern, Mondo Grass, |
| have shade. Patio covers, awnings or large trees can | | | | Asian Jasmine, Ardisia, Agapanthus, Bulbine, Ajuga |
| extend the use of patios through June. If there is no | | | | Seasonal Color: snap dragons, pansies, petunias, |
| way around having a full sun patio due to the | | | | geraniums, begonias, caladiums, cyclamen, pentas |
| orientation of your house, create multiple outdoor | | | | Tropicals: Meditteranean Fan Palm, Canary Palm, |
| rooms for sitting. Use lawn areas in the shade to | | | | Medjool Palm, Bottle brush, Pineapple guava, |
| enjoy a hot summer beverage. With careful planning | | | | Philodendrons, Gingers, Ixora, plumbago, asparagus |
| and landscape design to accommodate 100 degree | | | | fern, lantana, Australian Tree Fern, Angel Trumpet, |
| weather your garden can be a place of retreat even | | | | Bamboo, Foxtail Fern, Leopard Plant. |
| in the heat of the summer. | | | | Accent Plants: Saw Palmetto, Flax, Agave, Yucca, |
| Plants for the Southern Garden | | | | Bird of Paradise, Dianella, Century Plant, Crinum Lily, |
| In creating your southern garden landscape design, | | | | Crotons. |
| decide if want to create a formal patio with azalea | | | | Mood |
| hedges, camellias and flowering crepe myrtles or an | | | | Your southern garden is about creating a link to the |
| informal woodland garden of pines, ornamental red | | | | horticultural past will creating use of spaces for today |
| buds, azalea specimens, ferns with drifts of caladiums | | | | spiced with the tropics. In addition to creating |
| and begonias. Be sure you have excellent drainage | | | | stunning southern beauty, the Houston tropics can |
| systems and irrigation systems as well as proper bed | | | | add fun and visual coolness during the hot summer |
| preparation as southern garden plants require lots of | | | | months. In creating your southern garden be sure to |
| feeding, healthy soils and excellent drainage. Add in | | | | include year round colors, textures, and scents from |
| tropical flavor were you feel it is appropriate or to | | | | both the southern garden traditions and the hot |
| your liking. Maybe your traditional garden has all | | | | tropics. |
| azalea, boxwood, camellia and holly trees with color | | | | |