Outdoor
The Garden Guy: Award-Winning Plants Will Keep You Beautiful Until Frost
By Norman Winter | Horticulturist, Author, Speaker
The arrival of July is when gardeners in the south double down, making sure they have selected plants that barring an unprecedented weather event will bloom until frost. That totals out to a 150-days plus. If they bloomed all of May too then we can round that up to 180 days, probably more, and which means a half of a year.
That is a tall order for a summer but The Garden Guy has three plants to recommend that not only will bloom into December, but will bring in hummingbirds and butterflies until you see the frost on the pumpkin, so to speak. Perhaps the most amazing thing is that these have been perennial in my zone 8a landscape for four years.
Luscious Lantanas
There are 12 selections in the series and despite being listed as hardy to zone 9a, mine have been coming back in my garden which is just northwest of Columbus, Ga. I expected catastrophe after December’s Arctic blast but this was simply not the case.
Picking a favorite is hard but I love Marmalade. The orange is so vibrant and plays so well with blue companions. I love Citrus Blend, Royale Red Zone, Citron and Golden Gate. Luscious Royale Cosmo, however, is incredible. It is a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colors and you would swear it had an innate ability to choose its colors to work with companions. I’ve had several species of butterflies visit it and it for sure is a hummingbird favorite.
To read more, pick up a copy of the July issue of NTFR Magazine. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
Outdoor
The Garden Guy
By Norman Winter | Horticulturist, Author, Speaker
It’s planting season for many and verbenas are high on the list. We had just fallen in love with Superbena Imperial Blue verbena and piled on a bunch of awards then, stop the presses! It has a new name which is now Superbena Cobalt. Not sure if this would be similar to Shakespeare’s ‘What’s in a name?’ scenario but one thing is for certain, it is even better than ‘The Garden Guy’ thought.
This year a cold spell of a few nights had ‘The Garden Guy’ moving containers to the garage for a series of nights in the mid-teens. It was about five nights straight, when they were afforded protection. Several of these containers had Superbena Cobalt verbena. There were three other containers of verbenas on the hillside that I did not move. All of them are now in a stage of riotous bloom.
To read more, pick up a copy of the May issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
Outdoor
Parting Shot: Dogs, Pigs, Goats, Oh My!
By Jelly Cocanougher
What an extraordinary end to the Wise County Youth Fair – a fantastic opportunity for the Heart of a Champion participants to show. From rabbits to lambs, to pigs to dogs – we’ve seen it all. Through this unique event, the Heart of a Champion Livestock show aimed to promote confidence, friendship, and a sense of accomplishment within our amazing community. Everyone worked tirelessly to create an environment that fosters growth, camaraderie, and a shared passion for agriculture. Until next year!
Outdoor
Grazing North Texas: Rescuegrass
By Tony Dean, [email protected]
If moisture is adequate, there are several winter annual grasses that dominate the landscape during early spring in Texas. One of the most common is Rescuegrass.
This winter annual is native to South America but grows over much of the United States and can be found in all ecoregions of Texas. Rescuegrass is easily recognized by its flat seed head.
Numerous seed heads produce seed that is transported by animals and can quickly spread to other areas.
To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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