Our Kaleidoscope and Miss Lemon Abelia did fine during the intense 101F+ summer heat (and no rain!) here in Central Texas for two consecutive months. The more exposed Kaleidoscopes tend to get their tender branch ends fried when it is hot and there is no rain. Miss Lemon doesn't seem to have that issue. The Obsession and Gulf Stream Nandina also survived the summer heat, but they were planted in early March of this year (except for one in late April). During the peak of the summer heat, virtually all of the green color left the leaves. I wasn't happy to see them look so faded, but they are first-year plants. The "slightly" cooler weather now appears to be helping, as did the 3.5" of rain we received over three days last week. More of the green coloring has returned, along with the beginnings of the fall red colors that show up with Obsession and Gulf Stream. We still have mid-to-high 90s. I'm past done with summer!
Your gardens look great on this first day of autumn! Right now I have red Lycoris surprise lilies coming up in various areas of my yard. They are so magical! They come up almost overnight!
The color of our Touch of Gold holly seems to have intensified as well as our panicle hydrangeas due to the cooler weather here in 6b. Thanks for sharing!
Just love your videos Jim. I always find myself making notes and dreaming of things to come for my garden. It is so helpful when you describe what conditions the plants do best. I have so many microclimates in both my front and back yards so I can imagine what would do well in the different areas.
I'm going down to the Raleigh/Cary area next weekend to visit my sister and am excited to see what that area looks like this time of year. It's such a nice climate siring the autumn.
Ive had a Tokyo Tower in North Texas for about a year and it’s doing well. Did great through weeks of triple digit heat. It put on new unintended growth about a month ago so I hope it does well through the winter.
These vids are so helpful. I have some false cypress that look pretty rough ending their second year in the ground. Very slow growing here in my Pacific Northwest zone8b garden. Many things take awhile to get going here, and then they just take off. Your fire chief is gorgeous.
Very clean foliage on those deciduous Azaleas, they deserve more use in the landscape for the SE imo. You know how I love the natives! Your's is a channel I'm happy to recommend 🙂 because you're so honest about your garden. The perennial Sunflower are exploding among the Solidago and all the Aster. I was noticing this week that my Ajuga was looking good & some of the almost orange new growth on the Brigadoon Hypericum. The annual Coleus are still shining too.
I’m a little late watching but have really enjoyed my raulston viburnums this year. I have another dwarf named best densa that’s been in the ground longer.. they really took off this summer, very nice round habit though. Thanks for sharing these garden updates! It’s very helpful to see how your plants, and spaces evolve through the seasons.
I am curious about "sting" arborvitae. Have you considered adding it to your garden? I would like to try it if I could figure out where best to put it in a largely "woodland" style garden. Seems like it would better lend itself to formality.
Regarding Viburnum obovatum, I have both 'Mrs Schiller's Delight' and 'Raulston Hardy' in full sun in front of the house in Raleigh NC. They put on a lot of growth and I have to prune them a couple of times a year to keep them at 4 feet by 4 feet. Great native shrubs, but I have three problems with them on my foundation: 1. Deer don't eat the foliage but they love to nip off all the flowers, 2. They sucker A LOT and I have to constantly cut off all the suckers poking up 2-3 feet away through the groundcover underneath, and 3. I think the densely-suckered, low-growing habit encourages rabbits and other animals to nest underneath the hedge and I can smell them. So, while I might continue to grow them away from the house, I might be replacing the foundation plants with something like Yaupon hollies soon.
Looking for an accent plant for each side of my garage! Evergreen, columnar, lots of color in summer, max 6ft , zone 5 and facing west so afternoon sun?
My Cestrum is growing and blooming in full shade in North Central Texas. It even survived that horrible freeze we had a few years ago. I love this plant but its hard to find.
I’m in zone 8b and my abelias really suffered this summer. Still not sure if they’re going to make it. Had 4 Hollie’s that fried and I just took them out. So sad. It’s just so hot here. I’m beginning to think the only thing that’s going to work for me are natives. I have no shade in my yard. My hibiscus is doing well as are my buttercups and my Texas Sage. My LeeAnn cleyera and my Coppertop Viburnum were crispy critters until just recently and they’re beginning to get some new leaves. I’m obviously a beginner at this. Gardening is not for the faint of heart.
Yes, I want to know, too. Couldn’t get a good look, could be a hosta, but kinda looked like a brunnera. If it’s another gorgeous farfugium, I’m going to fall down and die of envy.
With native fringe trees interesting fact there are male and female trees and the male flowers more prolific. I don’t if the same applies to the Chinese fringe trees .
Thanks Jim whats looking bad is my goldy arb getting brown foliage I’m sure from the high temps we had .. wondering when I can move it and what type of sun requirements needs it’s now near retaining wall and I think it drains water too fast… I have had it about 3 years or so… I live in pensacola fl gulf coast… my other one is doing well… any suggestions welcome!!!! Judy on gulf coast!!!💕
Does anyone know an online source for Raulston Hardy Viburnum? I have been trying to find some for several years and have never seen it. I'm in Virginia.
I have been looking for it for over a year. I found a nursery in Raleigh and my friend lives there. She will bring them if they ever get them. They did have Miss Shillers but I read it’s bad to sucker. I am holding out for Raulston!
Is the Raulston Hardy deer resistant? I’d like to replace a hedge of Indian Hawthorns that get eaten constantly by deer. The hedge is down by the street in full sun, it’s an area that gets ignored and this seems like a good fit. Are they evergreen for you?
