Manfreda and yucca in bloom, plus plants to trial
The xeric garden is eye-poppingly bold in bloom this week. The native wildflower winecup (Callirhoe involucrata) is sprawling through the agave bed with her stained chalices held up for refills.
Purple skullcap (Scutellaria wrightii), native to the Hill Country, also thrives amid the spiky plants.
Topping out at 6 feet tall, the bloom spikes of ‘Chocolate Chips’ manfreda are opening their oversized, bottlebrush flowers from the bottom up. That’s a ‘Margaritaville’ yucca in the culvert-pipe planter.
Another look
Nearby, Yucca filamentosa ‘Bright Edge’ is blooming for the first time, her creamy white bells dangling from an undulating, 3-to-4-foot bloom spike.
From another angle
Even the littlest aloe wants in on the action, like this tiny specimen sending up a lovely bloom atop a wire-thin stem.
More plants?! Oh yes! I received a box of Agastache ‘Summer Love’ and silver ironweed (Vernonia lindheimeri v. leucophylla), courtesy of Santa Fe-based High Country Gardens this week.
Owner David Salman asked if I’d trial these sun-loving, xeric plants in my garden to see whether they hold up to the heat and humidity of central Texas. I sure hope so; they are both beauties. This is shaping up to be a good weekend for planting, what with the forecast for cooler temperatures.
All material © 2006-2012 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
All of these neat sculptural plants look so fun loving with their colorful blooms up in the air. Good luck with your new trial plants.
They’re really all on trial, aren’t they? The garden is always one big experiment. —Pam
Yowza…those Manfreda blooms are awesome! I love the Callirhoe, as always, such intense color! I can’t wait to see how those new plants fare for you, I’ve been thinking about ordering that Vernonia for a while. I love the species as well, the blooms are so unbelievably vibrant…but the foliage isn’t much to write home about…this silver one looks like it could satisfy on both fronts, however 🙂
Yes, the foliage is the reason for growing silver ironweed, I think. It has a tall, skinny profile too, which should make it easy to slip into a crowded garden. —Pam
Beautiful blooms all over your garden today, very nice.
It would be nice to find an agastache that will work here. I lost quite a few last year and at least one other fellow gardener here in San Antonio has also given up on them.
I’ve tried several different agastaches, and they’ve all petered out on me. I’ve had the best luck with ‘Acapulco Salmon & Pink,’ which seems to last about 2 or 3 years—but maybe that’s normal? Aren’t they short-lived plants? I’m not sure, but I am always happy to try a new variety in hopes of better success. —Pam
Just have to say I really enjoy your blog. Thank you.
Why, thank you! Thanks for visiting, Melissa. —Pam
Hi Pam! I’m curious to see how Summer Love does for you. I think I’ve purchased 7 different Agastache from High Country Gardens and have only had luck with ‘Shades of Orange’ (THE BEST), ‘Desert Sunrise’ and Neomexicana (this one still very small). I’ve purchased locally ‘Tutti Fruiti’ and ‘Ava’ SEVERAL times. ‘Tutti Fruiti’ did really well at first but then pooped out on me. ‘Ava’ has only lasted a few months each time I plant it. 🙁 I also started Agastache ‘Pink Pop’ from seed last year and it’s just starting to take off. One thing I know for sure is they can’t handle full sun here.
I can’t wait to see how your owls do! I sure hope they’re nesting. No luck so far with our owl box. I’m hopeful for next year.
I mourn ‘Ava’ and ‘Desert Sunrise’! I tried them both and loved their coloration. ‘Acapulco Salmon & Pink’ has done best for me. I’m glad to know about the ones you’ve tried. You’re in Austin, right? —Pam
I’ve been having great luck with agastache in Austin, and this is the 2nd year for my Summer Love and it started blooming about a month ago and is still going strong. The blooms are huge on this one, but my favorite might still be Desert Sunrise just because of the color.
I’m glad to hear it, Mary! What conditions do you give your agastaches here in Austin: soil type, sun, water, etc.? —Pam
Lovely
I bet you can grow agastache and silver ironweed in Arizona with no trouble, yes? —Pam
We ordered the red Monardella that HCG offers. It’s an eye popper in bloom! Plan on taking cuttings in case it’s short lived. Pretty garden shots, as usual, Pam!
I’m not familiar with the monardella, Karen, so I looked it up. Pretty! —Pam
The only success I’ve had with Agastache is Blue Fortune. And that variety seems to require a different growing condition than most hyssop. I’ve grown them in Colorado, Texas, and now Kansas. I love their form and hummingbird qualities. I will figure them out someday.
Me too, Greggo. It’s such a lovely plant. —Pam
You’re so lucky!!!
🙂 —Pam
Pam~
I am in Austin, I meant to add that in. 🙂 I just saw a new Agastache at TNG. I can’t remember what the name was but it was a really beautiful raspberry with some yellow accents. It was $9.99 and I just couldn’t bring myself to purchase it after all of my failures. Maybe they’ll eventually have it in a 4 inch container. My ‘Apricot Sprite’ from TNG I purchased last year is about to bloom. It has actually done well in part shade protected by my fence. I also forgot to mention that I purchased a few ‘Acapulco Trio’ from Lowe’s last year and they are all doing fabulously. We’ll see how they do going into the summer. That’s when they seem to fail here, second year when it gets HOT.
Yes, that’s my experience as well, Kara. Thanks for the additional info about the agastaches that you’ve tried. —Pam
Hi Pam, I am really intrigued by your purple skullcap. Do you have it in full sun? It is just gorgeous – as is everything else in your garden 🙂
Thanks, Heather. Yes, the purple skullcap likes it hot and sunny and well-drained. I found some in 4-inch pots recently at Natural Gardener. —Pam
I’ve been planting my agastache in well drained soil, usually Hill Country Garden Soil from Lady Bug. As for sun, I have them on the east side of the house (early morning shade and then sun for most of the rest of the day), west side (morning shade and afternoon sun), and south side (early morning and late afternoon shade), and so far they all seem to do equally as well. Ava isn’t quite as large as I’d thought she might be, but she was the one that didn’t get planted in Hill Country soil, so she’s probably got more clay than she’d like. And they all get compost top dressings, even though High Country says that they like lean soils. Water…once established they don’t get a lot extra. I usually walk around and hand water them a bit, maybe every other week or so. Some are 5 years old now, and they came back strong this spring so I’m hoping they plan to stay around much longer!
You have the right touch with them, Mary. Thanks for sharing the info. —Pam
I keep meaning to mention how much i enjoy your way with words. “…stained chalices held up for refills” reminded me.
Thank you, Ricki. 🙂 —Pam
My wine cups are back and I’m thrilled! I saw a manfreda ‘spot’ this weekend and now I want to go back and buy it! You inspire! Those are great plants from High Country. I think they’ll do well for you.
I hope so, Freda. Those manfreda are unusual and fun plants to grow. You’ll enjoy it. —Pam
Damn you and your winecup growing self.
Love those skullcaps. I’ve got some that are silver and furry…the natives, perhaps? Like I care. Hahahaha.
xoxox
Ha! Do you have trouble with the winecups, Mamaholt? Just stick them in some decomposed granite and at least a half a day of sun and watch them go. —Pam
What beautiful inspiration, Pam! And perfect timing, too! I’m just heading out to my office to begin a new design for a client – a succulent/cactus garden. And you KNOW I’ll be referring to your photos! 🙂
I would be completely envious to see what you can do with succulents in your perfect California climate, Rebecca! —Pam