It's May–time to bid farewell to spring
Variegated American agave, recovering from a winter freeze that claimed its lower leaves and reaching for the stars
The month of May may bring spring flowers to more temperate climes in the Northern Hemisphere, but it brings hot, sticky summer to Austin. Many of our plants respond to the heat and sun with incredible growth. Others shut down their dainty flowers and even foliage to disappear underground until the first cool days of autumn.
Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire,’ with red Salvia greggii in front
The plants pictured here love summer. They help me to get through it with their striking good looks and by not requiring me to stand by with a hose.
Gaillardia ‘Goblin.’ OK, this one is almost too much, even for me. But nearby ‘Powis Castle’ artemisia and Wheeler’s blue sotol help cool down those firey wheels.
Aloes, agaves, Knock Out roses, salvias, cupheas: this space is full of tough plants for summer. It’ll be here before we know it, and the garden can’t wait.
All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
And I have just changed over my children’s wardrobes from summer to winter clothes today! (Three bags went off to my sister’s little boy this evening; we were there for dinner). May is the start of our cold weather, when I move from gardening shorts to gardening jeans, and some time this month we’ll be bringing the heaters in from the shed. I’m hoping your posts this summer will help me keep warm!
Enjoy your change of seasons, Chookie. I love cool weather, but cold? I’m not so wild about it after our recent cold winter. —Pam
May is the beginning here! We are just getting going. It’s an exciting time in any garden.
It’s dream-come-true time for you, Carol. Enjoy! —Pam
Love the agave pointing to the stars. It is fun to have a few pieces of art to brighten up a wall. I am wondering if your ‘stick’ have yellow stems before they turn red. I have a small one and the stems are yellow. I wonder if it is not getting enough sun.
Stress makes succulents change color—mainly cold and drought. My Sticks on Fire is mostly green through the summer. When cool weather arrives it starts to color up, and a pink blush remains all winter. Yes, it does want full sun, although mine gets by on less. Give it sun, keep it dry, and let it stay outdoors even when it gets close to freezing, but don’t let it freeze or it’ll turn to mush. —Pam
We are scheduled to reach above 90 tomorrow, which I am sure will make any dainty spring flower disappear. However, I refuse to turn on the AC in the house until after June 1. There may be marital discord with my heat sensitive wife.
Whew—our AC has been on (with some breaks) for a month. There would be marital discord here if it didn’t go on until June! —Pam
I am ready for the May flowers here…..Is that a pencil cactus in the second photo?
Yes, that’s its common name, Darla. —Pam
I was just thinking yesterday how very hot it already felt at only 81F. Guess it’s that Texas sun. I do love May in the garden; so many things in my garden begin their summer-long bloom season. How’s the deer garden faring? I’m sure your four-footed friends are frustrated with you!
It is quite the fiery goblin isn’t it? I also have strategic plants to help me through summer. I go out in the a.m. and water the containers and then return indoors with an iced tea and a novel. It’s the only way to live in summer where you and I do. Unless, of course, I had a pool. I would be swimming too. 🙂 Plus, we get to go to Buffalo during one of the hottest months. Yea!!!
Oh, I found a tiny agave at Home Depot. Blue Ice or something. I’m potting it up today. It was only $5.98, quite a bargain.~~Dee
Your garden is looking amazing. I *love* your American Agave.
Don’t even mention “hot and sticky”! lol It is too early.
Glad your variegated agave made it. Its just struck me looking at your photos in this post how many plants we have in common!
It was 90 here, yesterday. It felt every bit of that and hotter, while I was out pulling weeds….again.
My neighbor, gave me a huge ‘piece’ of pencil cactus. I really am not familiar with it. I guess I need to get it into more sun. Hers is tucked away on her deck, and grew too tall to get into the house last winter. Not a lot of sun….
Happy May Day.
~~Linda…
Summer is here in the Houston area already too. I have some gaillardia and verbena to plant, but they can wait till this evening, when it’s a bit cooler!
Yes, summer is back already. I know we’ve got a wonderful seasons of flowers ahead of us, but I sure wish we could hang onto spring a little bit longer.
You are so right! Summer here we come…
I thought the same thing Pam, but you know I really like summer. Good thing I live in Texas. I couldn’t handle all that cold weather up north! Do your gallardia’s last all summer? Mine usually play out (from the heat?) in July.
They bloomed off and on all summer, as I recall, Linda. —Pam
Beautiful garden Pam. What is the size of your property? I have about 1.25 acre and am slowly filling it up. I LOVE the blue pots! Nice pots seem to be so expensive! Where did you ever find them? They are gorgious! Love your site. Rich. P.S. I am in zone 8a near Slidell, Louisiana on the North Shore of Lake Pontchatrain. I’ve been trying to find some hardy Lantana (Google search brought me to your site!) I am thinking about doing a blog myself … I love to take plant and flower pictures and have hundreds of them 🙂
Rich, thanks for your kind comment. Our lot is about half an acre. I find pots at local nurseries; you can get them on sale if you wait for the off-season. Happy digging. —Pam