Have we outlasted the heat-wave summer?
What a summer this has been for Austin. Hot as Hades, rainless and parched for months and months. And then, finally, flooding rains in mid-August drenched parts of the city — I got 4.75 inches over a few days, although friends in South and West Austin got much less — bringing fallish relief. Let this be the end of the summer from hell! Temps in the low to mid-90s I can deal with.
But before summer flies away (haha, it’ll stick around until October), I’ll share a handful of images from July and August that I’ve been hanging onto. I didn’t spend much time in the garden this summer, but when I did I always found moments of beauty and interest, despite my reluctance to get sweaty. Like this bumblebee zooming around in the purple skullcap and Mexican feathergrass (top image).
If I zoom out you can see a mound of purple skullcap (Scutellaria wrightii) growing at the edge of the hellstrip, sandwiched between two driveways and the street. This tough little native was unfazed by the brutal summer and provided nectar for the bumbles every day.
In the island bed, the ‘Old Mexico’ prickly pear has finally arisen from the dead — i.e., the 2021 Snowpocalypse, which killed it back to its dinosaur-bone stump. It’s almost back to its mature size and will soon resume its plan for world domination.
‘Vanzie’ whale’s tongue agave is looking a little peaked after the summer’s blistering heat, with yellowing, sun-scalded leaves. My other whale’s tongues didn’t react this way, even in more sun. Weird.
Succulents enjoying the bright shade of the front porch, and color-coordinating with the Wasabi paint color of the front door.
Mexican honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera) is finally back, having died to the roots last winter. The welcome mat is back out for hummingbirds.
But man oh man, did this understory planting suffer this summer. Despite some extra watering across its root zone, the big Japanese maple is showing curled, crispy leaves, and a few large branches have gone entirely brown. Ugh. Under its canopy, the giant ligularia is shrunken and sad, although I think it will bounce back this fall. Some of the ‘Everillo’ sedges in more sun have gone brown. This is a tricky space because the roof dumps tons of water here when it rains, and water runs off from the driveway into a dry creek, so in normal summers these thirstier plants do well. But this was not a normal summer.
Happily, on the other side of the front walk (in the background), the supremely dry-loving plants in the gravel garden are doing great with no more attention than usual: Agave ovatifolia, red yucca, toothless sotol, dwarf myrtle, and Anacacho orchid tree.
I’ve hardly ventured into the side garden, I’m sorry to say. Last I looked, it was doing fine with no attention from me whatsoever, with a once-a-week automatic watering.
In the back garden, plumbago loves the heat and is blooming its head off.
Moby Jr, a bulbil-clone from my original whale’s tongue agave, contentedly floats in a sea of silver ponyfoot in one of my old stock-tank planters.
Lanceleaf blanketflower (Gaillardia aestivalis) has gone to seed, but the white puffs on tan stems are pretty too.
Bat-face cuphea (Cuphea llavea) is blooming and happy, and representing for Austin’s bat obsession.
‘Moonglow’ mangave survived last winter’s deep freeze even in a container I left outside. The original plant died to the roots (no surprise), but I found a few pups under the dead leaves this spring. I kept weeding out pups as they grew until this solitary specimen was left. Will I make the effort to protect it this winter? Probably not. It’s heavy and there’s nowhere to put it, and it’s easier to just replace certain plants as necessary. Or maybe I’ll find more pups!
Soap aloe (Aloe maculata) has been hardy along a south-facing wall for over a decade. It just keeps pumping out the flowers too.
The speckled leaves are pretty even when not in bloom.
‘Quadricolor’ agave is another sun-or-bright-shade beauty. I grow it in a container and left it out last winter too. I can’t remember if it survived or if this is a pup replacement.
Native datura (Datura wrightii) returns each spring, either from the roots or volunteer seedlings. It can get droopy during drought, but it recovers quickly with a little watering or rain. Yes, it’s deadly poisonous, but only if you eat it. The deer don’t, so I can grow it out front too. I love its salad-plate-sized, night-blooming, fragrant flowers.
Hawk moths love to nectar in them too.
I’m looking forward to cooler, patio-sitting days ahead. Will September be the new October this year? That would be a nice break after this summer. Am I counting on it? Hah!
__________________________
Digging Deeper
Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Season 8 kicks off in fall 2024. Stay tuned for more info!
All material © 2024 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
I read the headline and immediately screamed DON’T JINX IT!!! Man, knocking on all the wood, but I am so ready for cooler weather. Even most of my pond plants hated this summer!
I’m with the pond plants. Even a pool wasn’t sufficient to make this summer pleasant.
I hope you have, Pam. Your garden is looking pretty darn good after that extended heat spell. Picking up Lori’s theme, I think I’ve jinxed it here by extolling the fact that our temperatures have been usually subdued this summer. Now we’re under an extended heat dome warning…
I heard the news about California’s coming heat wave. I’m sorry, Kris. I hope it’s brief.
We deserve “I Survived Summer 2022 in Texas!” T-shirts.
This was a really rough one and I suffered along with my garden.
About six weeks ago I was even thinking about getting a less stressful hobby.
But it rained this week, things are greening up and I’m still gardening.
I don’t know if that makes me bullheaded, addicted or just dumb.
Let’s call it hopeful, persistent, and tough, Paula! Hopefully we’re through with bad weather for a while.
You’ve really had a hot one, haven’t you? Your garden looks incredible in spite of the heat! Kudos! I’d feel guilty about our “near perfect” summer, but I know every year is different. So I’ll savor this one and prepare for what nature has in store for us next growing season. Your patio looks so inviting. 🙂
Thanks, Beth. And absolutely no guilt required from anyone enjoying a lovely stretch of weather. Climate change will spare no one, so we all need to appreciate “normal” weather whenever we get it. I’m glad you had a lovely summer. I certainly enjoyed my June visit to Wisconsin.
“Temps in the low to mid-90s I can deal with”… I break out with cold sweat just thinking it. I couldn’t manage your hot Texan summers to save my life. I too am looking forward to cooler weather, mid 70’s is great, mid 60’s even better ;-D
I absolutely love that first bee photo, it’s a perfect composition. And so is your home’s entry way: colors and design… very inviting. The photo of the side garden is also great; I love the shadow patterns on the path.
It’s a hot sweat, Chavli! But yeah, summer here is super challenging for me too. I’ve never loved the heat, and it gets harder the older I get. A “normal” summer of mid- to upper 90s is rarer than it used to be, and I struggle with that. I’m glad the garden still gives me joy when I make the effort to get out there in summer.
And thank you for your kind words!
Oh, my- I can’t even imagine that heat. Low to mid 90’s OK? Yikes. I know my dad and his wife aren’t necessarily looking forward to their return to Austin in late September, after a summer in Quebec.
Your garden is looking great, regardless. Thanks for sharing!
At least they missed the worst of summer. And now it’s in the 80s, so things are looking up!
What a summer you’ve had. Question, is that a rug or painted concrete on your front porch? What ever, I love it!
It’s a rug! 🙂
I would think that a summer heat wave wouldn’t faze you much, seeing as you plant so many drought tolerant goodies. Still, I hope it eases up. Here in central Ohio, we had more summer rain than usual, plus way more humidity. It’s been unbearably sticky all summer, and I’m over it. I hear we get our humidity from corn sweat! If there’s one thing Ohio has, it’s corn.
It was the whole summer, Robin. Unrelenting heat — 68 days (so far) of 100+ temps — and virtually no rain from May through August stressed gardens, trees, and green spaces. Some parts of my garden look unfazed. Other areas, like the Japanese maple bed that normally benefits from runoff from the roof and driveway, are suffering. The emotional toll on gardeners can’t be measured as easily, but it’s there in everyone I talk with. Thankfully we have turned a corner, and while still hot (mid- to upper 90s) it’s now in the normal category, and the end is in sight.
Of course it’s extremes for everyone these days — the toll of climate change. I hope you get some cooler and less humid weather soon too!
“Cool” garden even in the heat. Kansas has been equally oppressive. One of my Acer palmatum ‘bloodgood” is struggling mightily and loosing branches also. However, I believe the cause was from a dry winter and being close to the house on a north wall not receiving any moisture. This has been a summer of malcontent for the garden, overrun my asiatice thugs, Asian dayflower, yellow nutsedge, bindweed, elm seedlings and of course a searching drought. Doing some renovations when it cools. Happy gardening! ~ Greggo
“A summer of malcontent for the garden” sums it up perfectly, Greggo. Here’s to fall gardening weather!
I am impressed with how well your garden fared in the unrelenting heat. Such extremes from the cold of winter 2021 to the summer of 2022—Austin gardeners and their plants are tough!
We are, but we’re tired of the extremes. I would love a gentle winter and reasonable summer next year. Think we’re likely to get it? Hah! 🙂