Hello fellow Texas gardners,
This is my first post here - what a great site. I'm only in my second year of gardening but it would be fair to say I'm hooked (realized that when I ran out of yard space and started looking online for whiskey barrels this week).
The last two Fall seasons, I have planted violas (not pansies) all across the beds borders in my front yard. I love them and they do beautifully until it gets hot. I've been wondering what to replace them with when they die this summer? I am putting in some rainlilly bulbs now but they won't make a great show this summer and will need a few years to spread.
Does anyone have any suggestions for what to put all along the borders that will give a similar effect (that punch of happy color like the violas) and will make it through the heat until it's viola season again in the Fall?
With much appreciation,
T
what goes in after the violas are gone?
Torenia, also known as summer pansies or wishbone plant, works well as a border. It will make it through the summer heat as long as kept watered. They come in a range of bright colors. Begonias are trouble free and stay short enough to work at the front border. Pentas are another great choice. The purple variety stays shorter than the others and would work as a border. Hope these give you some ideas.
Crow
If it's sunny, you will get the most color (with toughness) from 'Profusion' zinnias in hot pink or orange. Or periwinkle in hot pink or purple. Look for the 'Cora' variety.
Blue Daze is also a really tough, but not quite as bright. The blooms close at night but when open they are a beautiful bright blue. It's my favorite for a partial shady area, but it does just as good in the sun.
Dahlberg daisy is a cheery yellow and very tough. So is Mexican Zinnia.
Welcome to DG ~ always glad to have more people that share our passion. A favorite of mine is Melampodium. It blooms freely and doesn't seem to mind the heat as long as it has moisture. Cheerful too! http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/search.php?q=melampodium
Welcome to Davesgarden. Annuals are not my strong suite, but daisies, dianthus, and Texas Bluebells might do well.
I've grown Blue Daze and Melampodium and love them both, Be aware they get pretty tall though. I had that problem with bat face cupheas too. They all got a little too tall for the front border for me. Of course, that's relative, my plants in back of them aren't really tall, so I needed something shorter. I've not had good luck with zinnias or periwinkles. They both have fungal problems for me, but that's likely because my beds are cottage style with lots of stuff crammed in, so not great air circulation.
Here's a pic of melampodium. There are a few periwinkles in the front edge of this pic. They're the pale pink blooms. The blue to the right is plumbago.
Crow
Crow, have you tried the Profussion or mexican zinnias. I have never had a speck of powdery mildew on them, while the tall zinnias get covered. Also the 'Cora' periwinkle is a variety that is resistant to the ick other vincas get. I know Houston is more humid though.
Blue Daze does get close to a foot tall when thick.
Sweezel, I haven't tried the two you mentioned. I had so many problems with them, I gave up on them a while back. I may have to try those since you've given them good marks. My blue daze got really big. They were at least 2 feet tall. I've had to rethink where I put them since the first effort looked like they were on steroids.
On my melampodium pic, I am forever writing something and then forgetting to attach the darn photo. A mind is a terrible thing to loose. Here's the pic of that.
Crow
If its a sunny location, purslane adds lots of color and takes no care; however, the blooms close in the late afternoon and sometimes do not open on really cloudy days.
The dwarf 'New Look' pentas if you can find them are great and are butterfly magnets.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher[common]=&searcher[family]=&searcher[genus]=pentas&searcher[species]=&searcher[cultivar]=new+look&searcher[hybridizer]=&searcher[grex]=&search_prefs[blank_cultivar]=&search_prefs[sort_by]=genus&images_prefs=both&Search=Search
Dahlberg Daisy is great.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/220/
Narrow-Leaf Zinnia (Zinnia angustifolia)
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher[common]=&searcher[family]=&searcher[genus]=Zinnia&searcher[species]=angustifolia&searcher[cultivar]=&searcher[hybridizer]=&searcher[grex]=&search_prefs[blank_cultivar]=&search_prefs[sort_by]=genus&images_prefs=both&Search=Search
Thanks so much for the ideas. I appreciate it.
T
I have very few boarder type plants, but one that has worked very well is skullcap. I was thinking I might try it in front of my roses. The spots I have it in now don't get watered much.
another one to check out
Mexican heather http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/676/
It is an annual here in DFW. (never made it through a freeze)
Silverfluter ~ which skullcap please?
Crow... Wow, 2 feet for your Blue Daze! I guess my partial shade, ignored spot does not react as well. Of course it may be the time I give them. They are usually only in from May to October, when they get yanked for Pansies.
Oh Podster I forgot there are lots of different kinds. Sorry. I'll see if I can find a picture.
I think it's Texas Pink Skullcap. Judging from the pictures in PF at least, that's my best guess.
That is good to know. I have a small plant of that one in the ground. It stayed green all winter ~ I'm patiently waiting on blooms. It certainly doesn't grow very large for me...
Yes, it stays low. I don't think mine ever gets over a foot tall, but that may be because I haven't watered it. Now though I have crinums planted behind it, so I may have to water it some at least. I have some planted under a huge pecan tree too so that's very dry shade, but it's also hot shade because it's on the west edge of the drip line. Everything's an experiment in my yard.:)
I forgot I also have some planted at our shop that gets west sun and so far it's doing great. It's already blooming. Beautiful purple though - not pink.
That might be why mine stays low. In full sun with limited moisture... tough plant! Once your crinmuns are established, they won't require much water. Are they reds or white?
I wish I knew. Somebody gave them to me at a RU last year or the year before. I'm hoping they bloom so I'll know.:)