July Blooms

The Earth-Kind® WaterWise Demonstration Garden is pleased to  jump in on the July Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Garden Blogs all across America participate monthly, giving us a record of what’s blooming all through the year to study when planning our Dallas-Ft. Worth gardens. 

In 2011, we suffered through record breaking heat, but in 2012 our gardens are blooming again despite our normal highs of 103 degrees and only pop-up showers.  With Dallas heat and clay, we use careful soil preparation.  We add compost and expanded shale, water with drip irrigation, and mulch heavily. (For a more detailed information, read the Texas A&M AgriLife link.)

Our garden is filled with carefully chosen perennials that thrive in Dallas-Fort Worth.  Zexmenia, Knock-out roses, Mexican Petunias, several Sages, bloom all through the summer in our crushing heat and humidity.

Most of the plants can be found easily in Dallas garden stores.  Fall is the best time for planting to give plants a good start through our mild fall and winter seasons although sometimes a  wide variety of perennials is not available until early spring. Print  this  list and keep checking with your favorite nursery.

1. Stick Verbena, Verbena bonariensis

2. Knock- Out Rose, Rosa ‘Radrazz’ sp.

3.  Abelia, /Abelia x grandiflora ‘Francis Mason’

4. Transylvania Sage, Salvia transsilvanica

5. Hummingbird Bush, Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii

6. Periwinkle-Cora Vinca Series, Catharanthus roseus

7.  Trailing Lantana, Lantana montevidensis

8. Orange Cosmos, Cosmos sulphureus

9. Pink Turk’s Cap, Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummonii ‘Pam’s Pink Puryear‘

10. Mexican Petunia-Pink, Ruellia britonia

11. Phlox, Phlox paniculata ‘John Fanick’

12. Mexican Petunia-Lavendar, Ruellia brittonia

13. Red Yucca, Hesperaloe parviflora

14. Tropical Milkweed,  Asclepias curassavica

15. Jewels of  Opar, Talinum paniculatum

16. Autumn Sage , Salvia gregii ‘Navajo Rose’

17. Mealy Cup Sage, Salvia farinacea ‘Victoria’

17. Zexmenia, Wedelia texana

18. Butterfly Rose, Rosa chinensis ‘Mutablis’

19. Desert Willow, Chilopsis linearis

20. Rock Rose, Pavonia lasiopetala

21. Black and Blue Salvia, Salvia guaranitica ‘Sapphire Blue’

Ann