Gardening in a Hot, Dry Climate

You can make a great garden, whatever your climate

My name is Mark Howard and I live in Dallas . I ’ve noticed many of the gorgeous garden featured in GPOD are located near the glide or in cool , rainy geographical zone . As apposition , I ’d wish to apportion some yard and garden pictures from my small , midcentury modern menage in Dallas ( Zone 8a ) . I ’ve beencontainer gardeningfor over 25 years , having live in urban apartments and a townhouse in Uptown Dallas until six years ago when I buy a fixer - upper home plate in North Dallas . The house and yard were in dire need of update and TLC . The existing St. Augustine pasture was in good shape , so I embraced the wide open space and left the lawn intact . After living with little patios for old age , it was refreshing to have a wide open infinite . I was also ferment with a small budget , so I center updates on those areas that would make the bountiful shock for the least cost .

My garden is truly divers and includes everything fromagaves , cactus , and other succulents , to bamboo , ferns , hydrangeas , andhostas . Although it ’s a work in progress , it ’s my personal oasis , and I hope you enjoy the flick .

I ’m exhort by Asiatic style , so you ’ll see Asiatic objects d’art around the property . I created a lowly Nipponese garden in a raised bottom with a fount to drown out the sound of the city . I also put in a birdbath that attracts a prissy raiment of boo admit gentle John Jay , Erithacus rubecola , carmine , mourning doves , mocker , and more . In front of the natural spring are creeping junipers(Juniperushorizontalis‘Blue Rug ’ , Zones 3–9 , andJuniperus procumbens‘Nana ’ , Zones 3–9 ) with Japanese holly ferns(Cyrtomiumfalcatum , Zones 6–10 ) , ‘ Virdis ’ Japanese maple(Acerpalmatumvar.dissectum‘Virdis ’ , Zones 5–9 ) , bird ’s nest fern(Asplenium nidus , Zones 10–11 ) , and horsetail reed(Equisetum hyemale , Zones 4–10 ) .

When I moved into my menage six twelvemonth ago , I was give the bigAgave americana(Zones 8–10 ) while it was still a infant . Since that sentence , I havepropagatedseveral babies from it . Here I have grouped them with agave(Agave parryivar.truncate , Zones 7–10 ) , gold column cactus(Trichocereus spachianus , Zones 9–11 ) , andAloe‘California Blue ’ ( zone 9–11 ) .

lounge lizard are beneficial for eating insects . This cute little green Anolis carolinensis loves living among theEnglish ivy(Hedera helix‘Needlepoint ’ , Zones 6–10 ) andbigleaf hydrangeas(Hydrangea macrophylla‘HM2 ’ Dear Dolores ™ , Zones 7–10 ) .

I ’ve always know the flavour of topiaries , so I propagated English ivy(Hederahelix‘Needlepoint ’ and ‘ Variegated Needlepoint ’ ) from one of my bed and train it on these two shapes . These are about two and a half years one-time .

I ’ve always loved horsetail reed , but it ’s quite invasive , so I keep it contained in a can . This works has existed for yard of years , and I appreciate let in such an ancient plant in the commixture .

I love the beauty of the people of colour and dangerously sharp spike on this floret - shapedAgave parryivar.truncate .

To produce a garden on the terrace , I mixed flapjacks(Kalanchoe luciae , Zones 9–12),hostas(Hosta‘Frances Williams ’ and ‘ Brim Cup ’ , Zones 3–9 ) , aloe(Aloebarbadensis , Zones 10–11 ) , and philodendron(Philodendron selloum , zona 8–11 ) in blue and dark-green pots .

This hot pinkish purslane(Portulaca grandiflora , Zones 10–12 or as an yearbook ) impart a outburst of color and blooms all summer . It hump the heat and sun !

enshroud treasures fan out throughout the garden , such as this gargoyle , make it more interesting and challenging .

Have photograph to share ? We ’d love to see your garden , a particular collection of plant you love , or a grand garden you had the hazard to visit !

To submit , send off 5 - 10 photos to[email protected]along with some information about the plants in the word-painting and where you took the photos . We ’d make love to hear where you are site , how long you ’ve been garden , successes you are gallant of , failures you learn from , Leslie Townes Hope for the future , favorite plants , or funny stories from your garden .

If you want to send exposure in separate emails to theGPOD email boxthat is just okay .

Have a mobile phone ? Tag your photograph onFacebook , InstagramorTwitterwith # FineGardening !

You do n’t have to be a professional garden photographer – check out ourgarden photography tips !

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