Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - March 25, 2012
From: Driftwood, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Planting, Herbs/Forbs, Wildflowers
Title: Flowers for an August wedding in Driftwood TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
For an August 4th wedding in Driftwood, Texas we want fragrant flowers and wildflowers that we can grow in our garden. We have four raised beds (12 ft. x 6 ft.) in a fenced area in which we've grown vegetables in the past. Now the beds are empty and we want to plant some flowers that will be blooming by the end of July. Note: we have usually had a strong SE wind blowing by mid-afternoon in previous years. Any suggestions?ANSWER:
Were you planning to cut the flower for bouquets, or are they to remain in the garden as a backdrop to the ceremony? We ask this because it is about 6 months too late to have wildflowers planted from seed blooming on August 4, unless the wedding date is August 4, 2013. Most of the popular Texas wildflowers are Spring-bloomers, they plant themselves (or are planted by gardeners) in the Fall. The Spring rains (if we get them) allow the seeds to germinate, they grow, bloom and, in the case of annuals, put out seeds and die. Perennials ordinarily do not bloom until the second season for blooming so that puts the date at August 4, 2014. Sorry, we don't make the rules, Nature does.
There is a chance that you might be able to achieve your purpose because you live in Central Texas. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center will be having its Spring Plant Sale in April. Our plants will all be native to this area, and many will be blooming or will bloom by August. It wouldn't be nearly as inexpensive as buying seeds in September and planting them, but it's really the only way you are going to get native flowers for your wedding. We are going to go to the Plant Sale list, select on "herb" (herbaceous blooming plant) and August for bloom time.
Now, full disclosure: Again, this will not be cheap. You will have to measure your space and estimate what you are going to need to cover it. Determine the sun requirements for all parts of the garden and choose plants appropriate to those areas. Make a map so you won't forget which goes where. If you have deer in the area (and you probably do) don't plant that garden. The day after the plants go in, or the morning of the wedding, you will discover nothing but stems; deer loooove fresh tender young flowers. All these plants should go into the ground as quickly as possible and be watered carefully. In other words, you have a big job ahead of you to achieve the "garden in your head."
August-blooming flowers for Central Texas:
Berlandiera lyrata (Chocolate daisy)
Capsicum annuum (Chile pequin)
Calylophus berlandieri (Berlandier's sundrops)
Conoclinium greggii (Gregg's mistflower)
Echinacea purpurea (Eastern purple coneflower)
Eryngium leavenworthii (Leavenworth's eryngo)
Eustoma exaltatum ssp. russellianum (Texas bluebells)
Gaillardia pulchella (Firewheel)
Helianthus maximiliani (Maximilian sunflower)
Machaeranthera tanacetifolia (Tanseyleaf tansyaster)
From the Image Gallery
More Planting Questions
Transplant rootbound tree now from Kerrville TX
June 10, 2012 - I purchased a Blanco Crabapple tree. Should I plant it now or wait until Fall? (It is currently rootbound.)
Second question: Our Mountain Laurel has a dead trunk and one trunk has already died. I c...
view the full question and answer
Brown leaves on possumhaw holly in Grandview TX
July 02, 2009 - What would be likely causes for brown leaves on possumhaw holly? We have 2, one was planted in spring 2008, and a slightly larger one planted late winter/early spring this year. Most of the leaves a...
view the full question and answer
Perennial blooming plants for Ashland MO
April 02, 2010 - I am beginning to create a flower bed in front of my house, I do not have a green thumb so I want to know what plants would come back yearly and I can plant now in Mid Missouri?
view the full question and answer
Selecting a tree for a backyard in San Antonio, TX
May 11, 2013 - Hello Mr. Smarty Plants,
I recently moved into a home in West San Antonio right outside Loop 1604..my treeless backyard is fairly small at about 55 ft long and 15 ft wide. I am torn because I can't ...
view the full question and answer
Adjustments to soil level change around tree from Austin
May 29, 2014 - I am moving in to a new construction home in south Austin, builder has leveled the ground and sodded the front yard, I have a post oak in the front and because of the changes to the landscape the tree...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |