New Plants

I have been planting a bunch of new things in my garden this spring.

Apricot Globe Mallow
I have been wanting a globe mallow for awhile, but no one had any in stock. Finally, I found a 5 gallon variety at a local nursery.  Bigger and pricier than I would normally like, but I think that its drought resistant properties will do really well at the bottom of the front garden bed.  Wouldn't you know, as I soon as I purchase this one, I found that NG has a bunch of smaller pots.  Oh well...

Blackfoot Daisy

My black foot daisy died two years ago. For whatever reason, they never seem to last very long for me. So I was very pleasantly surprised to see two seedlings pop up where the one had died two years ago!  He is really small, but in time, perhaps he will grow as large as the original!

Artemisia Casle Powis
Now, I purchased a large amount of Artemisia in the past... and killed it all.  But that was a different variety.  And the Castle Powis is supposed to do well here in Central Texas. And they were only a dollar.... So I bought five.  I know, I always say I won't re-purchase something I have already killed multiple times, but this is a different variety. Maybe this one will stay?  I really like to foliage on this plant.

Toto Gold Rudbeckia and Angel Shasta Daisy

I planted three small Toto Gold Rudbeckia and two Shasta Daisies.  Honestly, of all the plants I purchased, these are the least likely to make it.  I have grown Rudbeckia before, and they just struggle in the string of hundred degree days in the summer.  And the only daisies I have ever had last more than a year were the Blackfoot Daisy, and I don't have a good track record though either. 

Though, on a really cool side note, I have had two previously expired Blackfoot Daisies re-seed this year.  The Blackfoot daisy in the back porch bed must have dies two to three years ago, but this year there is another little one growing in its place (or close by). And in my front bed, my Blackfoot never came back after last year's winter, but this year there are two little sprouts.  Woot!

Anyway, I purchased these five plants to add a little color in the spring.  I am not expecting much from these short-lived perennials, and in fact, one has already died.  But you never know!

Sunrise Coreopsis

Two years ago, I purchased two Sunrise Coreopsis (also from the clearance bin). One died almost immediately, but the other came back the following year, and was really pretty. But unfortunately, it did not come back after the winter this year. So, I took a chance and purchased four Sunfire Coreopsis this year.  The only Coreopsis I have had consistently come back each year is my Dwarf Coreopsis in the back porch bed.  But this could me the new hero!

Mauna Loa DayLily and two Little Busness Daylily

I love Day Lillies, and I have two Stella D'Oro ones in my back porch bed, but I really love the book of the big Daylillies.  So, when I saw these on the clearance rack for $3, I thought I'd give them a try. 

Gaura (Cherry Brandy and others)

I have grown Gaura once before in the back porch bed.  It lasted a few years, and then died. I could never figure out the watering - either too much or too little.  But they had a bunch of them for fifty cents, so I thought I'd give it another try, and bought ten of them. I really like their floating little flowers.

Galya Yellow Spark Blanket Flower

Again, I have planted Gaillardias multiple times, but never this variety.  I bought five of them to put in the front bed.

Butterfly Blue Pincushion Flower
After pulling up all of the bluebonnets, this bed looked very blank and empty.  I saw these three pincushion flowers and thought I'd give them a try.

Red Shrimp Plant