Tall Texas Plants

[MotherNature]

We just moved into our new house last November and I have just now started working on the backyard. We have one willow tree at the far corner, other than that... nothing but grass. I've planted some elephant ears in the opposite corner to try to accomplish some height. What other plants would you suggest for height and variety? I'm in North Texas.

[imagardener2]

Being just north of Dallas I would have thought you were dry to go along with having a healthy portion of hot, but you've planted a willow so I'm wondering how much rainfall you get.

Am I right in guessing that you're in Zone 7b?


With that info in hand I can give you a list of plants that work down here in South Texas that just might work for you up there.

[MotherNature]

Looks like I am in Zone 8a.

I never knew that. Please bear with me, I've always been the 'haphazard gardner' throwing things about to see what sprouts, but I've decided to put together a plan for my new yard and try to do things a bit more 'by the book."

It has been raining like crazy around here lately. At my last house I had some HUGE elephant ears and really fell in love with them. Of course it entailed really staying on top of waterings.

Also the willow tree was there before we moved in and is full grown... in fact on second thought, I'm not entirely sure that is what it is and will need to ID it.

[imagardener2]

Please bear with me

Nothing to worry about! None of us started out knowing everything. (And there aren't many that end that way, either. )

Where I live it's hot and dry most of the time so keep in mind that my list will be skewed that way.

- [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agastache]Agastache[/url]
- [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia]Salvia[/url]
- [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinacea]Echinacea[/url]
- [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaillardia]Gaillardia[/url]
- [url=https://www.floridata.com/ref/T/tulb_vio.cfm]Society Garlic[/url]
- [url=https://www.cityofaustin.org/growgreen/potw_bulbine.html]Bulbine[/url]
- [url=https://www.thegardenhelper.com/tritoma.html]Red Hot Poker[/url]
- [url=https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.floridata.com%2Fref%2FD%2Fdura_ere.cfm&ei=mR0NSIHEOoeKoAS635CUDw&usg=AFQjCNGonLIX6YgduBvDkGhmWqrZnlhJiA&sig2=wq95b7HcIm29MFQ9le7O6A]Duranta[/url]
- [url=https://www.floridata.com/ref/C/cuph_ign.cfm]Cigar Plant[/url]
- [url=https://www.floridata.com/ref/H/hame_pat.cfm]Firecracker Shrub[/url]
- [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavender]Lavender[/url]
- [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_moscheutos]Hardy Hibiscus[/url] (although it says wetlands they grow really well for me here with little, if any, added water)

Needs Far More Water
- [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrangea]Hydrangea[/url]

[MotherNature]

Thanks! Those are some lovely options!

Funny thing is I started some lavender from seeds about a month ago but they didn't make it... I'll just have to try again.

[opabinia51]

Excellant, that's the way to do it! Start some seeds and expand from there! That's what I started doing when I was in my teens.

[MotherNature]

I think I may sit down and sketch my yard, scan it and post it in a new thread... my work in progress.

[opabinia51]

Great! Check out plant sales in local nurseries as well. And be sure to read the information all over the site here on improving your soil.

I'm currently helping some people just up the road from me to improve their soil (after we attack their yard and make it look nice again.) Huge job!

Little did they know that they had a whole salad bar on the side of the house what with the chickweed, mint and so on.

[MotherNature]

Little did they know that they had a whole salad bar on the side of the house what with the chickweed, mint and so on.

That is great!!! LOL

[Garden Spider]

I second the Agastache, Salvia and Lavender--wonderful plants! Another excellent herb to use in a flower bed is Rosemary; "Arp" has light blue flowers, "Tuscan Blue" has darker blue. There is also a pink-flowering variety.

Grevillea is a winter-flowering shrub--lovely flowers.

I also like Rudbeckia and Coreopsis flowers. Crocosmia is another lovely plant.

Ornamental grasses can be a good focal point in the garden--Miscanthus sinensis "Morning Light" or "Zebrina", Calamagrostis "Overdam" or "Karl Foester". Stipa gigantea (It goes by another name, now, which I can't remember) has spectacular flower wands in summer.

[imagardener2]

I also like Rudbeckia and Coreopsis flowers. Crocosmia is another lovely plant.

I have all 3 of those in my yard and completely forgot them.... [img]https://geocities.com/d_m_g_s/emoticons/blooper.gif[/img]

Something else I forgot was [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_weed]Butterfly Weed[/url].

[faerisweet]

I am a fairly new gardener too, but since I am in the same zone as you and only about 80 miles west of Wylie, I thought I would tell you a few things that do really well here. Bearded Iris (do so well here you can find them growing in ditches and at old abandoned home sites), coneflower, black eyed susan, garden phlox, salvia (I love the raspberry pink shrublike ones I have) Texas Star hibiscus, hollyhock (the old fashioned single type) and of course lily's. I don't know if any of these would be what your looking for. Oh yes, a couple more that have done great for me are rock rose and gaura.