This looks like an awesome site to check out what plants to grow in Austin.

Barb

Here is a link that might be useful: city of austin - city of austin - native plants

I can speak to the Hollyhocks question. I am growing hollyhocks from a seed swap. They pretty much survived last spring and summer (they were very short) and have buds and are growing like mad this year. I do not know the variety, but I have them growing in a raised bed with a couple inches of compost each year.IMO, the best plants come from swaps since gardeners in your area are having success with the plants and seeds they bring to swap. I don't think it's very easy to grow peonies in Austin, but I do know that my SIL in Roundrock has some that she babies through the summer. They are pink if that helps ;-)

Pam

I am experimenting with hollyhocks in Austin... they haven't bloomed yet and I started them in early fall, but several of them--at least the leaves--are starting to get huge. We'll see... would love to know if anyone else has success with them and what kinds. However, this year I have noticed a lot of French hollyhocks growing around town and blooming at the moment (Malva sylvestris)--they are tall like hollyhocks and the blooms and leaves are a bit smaller, but they have a very similar habit as the traditional hollyhock.

I can't speak for peonies... and haven't seen them anywhere. I have heard it suggested to plant them a lot closer to the surface of the soil so they get exposed to more cold, but the ground never freezes here... and we have less frosts than, say, Dallas where probably some folks have been able to grow them. They are really beautiful, though--their fragrance especially.

One of the things I've learned here is that many of the spring blooming plants or shrubs which normally bloom either over a long spring or all summer long in the midwest or the northwest, have a very short season here. There is maybe a month and a half, at best, of temperatures in the 70s, but it frequently shoots up to the 90s during that time, and even just 3 days of 90 degree temps is enough to shrivel many cooler season blooms or vegetables. So while you can still grow these, you are usually looking for plants that are "heat-hardy" rather than "cold-hardy".. hope that makes sense!

It's funny, though, sometimes we need to try things for ourselves just to understand it or decide if we want to take on the challenge. My garden is a huge mix of native plants and low-water beds with experiments in 'what everybody says you can't grow here'... I just need to know for myself! I've been trying to grow oriental poppies for 3 years now... planting them at every time of the year, but I'm starting to think it just doesn't get cold enough to get them to bloom... and then the heat makes them really struggle and die off. ... But I love to keep trying... seeds are cheap!

The hollyhocks that I grow do not bloom until their second year.

I saw some red hollyhocks blooming in someone's yard off Sam Bass road. And I actually saw plants at the Lowe's off Lakecreek and 620. I'd never noticed the plants for sale before, just seeds. And seems like someone on this forum posted photos last year of her hollyhocks - they were like 6' tall...very impressive!

I don't think peonies grow and bloom south of I-20 :) I have a friend in Keller whose peonies started to bloom 2 years ago and just keep getting better. She has them on the northeast side of a large oak.

Lin