Choose your colors wisely. Colors have a different visual effect in the shade than in the sun, because of the way light either washes out or intensifies color. The colors that may be washed out in full sun will seem brighter — almost artificially so — in the shade. Plan your groups of plants according to texture and form, or choose a palette of two or three colors, like the blue, white and dark green pictured here.
For a cool color palette, pair sandpaper verbena with the lighter colored moss verbena (Glandularia pulchella), blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum), bush morning glory (Convolvulus cneorum) or Parry’s penstemon (Penstemon parryi). Create an attention-grabbing contrast of textures and color by planting alongside a large boulder and the blue-gray desert spoon (Dasylirion wheeleri). Opposites attract when it comes to color contrast. Pair sandpaper verbena with angelita daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis), golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii), firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatonii) or Mexican honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera) for striking color contrast. Plant in front of taller shrubs such as Blue Bells (Eremophila hygrophana ‘Blue Bells’), Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis), little-leaf cordia (Cordia parvifolia), red bird-of-paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) or yellow bells (Tecoma stans), where it will provide understory planting and color contrast with the flowers of the larger shrubs. Shown: Sandpaper verbena contrasts beautifully alonside lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina ‘Big Ears’), purple Tapien verbena (Verbena Tapien hybrids) and orange snake flower (Bulbine f...
How to use it. Plant along winding pathways or next to large boulders to appreciate its vibrant color and upright stems to their fullest extent. Sandpaper verbena is also suitable for growing on slopes and will provide a summer carpet of purple flowers. Plant in street medians, where it will thrive despite the limited soil space and hot, reflected sun.
Distinguishing traits. Clusters of deep purple flowers are held up on stiff stems over dark green foliage. Sandpaper verbena’s leaves are 2 to 4 inches long and have a rough texture much like sandpaper. The foliage is deciduous in winter but grows back rapidly from underground stems (rhizomes) in spring. While this verbena thrives in hot climates, it also handles cold winters down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. A layer of mulch will help it to handle sub-freezing winter temperatures.
Botanical name: Glandularia rigida (syn. Verbena rigida) Common names: Sandpaper verbena, rough verbena, tuberous vervain Origin: Native to Southern Brazil and Argentina Where it will grow: Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zone 7; find your zone) Water requirement: Drought tolerant once established but does best when watered deeply twice a month in summer and every three weeks in spring and fall; water monthly in winter in the absence of rain; in low-desert gardens, water weekly in summer and every two weeks in spring and fall Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 1 to 2 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide Benefits and tolerances: Drought tolerant; attracts bees and butterflies Seasonal interest: Flowers in spring, summer and fall When to plant: In spring or fall from seed or transplants
JUAN PLANTED IN MOSTLY SHADE! Flowering ground covers fill in low garden areas as they paint the ground in a layer of color. Drought-tolerant sandpaper verbena (Glandularia rigida) adds a particularly vibrant splash of deep purple in spring, summer and fall that will have butterflies flocking. Other than requiring good drainage, this South American native isn’t fussy about soil and thrives in full sun — handling temperatures from over 100 degrees all the way down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. It finds a welcome home in drier climates, where its growth is checked by the availability of water.
Control grasshoppers. Some years the grasshopper population simply gets out of control, and the damage to our gardens can be astounding. Grasshoppers will strip trees, flowers, shrubs and vegetables bare with their voracious appetites, seemingly overnight, so it pays to stay on top of this problem. There are a number of organic sprays and spreads that are available to stop grasshoppers in their path; ask your garden center for a recommendation. Or mix up a DIY remedy at home consisting of: 1 cup diatomaceous earth 1 gallon water 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses Spray the mix on vulnerable plants.
Complete a summer garden project. Summer is the perfect time to plan some creative garden projects. Add a compost bin, build a simple deck, install a water feature or make an insect habitat. Beneficial insects like ladybugs, beetles, centipedes and bees have fewer and fewer places to nest and create a habitat. These beneficial bugs are great at keeping the "bad" bugs under control. Insect habitats are a creative way of displaying dead wood, leaves, tubes, sticks, straw, hay and loose bark to encourage the good guys to stick around and do their part to keep our gardens healthy. They're also great projects to do with children, who will learn lessons about recycling, life cycles and garden health in the process.
Repel mosquitoes. Mosquitoes aren't simply a nuisance; they also carry diseases like West Nile virus for humans and heartworm for dogs. There are many things a gardener can do to minimize the mosquito population, starting with getting rid of any standing water where mosquitoes can breed. Add products like Mosquito Bits and Mosquito Dunks to ponds, birdbaths and around air conditioning drip tubes; these products and others like them contain nontoxic ingredients that keep mosquito larvae from developing into adults. You can also add mosquito-repelling plants like catmint, citronella and lemongrass to your garden, or install a mosquito misting system near your outdoor gathering areas.
Plant perennials and ornamental grasses. Now is also the time to plant perennials: black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), Copper canyon daisy (Tagetes lemmonii), cuphea (Cuphea spp), four nerve daisy (Tetraneuris scaposa), coneflower (Echinacea spp), lantana (Lantana spp), ruellia (Ruellia spp), salvia (Salvia spp), plumbago (Plumbago ariculata), sedum (Sedum spp), coreopsis (Coreopsis spp), esperanza (Tecoma stans), gayfeather and blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum).
Plant annuals and perennials. Now's the time to get your colorful flowering plants into the ground or in your containers and pots. Annuals like coleus, cosmos, pentas, torenia, zinnia, cleome and gomphrena can be planted, but be sure you know if your small transplants like sun or shade best before digging in. Perennials like salvia (Salvia spp), Mexican mint marigold (Tagetes lucida), esperanza (Tecoma stans), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), pink skullcap (Scutellaria suffrutescens) and black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) are great choices for our Texas heat.
Mulch. A 3-inch layer of mulch around all plantings will maintain soil moisture and deter weeds. In Texas use a Texas native hardwood mulch, which is shredded and resists moving during a hard rain. Mulches such as bark chips or nuggets have a tendency to wash away, leaving the soil bare and creating a maintenance issue. Irrigate. New plantings need regular irrigation to establish deep roots. Try to water toward the base of the plant rather than on the plant's leaves (which could create fungal problems); water more deeply and less often, and always follow any watering guidelines that exist in your area.
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