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Gardening is always a work in progress. The installation of a professional design for the front landscape
was one of the first projects, and it has greatly reduced the time required to maintain a neat appearance.

                                                                                                      — Anne, HCMG
 

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  Anne's Fall 2009 Garden

 



Welcome!


Mexican Feather grass,
Nassella tenuissima
, and mums

   The re-design of our front landscape has eliminated major problems in what was a hot, dry curb area.  The Beach vitex, Vitex rotundifolia, that spills over the stacked rock retaining wall is not native to this area, and it is considered an invasive plant on the Carolina coast, but so far it has proven to be well-behaved here in Kerrville. I cut it back in late winter and that's about it for trimming.
                    
  I prefer to use native plants such as the Mexican Mint Marigold, Tagetes lucida, (below, left) and the Autumn Sage, Salvia greggii, (below, right) because they are almost care-free and can withstand the heat and the recurring dry times of our area. And, I think they work well with the rock and "dry creek" design of the landscape.
                     

Below are more of the plantings that fill the front yard.

                  
                 Fall asters, Aster oblongifolium,                              Texas betony, Stachys coccinea
           
with  yellow lantana, Lantana x hybrida,

 

Butterflies are especially attracted to the native plants

 
Gulf Fritillary on Vitex, Agnus-castus, (different from the
Beach vitex, Vitex rotundifolia


     Queen butterfly on Gregg's mistflower,
        Eupatorium or Conoclinium greggi


Helianthus maximilianii, Maximillian's sunflower, another native,
supported by a trellis against the wooden fence in the back yard

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Photos by A Moss and C Brinkman

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