This past December I took my first trip to Costa Rica. This beautiful country in Central America is one of the best places to see new species of birds for us aspiring birders!
I was in awe of all the amazing birds of Costa Rica I saw that were so different from the ones we have here in the United States.
Want to help pollinators this fall? Plant White Mistflower (Ageratina havanensis)! Also known by the common names Shrubby Boneset and Havana Snakeroot, the fuzzy white blooms of this native plant will bring ALL the pollinators to your yard in October and November.
We had one of the hottest summers on record here in Texas, but the Desert Willow tree (Chilopsis linearis) didn’t seem to notice! This small tree thrives in full sun and hot temps.
A lot of people have been singing the praises of Desert Willow trees lately. The beautiful tubular flowers remind me of orchid blooms. I’m going to bet that this is going to be one of the most popular native plants in Texas going forward!
What did I do on my recent trip to Las Vegas? I took a hike in search for Nevada native plants, of course! This past September, I spent a gorgeous afternoon hiking at Red Rock Canyon in the Mojave Desert. Check out these cool native plants I spotted!
If you live in Texas, you are probably used to seeing Lantana in landscaping. There are a variety of Lantanas for sale at the nursery, but Texas Lantana (Lantana urticoides or Lantana horrida) is THE one you want in your garden!
This hardy Texas native plant thrives in full sun. It is covered in orange and yellow flowers periodically throughout the growing season, from early summer through fall. It is a perennial shrub that tolerates a wide range of soils and requires little water once established.
Want a plant that thrives in full sun and blooms through the hot Texas summer? You need some Esperanza plants in your life! Also known as Yellow Bells, the scientific name for this plant is Tecoma stans. This shrub has bright yellow bell-shaped flowers paired with olive green leaves. It is one of the few Texas native ornamental shrubs that is frequently used by San Antonio landscapers. I have one in my garden and love it!
These five native Texas fall flowers not only look good, they DO good in your garden beds! They serve as host plants for butterflies and moths and provide a critical nectar source for Monarch butterflies which migrate through the state at this time of year. In fact, several of these native species are considered keystone species – some of the best pollinator plants around!
This post is for those of you that live in the San Antonio area (like me!). I am giving you my best tips on where to find native plants to purchase (or in some cases, get for free)!
Not only can native plants create an even more unique and beautiful garden than traditional landscaping plants, they require less maintenance and little water once established.
Are you headed to Banff National Park looking for a unique hike? The Sunshine Meadows hike is not to be missed! At Sunshine Meadows, you not only get gorgeous mountain views along the Continental Divide, you get alpine meadows filled with wildflowers.
