Xeriscaping

Left alone, sometimes nature provides the prettiest and easiest to maintain gardens. Technically, this is called Xeriscaping. In layman's terms Xeriscaping is using plants that are indigenous to your area  . ..these plants normally require a minimum of care. They have acclimated themselves to the soil, temperatures, available sunlight and water to thrive in that particular area.

Each spring these orange and lavender plants appear in my Memory Garden and I leave them to their own volition.


I call the lavender plant (I have no idea what the botanical name is) a 'wild geranium' simply because the bloom is shaped like a geranium. The organge flower is the Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa ). As the name implies, this plant beckons butterflies (and hummers) by the tons. Both are gorgeous this time of year and I did absolutely NOTHING to create this scene . .nature did it all!



I first noticed the 'wild geranium' long before I began establishing the garden - and decided that this is where my first garden would be....LONG before I'd ever heard of 'Xeriscaping.'

You  will see the Butterfly Weed growing by the roadside almost anywhere in the south. If you decide to dig one, be sure and dig deep (have a man with you, if possible -  as these tubers grow deeply) to get the entire tuber . .it is another ''no care" plant. With deadheading, the Butterfly Weed will continue to bloom until frost.

When 'wild geranium' blooms out, I let it go to seed for next year and then overplant with annuals. Next year, I'll be blessed with the same scene - only bigger and better!