Shade, sooner rather than later

A giant spreading shade tree is an incredible asset to any landscape. Shade trees provide a cooler outdoor setting to gather, play or relax. They shade our homes reducing cooling costs. They add several hundred to a thousand dollars or more to the resale value…

Hungry for color: How to make bougainvillea bloom

By Lillian E. Illig Freelance Writer Way back in January when my garden was brown and bleak I remember saying with great feeling, “I am hungry for color.” The only flowers blooming then were pansies. It is now July, with the temperature at 94 degrees.…

Rhubarb: Texas Style

By Skip Richter, Contributing Editor Mention growing rhubarb around a Texas gardener and you’ll probably get a look something like either “what’s that?” or “where are you from?” Most southerners’ only experience with rhubarb has been out of a can of pie filling or perhaps…

Shade Tree Gardens

By Jan Pipher Freelance Writer Nothing is more pleasurable than gardening in Texas shade. While the lantana and okra are out baking in the sun, a tranquil canopy of dappled light and cooler temperatures makes puttering around in your summer garden a delight. While we…