High Plains Gardening
The gardening website of the Texas High Plains Region
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level.
Sometimes referred to as Gaillardia x grandiflora ‘Burgundy’. A cross between G. aristata and G. puchella. I’ve not been able to determine whether these are 2 different varieties, or just name confusion. They must be quite similar, nonetheless. It reseeded once for me, so I'm not sure at all. Medium water for this plant through the heat of summer will prolong blooms, as will afternoon shade. A stunning plant and prolific bloomer for your border.
Exciting perennial ornamental oregano for your low water-use or Mediterranean style garden. Spreads slowly by rhizomes and is easily propagated by root cuttings in fall or early spring. The flowers elongate as the summer progresses, eventually drying to a papery brown by summers end. In a wet fall, some new flowers may still appear. O. libanoticum is best placed to drape over a rock to showcase it’s drooping nature.
A non-invasive tansy from southern and central Europe for your low water-use bed and border that will reseed somewhat. A short lived perennial. Gray cut-leaf foliage provides an attractive white element in the garden.
Strongly aromatic.
Texas betony is a workhorse of the garden once established, putting on a plethora of scarlet blooms midsummer on. A member of the mint family with square stems, the foliage is fragrant, but the plant is not invasive as classic mints tend to be. Hummingbirds love Texas betony. Though native to the Southwest, it is found in moist crevices and steep, stony places in the mountains in moist, well-drained sand, loam, and clay. Texas betony is said to be cold hardy to -20°, however, I have not found it reliable in returning each winter. Yet, it is worth replanting.
Rounded mounds of green leaves on multi-forked stems put forth multitudes of fragrant purple/magenta flowers from summer into autumn. Flowers open in late afternoon (perhaps around four o'clock) and close in early morning. Cold hardy and heat and drought tolerant, after freezing in the fall, the top growth breaks away. Desert four o'clock emerges in the spring from a large root. Will not transplant well once established. Southwest native perennial is usually found in somewhat shaded areas.
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