Welcome to saloca's Member Page

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I live in Grapevine, Tx, between Dallas and Fort Worth. As anyone living in this north Texas area knows, this is a challenging part of the country in which to be a gardening addict.

One very basic example of this is, selecting a lawn grass: it is too hot for Fescue, occasionally cold enough to totally freeze out St. Augustine, and in this specific sandy cross-timbers land zone, for those of us lucky enough to have not killed our native Post Oak trees by building a house, it is too shady for Bermuda!

Summers are long, hot, and humid, alternating with hot, dry, and windy. Winters may be mild enough to have only a couple light freezes, or can have a brutally cold stretch that kills foundation shrubbry, as well as lawns.

Spring is our most exciting season. We stay alert for strong storms which can include sudden heavy rain, large hail, strong winds, and tornados.

Ain't it fun!!

All that aside, I have a very interesting front yard that people constantly compliment me on, so I guess I'm doing something right. I love to try new things, to mix natives (including selected "volunteers" provided by the birds) with adapted plants, lots of perenials, trying to get that mix of texture and color that works.

I'm near a lake, and have left my back yard mostly wild. I feed and watch the birds, and also enjoy the "night crew"--racoons, possoms, skunks, foxes--whatever wants to wander through and clean up after the birds is welcome.

I joke with my neighbors that, some women like to frequently rearrange their furniture; I am always rearranging my plants!

The reason I just joined this forem was to find information on a new plant. We all know how helpful the plant tags are, or most nursery employees...ahem.

I would enjoy exchanging information with fellow "Texas Tough" gardeners!

I live in: United States

My zone is: z7 DFW TX

First registered on May 12,2004.