A previous response addresses this problem very well. We are not only hot in West Texas, but very dry as well. A deep mulch is essential. Drip irrigation is not only efficient, but cost effective in terms of saving water while watering deeply. Find out which vegetables can thrive in your conditions and you should be able to garden very effectively. In Texas, the optimal gardening season is autumn. Many wonderful vegetables grow their best then. A lot of your languishing summer crops will also come to life and begin producing as the weather cools. Don't miss out on this lovely time of year to garden. Here is a link that might be useful: In the Charamon Garden

Laugh - When I saw the Skinny Dragon from ltruett I thought, 'Man, that's a lot like Lou's trees'. My "regular" Shantungs have been "meh" and didn't like the really hot days. The "Fire Dragon" didn't miss a beat. That Skinny Looks great. Metro Maples is on my drive by list if I get up that way - wish I could mail order small ones. - Hair - Truthfully, I have no idea which would survive on their own. Some of the eastern oaks I have my doubts although I did opt for more drought tolerant ones when I could. I suspect the Mexican and Cali/SW oaks would do fine given how little precip they see naturally. pH tolerance is also an unknown. The drip lines are connected to my 'tree zone' that also provides water to many of my larger landscape trees. I've backed down on the waterings this spring from last (many new 30g landscape trees went that previous fall so they need help the first summer or 3) Lacey, Bigelow, Texas Red and Live all grown naturally in the surrounding woods and it's DRY with little soil. Except for the maples, I tried to get as drought and heat tolerant as I could (caddo fits in here as well) back off on water for the oaks to see how they do. Most pics are with a Nikon D7000. Some are iPhone when I don't bring out the big gun... Couple more shots today (iPhone) Q. organensis Compton Oak Acer buergerianum More growth on Loquat Leaf Oak Mexican Blue Oak Turbinella Oak Chisos Red Oak Meléndrez Oak - I need to get more info on this one. Seems to be an evergreen version of the Chiso Red or something like that. ShuWillow Oak - Q. x moultonensis This post was edited by mattm01 on Wed, Apr 2, 14 at 0:38

Even when the fields are not in full bloom there is usually something growing and blooming out there plus there is a lot to see otherwise. As well as the really nice gift shop and their seeds they have a large nursery with lots of plants and pots, display gardens like a butterfly garden, fountains and water fall. They were working on more display gardens when I was there a couple of years ago. Here's some pictures I took. After I was there a friend told me they have discounted chipped pot section. I missed it. . There's lots to do, see, buy, and eat in downtown Fredericksburg also. I'd say it's definitely worth the trip.

June, all of my yard is part shade. They seem to do okay as long as I don't put them in the most shaded spots. bossy, I lost one Tiny Padhye that I had in the front but these are several years old now. I also prefer the clear pink daylilies but I do love Indy Teddy Bear which is a hot coral pink. It didn't do well last year so I moved it recently. I probably won't get blooms again this year.