What's surviving the best

I'd been wanting to survey our Wildscape and share which natives are best surviving these blazing temperatures with no rain, only faucet water. I guarantee when we replant next spring (hopefully!), we'll be selecting the species that came through this summer. 

Here are some of my picks from the back yard...

Turk's cap

Mealy sage (all varieties..they're even blooming right now)

Fragrant mistflower (No problem with the heat; this one blooms in the fall)

Texas betony (some are doing better than others)

Rock penstemon

Crossvine (also trumpet and coral honeysuckle vines are doing well)

Passionflower

Shrimp plants

Chile pequin

Wedelia (zexmenia)

American beautyberry (gets very droopy and definitely needs regular watering)

Rock rose (just an occasional drink)

Signs of life

An imperial (Eacles imperialiso) in the inland sea oats

During this extreme drought, we are watering our plants every other morning. This morning, I showered survivors in the back yard. And for the first time in a long time, I actually felt HOPE. Maybe it was because the morning air felt so cool (78 or 79 degrees). Or maybe it was because I spotted some signs of life. Whatever the case, I just felt GOOD being outside this morning. Even when the he-squirrel fussed and chattered at me....

 

A young toad!

One of our pushy eastern fox squirrels

Backyard volunteers

Plains coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria)

August 2011 in our Wildscape

Here's August...finally. Some of the plants are extra green because I'd just given them a drink of water. We water the front and back every other day, first thing in the morn, sometimes before sunrise. As you can see, we're down to dirt pretty much in the paths and unplanted areas. Even most of the "weeds" have given up! In the meantime, we've had more drought casualties, like a salvia.  

Please, Lord, bring us rain!