by Lydia Holley January 24, 2022
Are you tired of all the brown tones in your landscape? Fill it with evergreens. If you think a garden of evergreens might be just as boring as an all-beige landscape, think again. Several evergreens have variegated or colorful foliage. Plus, they come in a variety of forms for interest throughout the year.
For instance, sweet flag has a yellow variegation. It can grow in sun or shade, although the more sun, the more water it requires. Still, that can be a good thing if you have a low spot in your garden. Cast iron plants are easy to grow and are usually found planted under trees. Their sword-shaped foliage stands at attention, drawing your eye upward.
Evergreen shrubs can provide a second season of joy if you chose some that bloom later in the year, such as gardenia and azaleas. Carolina jessamine and cross vine are two evergreen vines which also flower. Other evergreens add additional interest. For example, rosemary delights with its spicy fragrance.
Bugleweed spreads along the ground. You can find bugleweed in plain green, almost black, or variegated varieties. Gold dust plant sparkles in the shade garden. Golden euonymus shines in full sun all years long, while cotoneasters are striking with their grayish foliage and red berries. Yaupon hollies also have red berries. So, too, does pyracantha. The berries attract birds migrating through. Some continue their path northward, while some, like the bluebirds, may stay in East Texas.
Recently, a bluebird has been checking out the nest boxes placed in my garden. According to Audubon International, bluebirds traditionally nested in the cavities of old trees. Because of increased housing and since most people cut down decaying trees, the number of bluebirds has decreased. You can attract bluebirds by installing nest boxes.
The male travels ahead of the female and locates several choices for a nest. The female then determines which house she prefers and builds the nest. They can have two or three broods each year.
A male bluebird’s coloring is brilliant, but not only are bluebirds beautiful, they are useful. They eat numerous insects, including grasshoppers. Why not add some nest boxes to your landscape now and determine where additional evergreen plants can be placed later? You will enjoy both for months and years to come.
For more information, call 903-675-6130, email [email protected].
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