VOLUME 20, ISSUE 10 • March 7, 2024

Neil Sperry editor. Gretchen Drew design and circulation.

It's a lot of fun writing e-gardens stories for you this time of year. It's prime time for gardening!

In this issue…
• What's the story on "foundation plantings?"
• This weekend's main goals
• Steve Huddleston says agarita is great
• Why some plants won't grow in Texas
• Your questions and my answers.

NEIL SPERRY'S LONE STAR GARDENING
Still on sale at $34.95

A limited supply at $16*

• With 344 pages and 840 photos, it covers every detail of landscapes, lawns, fruit, flower, and vegetable gardening for every county in Texas.
• It will pay for itself in better decisions and mistakes avoided by the end of this springtime, or I will refund every penny.
• Self-published so I wouldn't have to answer to committees and the CFO of a publishing house. Also, this way, I get to sign every book as it sells.
• Book is not in stores and it's not on Amazon.

Order from my website
Or call my office
M-F 9-5 (800) 752-4769

*Note: A very limited number of our super-sale books remain at $16 from last week. These are prior printings, mis-signs (with new white labels and full signatures over my mistakes), etc. The text is the same and they're in perfect condition. These few remaining sale copies will be sold within a few hours and the offer will disappear. Don't delay! Click for details.

Photo: A branch of agarita from the Davis Mountains in Southwest Texas. I'd love to be there right now! (Photo by Neil Sperry)

Gardening This Weekend

Here's hoping you've been able to get out into the garden in the past week. We're beginning to get some great days interspersed with the rest. And, with spring break coming up, perhaps you'll have some time to get the kids involved, too.

Photo: Chansonette camellia and other winter- and spring-flowering shrubs are pruned after they finish blooming.

Agarita is a native to love
By Steve Huddleston

Steve says, "I absolutely love this plant." Many of us agree with him. It's native over big parts of the western half of the state - where growing conditions aren't always favorable. But it adapts well to our landscapes. Let Steve tell you about it.

Photo: Agarita is stunning year 'round especially while it's in fruit in late spring.

Quick Garden Tip: Foundation Plantings

I'm asked to recommend some good shrubs for "foundation plantings" fairly frequently. There's some history behind that question that most younger gardeners no longer realize. Let me explain it to you.

Photo: This landscape embodies what I'm going to describe.

Can I grow these plants in Texas?

"We moved to Texas from the Midwest two years ago. I don't see many peonies, lilacs, or cherries here? Why is that?" I'll answer for those plants and more.

Photo: Hybrid clematis - can you grow them successfully?

Q&A
Ask Neil

I answer your questions in the order in which they roll in. This week it's been tree, tree, tree, weed, weed, weed, weed. I guess we found out what the hot topics are! Nonetheless, some fun things to discuss.

And, in closing…

That's what I've assembled for you this week, but there's so much on the horizon. It's looking like a banner springtime ahead.

I'll be back with the next chapter and verse right here next week. Until then, thanks for reading…

And happy gardening!

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