still hot

[texasgrandma]

We are heading toward breaking the record for days over 100 degrees that was set in 2000. It will be 104 or so tomorrow which is close to where the temperature has been for the last several days. Almost all the plants in the garden have died. The basil is hanging on and I think the sage and thyme are still there. The rosemary and lavender are doing fine but I think an oregano I transplanted from someone else's garden is not going to make it. I think the mint died also but that was an experiment anyway. I may have planted it too late to have a chance. If I can find some when the weather gets cooler (September?)I'll try again. I have a bed that I don't care if mint takes over. I have another I want to enlarge once the weather cools and plant with native drought tolerant perennials and maybe some irises that are not growing where they are. I think they need more sun and right now they are in an area that is always shaded. I can then plant some shade loving plants that are also adapted to the conditions here in Austin. I would like to try yuccas and some grassy plants or ground cover other than ivy.

Comments

[crafty_packrat]

The rosemary might do okay as it's a Mediterrean plant and likes kind of dry climes.

You should be able to find some variety of mint that is perfect for the area. Maybe you'd have luck with Corsican mint, which should do fine in dry rocky soil, is good ground-cover, and actually tolerates being walked on.

Yucca works, maybe agave and cholla as well? I don't think you want creosote, though it's really drought resistant -- it's also kind of icky, since it's other name is tarbush.