August,
1998
Visit Ann Marie's
garden, located in Austin, Texas
White Flowering
Calamint 
The airy
sprays of white flowers on the Calamint are adding charm to the August
garden. This plant, Calamintha nepeta nepeta, is rarely seen
in Austin, but ought to be in every garden. It is a dainty plant
with small, ovoid, green leaves that release a pleasant mint scent when
gently brushed. The eighteen inch stems are covered with a cloud
of whitish pink flowers beginning in July and lasting through the fall.
The blooms work well as cut flowers, an especially striking boquet is formed
when they are combined with shrimp plant blossoms. In the garden,
calamint is a wonderful filler between larger plants and provides nectar
for honeybees. It will look its best if shaded from the hottest afternoon
sun.
Grandma's
Yellow Buttons
Ann Marie's
mystery plant has
been identified. It is a double buttercup, Ranunculous repens
'Pleniflorus'. Many thanks to Jim Wilson for identifying it.
Mr. Wilson is the author of several wonderful books, including Landscaping
with Herbs and Landscaping with Container Plants. Ann
Marie encourages all gardeners to open the pages of these inspirational
and informative books.
The Perennial
Border 
The perennial
border, planted this spring, continues to survive the hot, dry summer.
No plants have been lost, but they also have not become the lush garden
space that Ann Marie dreams of. On the positive side, The 'Auguste
Renoir' rose had three blooms on it in July and the 'Phalaenopsis' rose
has occasional clusters of cheery pink flowers. The raspberry sherbet
colored Salvia gregii also continue to bloom and the germander
are getting much larger. Yarrow, salad burnet and lamb's ear have
made a thick patchwork in their allotted spaces. On a less positive
note, the abelia and holly fern continue to struggle with the lack of rain
and the moon and potato vines are growing oh, so sloooowly. See photos
of the current border and the
same area in 1987 or visit the young border in March,
1998.