Color Combos
July is a good time to grab a camera and make note of inventive and attractive planting combinations.  Save the photos to use when planting time rolls around again, or go ahead and make a new container planting to brighten up a tired summer garden.

• A spectacular scene at the Dallas Garden Center this summer was a river of Purple Coneflower (Echinacea) flowing in front of a fence covered with Purple Passionflower (Passiflora caerulea).  Fantastic!!!  Plant this combo in full sun to encourage a wealth of blooms

• Variegated plants can really at spark to a garden.  Try a golden variegated Solanum jasminoides trailing out of a container planted with a shrubby purple leaf Loropetalum chinense, sometimes called 'Razzleberri'.

• The ornamental sweet potatoes are a lot of fun in the garden.  The chartreuse "Margarita" can be a bright light trailing through a flower bed, or try planting it in a container along with purple fountain grass (Pennisetum 'Burgundy Giant') .  Wonderful!

• Many people think of polka dot plant (Hypoestres phyllostachya) as having enough color on its own, but try planting it with a dwarf Calliandra.  Let the stems of the polka dot plant mingle with the branches of the calliandra - the red flowers and the pink dots play well off each other.  The Hypoestres is winter hardy in Austin, Texas and has also reseeded.

• Hot summer fun can be found in a flower pot, combine some colorful pepper plants such as pimento, Bulgarian carrot pepper, habanero, or ají limón with hot, firely yellow and orange purslane.  Just head to your nursery center and pick a pack of pretty peppers!

Pour water over couscous, cover and let stand 10 minutes.  Combine hydrated couscous, peppers, onion, black beans and cilantro in a large bowl.  Combine lime juice, oil and garlic in food processor and whirl until smooth.  Add to couscous.  Add black pepper and chill well before serving.