Polianthes tuberosa for heavenly fragrance
At mention of the word "bulb" most gardeners envision a springtime scene filled with cheery daffodils, but September in Texas brings its own crop of seductive blooms.  Oxblood Lilies (Rhodophiala bifida) and Naked Ladies (Lycoris)  appear from forgotten bulb plantings to add perky color to the sun weary landscape.  In evenings the scent of tuberoses fills the air.  In The Southern Heirloom Garden, Dr. William Welch describes tuberoses as "among the most fragrant of all garden flowers."  During the day the tall stalks of waxy white tubular flowers are visually attractive as they arise above green foliage, but after sunset, WOW!, bending down to sniff a bloom yields a perfume sweet enough to make one swoon.  A romance novel able to package that aroma on its pages would be destined to become an overnight sensation.

Botanically named Polianthes tuberosa, these members of the Agave Family are hardy to zone eight.  Ann Marie grows a cultivar called ‘Mexican Single’.  The foliage is a soft green color about fourteen inches long and one half inch wide, tapering to a point.  The flower stalk arises from the center of a rosette of leaves.  In Garden Bulbs for the South, Scott Ogden describes two other cultivars, ‘Pearl’ a double flowering form with broader, dark green leaves and a form with variegated leaves.  In The Moonlit Garden, Mr. Ogden suggests planting the bulbs in a convenient site for night viewing as the pure white of the blossoms simply sparkles under the moonlight.  Ann Marie agrees, all Southern gardeners should include these easy to grow bulbs in their spring planting lists.

Hibiscus syriacus
Leafing through The Southern Heirloom Garden by Dr. William Welch and Greg Grant has reminded Ann Marie of another fabulous and forgotten shrub, Hibiscus syriacus, often called Althea or Rose of Sharon.  This is an old fashioned plant that needs to become stylish again!  Native to India and China, it is drought tolerant, heat loving and blooms all summer long.  There are single and double forms and they come in whites, roses and lavenders.  At Horsetail Haven, Ann Marie has a charming single form whose white blooms are accented with a maroon base.  Several houses down the street is a form with double blooms the color of raspberry sherbet.  If one strolls the paths of nearby Austin Memorial Cemetery Park several more colors can be found, including one whose dark green foliage appears to be covered with blooms of pink carnations.

Hibiscus syriacus are easy to grow but can be susceptible to cotton root rot so a bed with well draining soil is the most reliable place to plant them.  However, the one at Horsetail Haven has thrived in clay that is flooded during heavy rainstorms.  Ann Marie acquired this plant by accident.  While volunteering many years ago at Blackshear Elementary School a young student proudly presented her with a small, blooming branch.  It was taken home and placed in a vase of water.  Wonder of wonders, it rooted.  It was transferred to a container of potting soil and eventually planted in the garden.  A more preferred method of propagation would be to root cuttings directly in potting soil.  The plants are also easily grown from seed, but be cautioned, what you get may be a fabulous surprise or a mud toned flower, in all likelihood it won’t resemble the parent you plucked the seed pot from.