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An easily grown, old-time favorite, Creekside Nursery offers Turk’s Cap in shades of red and pink. This native Texas plant can handle sun, but does really well in partial to full shade. The unique flowers that never completely open are usually produced in showy profusion during hot weather from mid-to late summer through early fall. The protrusion of the stamen above the spiraling petals brings to mind the shape of a Turkish turban. Tolerant of both heat and humidity they are a great shrub-like plant for a background border since they can grow upwards of 5 feet with a similar width. Attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds for the nectar, they also attract birds and small wildlife for the apple-flavored red fruits produced after the bloom season.

This member of the mallow family does well in most conditions. Rock Rose will bloom April to November with a pretty pink bloom. Native from the Edwards Plateau to the Rio Grande plains, it has a very low water needs and is highly drought tolerant. This plant can reach to 4 feet tall. Does best in full sun but, can handle part shade. This plant is not completely deer resistant but it is not their first food choice. Attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

This variety of Ruellia is a drought tolerant, durable perennial that handles heat and humidity and continues to bloom all summer-long, without deadheading. Bluish purple, petunia-like funnel-shaped flowers nestle in a background of narrow, green leaves. The shape and color of the flowers give it its other common name of Mexican Petunia. Easy to grow and maintain, they are shade tolerant but flower best when grown in sunny areas. If they get too tall or leggy for your preference, just cut them back to a few inches above the ground and they will quickly regrow and soon return to flowering. Katie Ruellia is considered disease, insect and deer resistant and is also usually evergreen in frost-free areas.

A favorite dryland native wildflower, Melampodium Blackfoot Daisy prefers sandy, well-drained soils and gravel mulch. It doesn’t do well planted in clay. With decent rains, but not excess water, it will flower almost all summer, covering itself with 1" wide, white petal, yellow centered daisies on tidy, mounding plants. It loves full sun, but it’s also great in light shade. Blackfoot Daisies bloom from early spring through fall. It self-seeds easily, but is not invasive. Give it a haircut now and then to remove spent flowers and encourage more flowering. Blackfoot Daisy is hardy to well below zero and is equally hardy in our hot Texas summers.

Society garlic is an attractive ornamental plant from South Africa whose leaves have a garlicky odor. Southern gardeners can grow it year-round outdoors; it tolerates summer heat well and blooms for months. The plants do best in full sun and in light, sandy soil. Plants grown in part shade may send up a few flowers, but the bloom period will be shorter. Full sun is a must for good flowers! A leafless stalk 1 or 2 feet tall holds seven to 20 flowers above the foliage in an umbel. Society garlic, excellent as an ornamental, has an alter ego in the kitchen. The leaves can be chopped like those of garlic chives and added to stir-fries, salads, soups or egg dishes, wherever you’d like a hint of garlic.