Volume 5, Issue 7

July, 2009

It's official -- it's summer, and your plants need your help like never before. We have advice on enjoying summer gardening to the fullest. One way -- come see us this Saturday at Crape Myrtle Craze in McKinney. Details below.

Crape Myrtle Craze in McKinney!


It's this Saturday! Join us for tours of The Trails (thousands of crape myrtles in peak bloom), sale of rare and unusual varieties of crape myrtles, and seminars. I'll be broadcasting live 8-noon, and we'll have my fertilizers on sale (all proceeds to The Crape Myrtle Trails). Click for details.
Ask Neil

Wow! Tons and tons of questions this month. I've selected those where I can be of the best possible help. Click here to see them, or click here to send your own question and photo.

From the Sperry Garden

I love hollies. My landscape would be barren without them. I use small types, and I use tall types. I use them in sun, and I use them in shade. At any given time over the past 30 years, I've probably had 25 or more types of hollies in my gardens. Click, and I'll show you five of my all-time favorites -- two of them no longer sold in nurseries. I'll also show you the most expensive plant I ever bought.
Plant of the Month

A new elephant ear variety from Hawaii has Jimmy Turner singing its praises. Click here to read his article about shiny, showy 'Diamond Head' colocasia.
From the Magazine

The July/August issue of Neil Sperry's GARDENS Magazine celebrates summer with articles about poolscaping, backyard vacationing, and big, bold perennials. The issue also includes turf expert Mike Sutton's article on gray leaf spot in St. Augustine. Click here to read the article.
Native Son

Whenever our native son travels the state to speak to garden groups, the fringe benefits include road trip encounters with wildflowers like standing cypress. Click here to read Steven Chamblee’s story for July.
Timely Tips


Gardening things can change quickly in a Texas summertime. Keep ahead of the issues. Be alert to pests and other problems, and correct them with haste. Click for a few of the highlights.

Texas Best Fertilizers

We make two fertilizers, and you only need one or the other of them. Each is the finest of its kind in Texas, and each was the first of its kind to be named "EarthKind®" by Texas A&M. Get your plants through the summer in true Texas style. Click for details.
Rose Cuttings

In this issue, Mike Shoup of the Antique Rose Emporium muses about old roses and their compatibility with other plants in the garden. Click here to read his thoughts on roses and companions such as herbs and grasses.
July Events

Botanical gardens around Texas offer fun in the sun plus fireworks and concerts after dark this month. Click here for details about events of special interest in the coming weeks.
Wild About Texas

When other garden plants are wilting in the heat, many Texas natives are blooming their best. Andrea DeLong-Amaya of Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center gives readers an introduction to cool plants for hot summers. Click here to read her article.
One-Week Special Offer!

Get our three best-selling posters/detailed charts (100 Best Landscape Plants, 100 Best Annuals and 120 Best Perennials, all written specifically for Texas) and a 1-yr. subscription to our magazine, all for only $37.95. (Posters would be $36 if bought separately.) Call 1-800-752-4769, or click to order now.
SPCA

Meet Prancer, Luke, Ike and Domino, deserving pets who are waiting for loving new homes at Metroplex area SPCAs. Click here to read about them and to learn more about fleas and the dangers they pose to your pets.
Refer Us to a Friend

Thanks for checking in on e-gardens this issue. Please let others know about us. You’re our best source of growing our numbers, and we really need your help. Click here to send them a sample.
Pest Check

A&M entomologist Kimberly Schofield tells the fascinating story of the tarantula hawk, a wasp that is generally harmless to humans but can deliver a powerful sting if provoked. Click here to read her article.
    Neil Sperry's e-gardens newsletter

      Neil Sperry - Publisher
      Carolyn Skei - Editor
      Gretchen Drew - Administrator

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In Closing …

That's it for this issue of e-gardens. If you enjoyed it, let your friends know. Stay safe, and keep the water hose handy! Until next time …

Happy gardening!

Neil Sperry