I’ve worked a lot on getting gardens to preform year round, and it’s difficult, especially when factors like water usage come into account too. But there are some plants to think about if August is an important time for you, and why wouldn’t it be? Summer is still amazing.

The large white flowers open in the evening only and attract bees, moths and all kinds of nocturnal insects.

One problem that people often overlook in the southwest is the need for shade gardens.

We all drive by those gorgeous, colorful perennial gardens and wish they were ours.

The Greek word for Rainbow…

The sticky smell of petunias, the cinnamon flavor of the snapdragons…

There was a year, not so long ago, in 1993, when the lilacs signaled the start of my life.

Every year is different, but this year we chose snap dragons, plum petunias, wine petunias, pink angelonia, pink and red geraniums, dusty miller, whit alyssum for the edges, red and purple verbena, trailing sweet potato vine in both green and purple, euphorbia, and, my special secret, dahlia bulbs.

One of the best blooming wisteria in Santa Fe, at one of the most garden friendly hotels in town, The Inn of the Governors.