by Happy Gardener | Sep 3, 2026 | Groundcovers & Grasses, Ornamental Grasses
Purple Fountain Grass can provide your landscape with beauty, texture, movement, and a plant that local birds will love. With fall in our reach, it’s a great time to get some ornamental grass into your yards. This is their time to shine. The Beauty of Purple...
by Happy Gardener | Aug 26, 2026 | Native Perennials, Native/Xeriscape/Wildflowers, Xeriscape Solutions
If you’re looking for a plant that can take the San Antonio heat, blazing sun, periods of drought, and still put on an impressive flower show, hesperaloe deserves a spot in your landscape. You may know hesperaloe best as red yucca, but despite its common name,...
by Happy Gardener | Aug 20, 2026 | Seasonal & Gardening Tips, Summer Garden
When temperatures stay in the upper 90s and 100s, plants can struggle even when they’re considered “full sun” or drought tolerant. We are all feeling the heat about now, right? The goal during extreme heat is often not to push new growth or blooms; it’s to reduce...
by Happy Gardener | Aug 17, 2026 | Pests & Diseases
We recently included a survey in our newsletter and asked you about your summer gardening struggles. We had a great response and are working this week to answer all who participated individually, but a couple of struggles were so prominent that I thought I’d...
by Happy Gardener | Aug 13, 2026 | Native Shrubs, Native/Xeriscape/Wildflowers, Pollinators
Today is all about the American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana). This eye-catching plant provides flowers for tiny pollinators, berries and shelter for wildlife, and spectacular late summer/early fall interest for us gardeners. But beyond that, it also has a...
by Happy Gardener | Aug 13, 2026 | Pests & Diseases
Are your plants showing signs of weakness? Perhaps they just don’t look like they are growing healthily, or maybe you’re seeing yellow leaves or leaves dropping? Mealybugs are out and about right now, and it’s possible that they may be out and about on your...
by Happy Gardener | Aug 6, 2026 | Annuals & Perennials
Saffron may be one of the world’s most expensive spices, but you can grow it right here in San Antonio. Produced from the brilliant crimson stigmas of the Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus), this unique fall-blooming bulb (technically called a corm) rewards...
by Happy Gardener | Aug 6, 2026 | Annuals & Perennials, Pollinator Perennials
If you’re looking for a tough, long-blooming perennial that thrives in the Texas heat while attracting pollinators, Scutellaria spp. deserves a spot in your landscape. These charming well-adapted perennials produce a steady display of colorful blooms from late...
by Happy Gardener | Aug 5, 2026 | Annuals & Perennials
Are you lacking color on your hardy hibiscus or bougainvillea? Are you worried your hardy hibiscus or bougainvillea won’t make it through the winter? Let’s do a little trouble shooting and see if we caneliminate those worries and get you back to the beautiful blooms...
by Happy Gardener | Jul 29, 2026 | Annuals & Perennials, Seasonal & Gardening Tips, Summer Garden
Hardy Hibiscus vs. Bougainvillea in San Antonio, Texas If you love the lush, colorful look of tropical gardens but don’t want to replant every spring, you’re in luck. Two plants that bring bold, tropical beauty to San Antonio landscapes are Hardy Hibiscus...
by Happy Gardener | Jul 16, 2026 | Annuals & Perennials
When most people think about adding color to the garden, they immediately picture flowers. But some of the most eye-catching plants don’t rely on blooms at all. Instead, they steal the show with leaves painted in shades of burgundy, chartreuse, lime green, deep...
by Happy Gardener | Jul 16, 2026 | Annuals & Perennials, Pollinators, Summer Annuals
If you’re looking for one annual flower that delivers months of colorful blooms with very little fuss, it’s hard to beat zinnias. These cheerful annuals thrive in the Texas heat, attract butterflies and other pollinators, make excellent cut flowers, and...
by Happy Gardener | Jul 9, 2026 | Annuals & Perennials, Pests & Diseases
Summer is here and the pests have arrived. If you’ve ever walked out to your vegetable garden only to find aphids covering your peppers, squash bugs attacking your zucchini, or caterpillars chewing holes through your cabbage, you’re definitely not alone....
by Happy Gardener | Jul 2, 2026 | Annuals & Perennials, Fall Color, Native/Xeriscape/Wildflowers, Xeriscape Solutions
For many people, the word xeriscape brings to mind a yard filled with cactus, rocks, and gravel. While cactus certainly has its place in water-wise landscapes, that’s only a small part of what xeriscaping can be. Here in San Antonio, some of the most beautiful...
by Happy Gardener | Jun 25, 2026 | Annuals & Perennials, Pollinator Perennials
If you are a blue flower lover, today’s blog is specifically for you! Today we are comparing 3 varieties of salvia that all perform wonderfully here in San Antonio, Texas. These gorgeous salvias all produce abundant blue blooms, beckon to the pollinators, and...
by Happy Gardener | Jun 24, 2026 | Houseplants, Seasonal & Gardening Tips
If there’s one thing that causes more houseplant problems than anything else, it’s watering. When our gardening friends are struggling with houseplant issues, oftentimes we just have to figure out if they’ve been giving their plants too little water...
by Happy Gardener | Jun 11, 2026 | Edibles, Herbs
It’s summer! And that means plenty of BBQ invites where good friends and good food gather. Sometimes we’d rather just stay home and play in our gardens but how about combining the two? Making a few appetizers with fresh herbs will not only make you feel...
by Happy Gardener | Jun 4, 2026 | Pests & Diseases, Pollinators
For the most part, we are all pretty hip to the idea of including pollinator-attracting plants into our gardens, whether we have full landscapes or compact patio/balcony gardens. We understand the importance of protecting this incredibly vital part of our food chain....
by Happy Gardener | May 28, 2026 | Native Shrubs, Native/Xeriscape/Wildflowers, Pollinators
If you’re looking for a native plant that delivers unique beauty, pollinator power, and wildlife benefits all in one, button bush deserves a spot in your landscape. Native plants often get overlooked in favor of flashy ornamentals, but button bush proves that you...
by Happy Gardener | May 21, 2026 | Pests & Diseases
If your lawn suddenly has brown patches, thinning grass, yellowing areas, or strange circular spots, there’s a good chance fungus is beginning to move in. If fungus hasn’t arrived yet, with all the rain we’ve had lately, there’s a greater chance of...
