Xylem & Phloem

Because I'm trying to move my front border completely over to perennials, I'm using annuals sparingly each season for filler and additional color and texture. One of my new favorite annuals for our hellacious Dallas summers are pentas. These tough little plants, formally known as Pentas lanceolata, take a lickin' and keep on kicking.

When I interned at the Dallas Arboretum last summer, these guys bloomed like champs through even the most sickening of hot August days. Jimmy Turner, my boss and director of horticulture research, would agree whole-heartedly with my endorsement of these stunners. The Pentas Graffiti series was listed among Turner's best-performing annuals at last summer's Plant Trial Field Day. Furthermore, Pentas Graffiti Violet was named a member of the North Texas Winner's Circle in 2004 by the Texas A&M Research Center at Overton. The Graffiiti series features compact plants that stay under 12" and are covered in larget clusters of vividly colored flowers. This year, I chose a subtle lavender for my bed. Here's a slideshow of my pentas. I paired the Pentas Graffiti Lavender with white Mexican Heather (another great performer in the heat) and tri-color sweet potato vine. In containers, I paired the pentas with white alyssum. Enjoy!

Click on the bottom left-hand corner of the slideshow above to access my photo gallery that features more garden photos.

Shopping Note: My pentas, mexican heather and tri-color sweet potato vine were all purchased at Nicholson-Hardie.