Gardening in Houston's humidity and heat is no easy feat. Add in hurricanes, floods and unprecedented weather extremes, it's a wonder any of us attempt it at all.

Last year, February 2021 hit us with winter storm Uri, giving us single digit temperatures and a rare citywide snow. Though it took out many plants, it actually seemed to refresh some of them. December 2021 turned out to be the warmest December on record and was followed by on and off again light freezes. If we thought an unprecedented snowstorm was hard on our plants, these fluctuations seemed to have knocked them all out of whack.

We long-time gardeners have become used to the rhythm of our gardens. We know when our azaleas should be at their peak, we look for the leafing out of our deciduous trees and we wait expectantly for the bulbs to shoot forth with their green foliage, knowing that a color riot of daffodils, tulips and freesia is not far behind.
This year, all bets are off. I am not a gambling woman, but if I was, I would not place odds on my flowering plants and shrubs this year. I have three large azaleas that started putting out buds in February, then sporadic blooms in March. Finally, this week, they are starting to hit their peak, though a number of the blooms are already past their prime. It's the same with my neighbors' azaleas. It hasn't been a stellar year for them. And my roses are lagging this year, too.

The loropetalum, however, is more stunning than I have ever seen it in the 13 years that I have lived in this house. It was planted many years ago and was pruned quite heavily a while back by the utility company's "take no prisoners" style of chopping at plants around the power lines. I have also noticed other loropetalum specimens in my neighborhood making a fabulous show this spring.

For new and experienced gardeners alike, the mild temperatures and the sunny days of early spring awaken our senses and a trip to the garden center opens up a number of possibilities. It's always best to have some plans ahead of time before dropping some Benjamins on shrubs, trees and flowers for the yard. March and April are the equivalent of Black Friday for nurseries and garden centers. Unlike other retailers, though, they don't have to offer cut-rate prices for their wares. They know that homeowners get planting fever and that they will pay top dollar for those Encore azaleas.
It's okay to splurge if you have a place to put those pricey shrubs. And yes, it might be hypocritical advice coming from a writer who let five Encore azaleas sit in their pots for three years because she was indecisive. Don't do that. Make sure you have time and energy to get it all done.

Also, don't be too quick to cut back or dig up some of last year's plants. Check for new growth at the base and give some plants another couple of weeks to leaf out. Saving previous plantings can help reduce the cost of landscaping.

We have some tips for livening up your homestead with color and adding some curb appeal to incite envy in your neighbors. But mainly, gardening with ornamentals and flowers is about bringing joy into your own surroundings. Some of us like loud and in-your-face colors, others prefer peaceful greens. Whether you want a feeling of Zen or a party on the patio, plan ahead for value and reward.

Shrubs
Every garden needs foundation plantings. New homes with virgin landscapes can be daunting. For those who can afford it, a landscaping designer can help map out plans for a space that will provide trees for shade, shrubs for backdrops and plenty of room for plantings in the future. For those without the funds for professional help, the internet and yes, the library, are good resources for ideas and basic planting information.

Azaleas are a popular landscaping shrub in the South. They are evergreen all year and put on quite a show in early spring, especially in older areas of town that have specimens that are decades old. However, one of the chief downsides of old-fashioned azaleas are their once-a year bloom. In 1997, Louisiana native, Robert "Buddy" F. Lee brought his first Encore cultivar to market, after decades of cross-breeding, begun when he was a teenager on his parents' farm, according to Southern Living magazine. Encore varieties are available in numerous colors and bloom three times a year. Still, the old varieties are beautiful as well and can last for many years.
Other flowering shrubs that are good for Houston include camellias, which can be shrubs or trees, according to the variety. For those of us who wish we could grow peonies, camellias are a great alternative. Oleander is also a popular landscaping shrub but gardeners should give them space because some can grow quite large. Experts recommend keeping them away from home foundations, driveways and patios. Along a back fence, they make a nice focal point. They are toxic, so homeowners with small children, and pets with an affinity for chewing, should keep that in mind.

Old-fashioned favorites like brunfelsia (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow) and brugmansia (Angel's Trumpet) are beautiful and older relatives or neighbors might be able to share some cuttings from their plants. They are easy to propagate from cuttings, though it will be a few years before they bloom profusely.
For a warmer color, bottlebrush plants put out fiery red spikes in the summer and make a quick-growing privacy hedge. There are evergreen shrubs like viburnum that put out white blooms, then berries. I have two different types, one that was planted by the previous owners decades ago with blooms that smell like cat pee and a viburnum tinus, that has no scent but pretty reddish-tinged white blooms.

Fragrant Plants and Flowers
Gardens should be about all the senses and smell is probably the most important one next to sight. If a plant delivers on both, it's extra-valuable to a gardener. Many people think of roses but the truth is, many modern roses lack strong fragrances. For those that do, try Angel Face (lavender), Double Delight (creamy white with red), Fragrant Cloud (coral-red), Gertrude Jekyll (pink) and Mister Lincoln (crimson red). I grow Mirandy, which is a deep, dark red and smells like a Crabtree and Evelyn soap. New Dawn is a wonderful climber in my garden and though some books say it is fragrant, I find it to have just a slight fruity scent.

For those who need a fast-growing ground cover or climbing vine, star jasmine is very fragrant and puts out white pinwheel-shaped blooms in mid to late spring and somewhat into summer. If used as a ground cover, it should not be for walking areas because of the tangle of vines.  Carolina jessamine puts out yellow tubular flowers and can be seen in the older residential areas of Houston.

There are different types of wisteria that bloom briefly in spring. However, evergreen wisteria blooms all summer and is not invasive like the Chinese, Japanese and American varieties. It's still very vigorous and will cover a pergola in just a few years. The blooms are very fragrant (some people say TOO fragrant) and are a reddish-purple. Despite being termed evergreen, it will usually lose its leaves in the winter.

Annuals and Perennials
Annuals are plants that grow, flower and die in one season. Usually. In Houston, however, that is often not the case. If our winters are mild, many so-called annuals will survive to bloom another year, and sometimes, more. I have jacobinia plants that are going on their fourth season. My pentas died back with the very last freeze but are coming up from ground level. They are a definite workhorse in the flower bed.

There are a number of annuals that can be planted now. A couple of weeks ago, I planted snapdragons, dianthus and stock. They may peter out in a month or two, but I am already planting petunias, lobelia and zinnias to carry me through to summer. Lobelia is normally a cool-weather plant but I found them late this year, on sale at the grocery store. I absolutely love them and they will sometimes make it well into June. They are gorgeous in pots or hanging baskets, especially when the dark blue types like Crystal Palace are planted with pink geraniums or petunias.

Container gardens requires frequent watering in our heat but they also give patios, balconies and porches pops of color. Plants also make hardscaped areas feel cooler.
Buying plants in flats can be costly but for those who want color now, it's the only way, unless you started seeds months ago. I just sowed zinnia and cosmos seeds straight into the flower bed this week so they should be blooming within the next three months, maybe a little earlier. Both are easy to grow from seed but zinnias will inevitably get powdery mildew or a leaf spot fungus at some point in the season. It usually doesn't affect the blooms and zinnias are an excellent cutting flower. Those with large gardens can plant sunflowers now. Along fences, morning glories can be sown in-ground and will grow very quickly.

Perennials are a great way to have dependable plants return each year but they are more expensive upfront. Still, an occasional splurge can be gratifying. I found a plant that was new to me, lithodora, this year. Like lobelia, it spreads and has tiny but spectacular blue flowers. The plants were three times as much cost-wise but with care, they will last a few years at least. Plumbago is also a reliable perennial plant that can be found in blue or white. It will die back in really cold weather but it should come back from the roots. In warm temps, it can become shrub-sized.

Don't forget geraniums for instant gratification. For six or seven bucks, they add color to containers and window boxes and can last for a few years if they aren't neglected.
Another splurge for me is hydrangeas. I always hesitate at the expense but I never regret it. They don't do as well in Houston as other climates but they are so pretty, that even a few blooms make an impact. For all our hard work, we gardeners deserve to treat ourselves.

There are so many options for gardeners and each person has their favorite flowers and plants. A garden is very personal, or, at least, it should be. It also should be a place of refuge for you and your loved ones. Whether you have small children, basketball-playing teenagers, a pack of rescue pups or a bird-watching partner, a garden should be a place for everyone in the household. Consider what your ideal piece of paradise should look like, then get out and make it real.