Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, I've got special guests this hour, and I wanted
to tell you about it. We are bringing Danny Linderman
from Enchanted Forest Garden Center down there just south of
fifty nine Richmond Rosenberg. Hey, Danny, what's up.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:16):
I'm doing good. I appreciate you coming on today. I
do realize that you probably have a bass boat park
somewhere that isn't occupied by you today, So thanks for
taking time to be on Garden Line.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I wish that was a case. I've already been out
of here watering.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Oh my god.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Plant.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yeah, that's the truth, especially in containers. It's good to
have you I've had. I've asked Danny to come on
today because I want to talk about pollinator plants. And
they do as good a job as anybody I've ever
seen when it comes to bringing in plants that bring
in pollinators. And you know, whether we're looking at a
time when bees are often struggling at the all the
(01:00):
things they have to deal with. Uh, and then everybody
loves to have butterflies in the in the garden and whatnot,
So we're going to talk about those kind of things.
If you've got a question about pollinators, it could be
bees or butterflies or the plants that bring them in.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
You welcome to give me a call here on Guardline.
We can talk. You can talk to Danny and I
at seven one three two one two fifty eight seventy four. Now,
if you've got a question on other gardening things, well
we're going to hold those until the nine o'clock hour,
uh to open it up more. But Danny, I, uh,
I would just like to kind of, I guess start
off by, uh, you telling me about some of your
(01:39):
favorite plants that you have there at Enchanted Forest for
bringing in those kind of things. What are some that
you know, it's a great easy plan. Like if I
were going to recommend one or two or three plants,
these probably should be on that list because they're just
that good.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Yeah, always always Lantana and salvia. Those are always my
top two picks. And then we kind of branch out
from there. Greg's mist is another great one. Greg's miss
is the natives, so that that helps too. But yeah,
there's so many, so many good ones like African blue basil.
It is amazing for attracting pollinators. It's crazy.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Oh, I've got one of those. I've got one of
those in my in my garden and it makes a
big bush, but it just blooms and blooms and blooms,
and the bees they line up down the block to
get on that. I mean, basil blooms in general, honeybees
love those, but that African blue, it's just like it's
like Disney World for bees. They love it.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Yeah, that that is that is true. That is true.
I was going to tell you the story last night.
I was I was coming in the house and it
was already dark out, probably nine thirty or so, and
I'll walk by a spider lily that's blooming at the
house and I had to do a double take. I
thought I saw something there, and it was a giant
humming bird moth sitting there just oh wow, eating up
(03:03):
those spider lily flowers is unbelievable. I love. I love
to see those things. If oh yeah, if you have never,
if you have never seen a hummingbird mothy, you need
to you need to try to attract those to your
to your garden because they are You're so right neat
to watch.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
They are. And for those of you listening that are going,
what's that, well, it's it's a moth. It's almost as
big as a hummingbird. I mean they're huge, but they
fly like a humming bird. They sit there and hover
in midair, and they can be flying over a flower
while their long tongue goes out there and drinks nectar
out of the flower. And you know, they don't have
to land necessarily to feed on the flower. That they
are cool. You know you mentioned that that bloom the
(03:45):
lily things that are that bloom white at night and
have a fragrance seem to really attract those things.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
In exactly exactly, Yeah, it was. I really love those
things because they don't move like a humbingbird's afraid of you.
The hummingbird moth doesn't care. You could you could pretty
much catch it right there in your hand, and so
it's really great for pictures and videos, you know.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Bringing uh well, I tell you, we got about thirty
seconds here before I have to go to my first break.
But when we come back, I want to talk about
some of the strategies for bringing these in beyond just
the plants. We're going to talk about a lot more plants,
I'm sure, but strategies like you got to feed the adults,
you got to feed their babies and when it comes
(04:30):
to butterflies especially, and just kind of that approach to it.
And we'll be right back with Danny Lenderman. Denny, thanks
for thanks for being on again today. We'll be right
back with you in just a second. We are visiting
with Danny Linderman have Enchanted for Us nursery down in
the Richmond Rosenberg area, and we're talking about things related
(04:51):
to pollinators and plants that bring in pollinators, including those
beautiful things we love to see, the flying flowers called butterflies. Danny,
I I appreciate you being back with us, and what
I'd like to talk about are some of the strategies
for bringing things in. I kind of did a teaser
for we went to break there, you know, about taking
care of the adults and taking care of the larva
(05:12):
as well. Do you want to comment a little bit
all on that.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Yeah, I mean, so flowers, flowers are very important to
bring in the butterflies, right, and so to keep the
butterflies around, you'll need a host plant. So that's where
they lay their eggs, and their eggs will hatch on
that plant and the caterpillars will hatch out and eat
those plants and then they'll be bait and turn into
(05:40):
a butterfly again. So the cycle continues. And that's where
it's very important to have the host plants. You know,
flowers attracted them in and people worry about, oh what
color whatever, flowers, flowers, flowers, flowers, the more flowers, the
better out flower type of attracting anything.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Good. That's a good point. So you know, like monarchs
are real popular now and people concerned about the populations
of monarchs and whatnot. Uh, you know, you have a
You mentioned Greg's missflower earlier, and boy, I tell you,
when we get especially late summer fall season and that
thing just loads up with blooms. The monarchs and queen
(06:20):
butterflies are loaded on that thing. But the monarch baby
wants some milkweed around. And I know you guys can
carry several kinds of milkweed milkweed there at at in
Chenna forest, right.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, several different natives. And
then you know, we always are tropical in the trup.
Some people are you know, down on the tropical, which
I understand, but you know, definitely we always carry tropically
to natives and that is that has been been a
real hot item. Natives in general have have just exploded
(06:53):
over the last couple of years.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Yeah, that that is true.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
And when I was out at your store, I always
like to and you go at the back, you know,
you walk in the front and go at the back
of the store off to the right. You've got all
those plants that attract butterflies out there. But also in
the store, I noticed you carry seeds of things the
native milkweed, the Sclepias tuberosa called butterfly weed, the orange
(07:18):
red flour. You got the showy milk weed as well
with its pink flowers. You got antelo porns with those
little pomp pom balls of white flowers, and I don't know,
probably some others as well. But you've got a lot
of seeds for folks that you know, want to go
that route, in addition to the plants themselves.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
You bet, No, seeds are always fun. It's always nice
to build to buy a plant. A lot of times
we'll have caterpillars on the plants already, and so you
can take take home a plant ready to ready to
have your own butterflies.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Yeah, it's kind of like, you know, you go get
sour dough starter from your neighbor, so you can come
home and get you your own sour dough bread going.
This is kind of like butterfly Starter. You buy the plants,
Danny will throw in a free larva or two to
go with it. Because there's plenty around your place. I
think you could probably go to Kansas City, Kansas. You
(08:15):
could probably go to Kansas City, Kansas and interview a
migrating caterpillar and he'd say, I'm on my way to
in Jennet Forest because you guys have some stuff down there.
They know they plenty for their babies to eat, and
you don't spray to get rid of them. So that's
a good thing, right right, Well, you mentioned Salvias. That's
one of my favorite, and you guys have ash I,
(08:36):
I mean, the other Danny and Jenny Forest was telling me, y'all,
I had like almost ninety kinds of Salvi's or something,
just a whole bunch of.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
I don't know how many we have, but it's unbelievable
the number we have. That's something for everybody.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Yeah, yeah, that's my favorite genus of plants as Salvia's,
you know, asking me to pick my people always ask me,
you know, Skip, what's your favorite plant. It's like, come on, man,
just like asking me my favorite kid. I know which
one it is, but I'm not gonna tell you. But anyway,
when it comes to plants, Salvia's man, there's so many
(09:17):
good ones. Uh in their Texas tough too, that's another
good sure. Well we were talking about some some favorite plants.
Uh uh, what are some other ones that you like?
Uh maybe for the blooms, uh to bring in some
of the different kinds of adult butterflies.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Well, you know, so, so I like passion vine for
the gold friddler. That that is a beautiful, beautiful flower,
and then that the little butterflies is a cutie. But
that passion vine is one of my favorite vines, which people,
you know, kind of overlooked. That citrus is a good
(09:55):
one for the giant swallow tail, and that's uh, you know,
citrus and sitters have been getting a bad name the
last couple of years because the freezes. But if you
can figure out a way to protect it or leave
it in the pot, the giant swallowtail is one of
the you know, prettier and giant butterflies. Aristolochia, the pipe
(10:17):
bine swallowtail is as probably one of the prettier ones,
not the biggest, but prettier. It said, aridescent, kind of
purple purple black color, and that is one of my
favorite butterflies.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Yeah. So when you when you have larva food plants,
you just have to be patient because caterpillars are gonna
gonna chomp them up. But the most sience plants bounce back.
They can they can take the abuse.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
I know some people that will allow a few caterpillars
to remain and move the others off. But however you
want to go about it. But yeah, that's a good thing.
I love. I love the Golferdllarry butterfly. And you're right
about that passion. Fine, my gosh, yeah, I go nuts
on it.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
It's unbelievab.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Yeah, that's a good one. One of my favorite plants
is well, some of our natives that I like. I
like the turks cap for example. You know, it brings
in a yellow and also I think a white butterfly
that comes into it. But it is you talk about
a bulletproof plant. Put it in some put it. You
(11:22):
don't water it, I mean it, it just keeps going
and hummingbirds like that too. By we're not re featuring
hummingbirds in this conversation, but I can't help but put.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
That out because yeah, turk cap is great. We have
one out in the parking lot in the full sun,
and we have one back in by the creek in
the full shade, and both of them are just you know,
oh yeah, rock solid.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Are Yeah, those are outstanding.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Fire bush speaking of something with butterflies and hummingbirds and
beautiful fire bush is a good one too.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
And I know y'all that's a great plant too, you bet.
Joe Joe another good one.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
I like, Okay, Joe pie and described described Joe. When
you say weed, people go, huh, I'm on planing a
weed described.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
I would described as a little you know, puffball, almost
similar to the Greggs Greggs missed. Okay, all right, that's
a good that is that's a good one. And then
the actress, I don't know if I mentioned Lee actress
already really good one.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
I think, oh yeah, pentas yeah, Oh that's a butterfly.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Yeah, and that and that's more of an annual, which
is fine. But they are a great a great plant.
Most of most of these that we've been talking about
our perennials. So you plan them once and they'll come
up next spring again after the winner.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Well, having a little of each one, you know that.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
That's that's what it is. Diversity. The diversity, I think
is the key to the life there.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
I posted something to our Guardline Facebook the other day
and it was a picture of Pride of Barbados.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
It's also called Silpinia as one of the names. It
has these gaudy orange and yellow flowers and orange red
and yellow. And I like to say that if you
had a yard full of pink flamingos and you had
a Pride of Barbados in the yard, no one would
notice the pink flamingos.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
That plant is so.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Gaudy that all the eyes go to it. And you
got one in the corner of your parking lot. And
I'm telling you, every time I'm around one, I see
the yellow swallow tail butterfly on them. They love those things.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Yeah, that's a really really good plant, really good plant.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Yeah, that's a good one. Oh and I saw you
mentioned golfredlare. I've seen those on Pride of Barbados too.
I love that plant, you know, And it's so hot
that you don't even want to think about going outside. Uh,
Pride to Barbados says, get out of my way. I
can do this, and it goes out and heat.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
And humidity and it's a it's a great plant for
the winter. You know, it'll freeze back and come right
back next next spring. We were, you know, during that
bad freeze in twenty one, we were concerned that they
won't they wouldn't come back. But they all bounced right
back like like nothing happened. There.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
You go, that's it.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
They are.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
They're a good one. I always tell people we got
listeners that are a little further north. You know, you
get up around oh I don't know, uh maybe north
of College Station, especially Huntsville direction and whatnot, and you
can lose one up there. But if you just moltch
the base with a good thick covering of maults for
the cool season, uh, it'll it'll keep them and they'll
(14:50):
come back. It's a good one.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Yeah, that one in the parking lot has been there
for years.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Oh has it? Okay, Well, that's a good one. Any
other kind of particular plants that you're especially fond of
when it comes to bringing in the butterflies. Say to
say that again, any other plants that you particularly fond of.
I just like to give folks a lot of different
plant ideas, But when it comes to bringing in the butterflies.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Durant is another one of my favorites. Back so back
in during Harvey, we flooded out here and we had
a Duranta bush and that was the only thing sticking
out of the water that had flowers on it. And
I bet there was a thousand butterflies on that thing.
There was an unbeliever.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
It is beautiful. And then you get the little yellower.
The yellow berries that follow the flowers are also attracted.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Right right now, That's cool? Yeah, I like that.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Well, I'm up against a half hour break here, which
is going to be the news, so uh, it's a
hard break for me. We're going to go to that.
We're visiting with Denny from Enchanted Forest down in the
Richmond area. If you haven't listened to Garden Line before,
you probably haven't heard me talk about them. But if
you listen once, you have and it's a great place.
I love to go in there. Number one, I like
(16:13):
I like the way it's laid out. I think it's
just a really beautiful, cool place. But the giant shade trees.
You know, now that it's summer and it's hot and
people are like, I don't want to be out in
the sun. You go to Enchended Forest and you can
shop in shade and really enjoy all these things we're
talking about down there, And I hope you'll stop in
and say hello to him when you're there. Danny, we're
(16:34):
going to come back in just a second with you
and continue this discussion. Maybe we'll take it in a
little bit of a b direction for a while when
we come back. If you got any questions on any
kind of pollinator plants, give us a call here on
Guarden Line. Welcome back to the guard Line. Good to
have you with us. We're visiting with Danny Linderman from
Jenny Forest down in the Richmond area. I uh, we're
(16:56):
talking about pollinators and been spending some time on butterflies.
We would I think we'll switch over here a little
bit and talk about some honey bees or bees in general,
not just honey bees. We got a lot of other
great bees. If you have a question and you'd like
to ask about plants to attract pollinators in general. Give
us a call. You can reach Danny and I hear
(17:18):
at seven one three two one two fifty eight seventy four.
So we're going to bring Danny back in here, Danny,
I was. I was just going to tell you. I
think that your employees impress me. They are friendly and helpful,
and I always enjoy coming in and being trigued like that.
But I have to complain about to your employees that
are just not holding up their end of the bargain,
(17:41):
and that one of them is Taco and then the
other one is Hazel, And every time I show up,
they're sleeping, they're laying around, they're not getting anything done.
So I just have to let you know that.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Yeah, no, that I hear that quite often. The bad news.
Tapa is retired, by the way, folks. Yeah he's he's
he went home with one of the employees. He I
guess got a little old and I think he got
in a little ruckus with another another furry friend, and uh,
(18:16):
we decided it may be better for him to go
into retirement.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Okay, good. Well, you know, the last time I saw him,
he was a little beat up. He kind of looked
like you veteran of foreign wars there, so I can
understand by the way, folks, Taco and Hazel are cats.
But yeah, we hang around the plastic. Yeah I knew,
I knew that.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
But yeah, people are going.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
There, you go, people are going skipt calling on employees
on the radio. I'm talking about two cats, folks. Well,
let's talk a little bit about pollinator plants in general.
You know, things that attract bees and and other things.
You got any other kinds of favorites.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
But before the break you mentioned Duranta and you know,
well I mentioned Durant and you mentioned the yellow berries
on it. But what what stands out to me when
you mentioned that was the holly. Holly's in general, any
holly that that berries is a pollen. Netters love the
flowers on it, bees especially, and then the birds come
(19:22):
back and eat the berries. So that is a really
really great plant for for you know, multiple different angles.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
That that is true. And in addition to all the
great you know holly shrubs that you see out there,
we have to remember that our yopan is a holly.
And boy, when yopan blooms, those honey bees and others
are they're they're happy with it.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
As you said, that's a good bed, you bet.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
What what are some other what are the other good
plants that you like? You mentioned African blue basil, and
that one, of course is a bee magnet. Uh, any
other plants that you like particular as far as bringing
in the and pollinators.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
So you know, we're going we're going into fall, maybe
not quite yet, but we're going to be in the
fall soon. And one of the things that popped in
my mind is dientus diantis, or the butterflies seem to
be attracted to dianis. As we go into fall, we've
kind of run out of the vents, the lantanas, all
these other things, but the dientis are one thing that
(20:22):
will hang around during the fall. And the pollinators really
like the dientis. That is a really good plant and
a tough plant. Right, It's not a it's not a
wimp of a plant. So which is good, right? Right?
Speaker 1 (20:36):
And uh, you know, when it comes to the bees,
we have so many good ones. I mean, everybody knows
honey bees, and we need to take care of those
because they too are having to deal with some struggles
that have arisen in recent years. But when you think
about bumblebees and all of the other kinds of bees
that are native. There's so many kinds of native bees
(20:57):
out there. Having them come to the gardens. Number one,
it does you the service of pollination.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
And anybody growing things to eat like squash and stuff
that has to be cucumbers and whatnot that has to
be uh be pollinated. Uh, you're going to benefit from
that as well. But I think it's interesting to see
them out there and watch them, watching them do their work.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Yeah. No, that's that's what I usually tell people. You know,
we're walking around. They're wanting to know which flower, you know,
attracts what plant, And I'm just stay here for a
second and watch and you can tell which which plant
that the bumblebees or the honey bees or the butterflies
are going to go to. It's easy to see them
in action. But the bumblebees seem to really like the
(21:39):
like black and blue salva, kind of a tubular shape.
They they'll crawl in there and own anything you can
see as they're hind end sticking out, they're just you know,
in it to win it. To watch them they go
after it.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Yeah, I've watched them crawl into the Mexican petunia flowers too,
and I'm you know, it's just like, uh, it's just
like something whistling inside a tosac when they get in
that bloom start. It is cool. And I've done what
you said sitting at your place, just being still a
while and looking at a table full of flowers and
(22:14):
and just noticing the things that come. I wouldn't kidding
while ago when I said, you know that you could
go to Kansas City and run across a butterfly that's
on his way down there because there there's so many
they've learned, you know there. Your food for them is
there every year, and they're going to show up. And
that's that's something people need to realize about building their
garden is if you build it, they will come, you know,
(22:35):
like like humming birds for example. Maybe maybe the first
year they're not going to find a place, but one will,
and then then more and then more, and the more
you build that out, it'll just be it'll be the
must stop on their travels, uh to stopping at your place. Sure,
get to enjoy them. Yeah, I uh.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Were talking about we're talking about all the almond verbina.
Almon verbena is one of my favorites. And the fragrance
off of that plant is you know, outstanding. So which
is a really good one to two punch plant.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
That is a great one. And I had one in
the backyard there when it's it's like it is kind
of an almond vern vanilla kind of smell, but it
is so strong and it gets on the wind. And
in fact, Denny, one thing I've done is where I
have a back patio sitting area. Uh, the predominant breeze
(23:35):
is southwest around here, and so I will plant these
things on the southwest. You know, I got a broog
Manci out there. They're fragrant at the end of the day.
I've got an osmanthus they're fragrant at the end of
the day. And the almond verbina and white butterfly gingers
and things, and you sit on that patio and that
breeze comes blowing by and it is intoxicating all the
(23:58):
wonderful smells that you can enjoy.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
So just to just to it's it's neat to walk
through the nursery when when all these things are in
boom and you can you know, people are asking, what
does that smell? What does that smell. It's kind of
funny taking to the plant that's making that smell and
you're like, how cow can you smell it so far away?
I'm like, well, that's what that's what it does.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
One year we had a with extension. We had a
group of people that came down from all over the country, uh,
down to San Antonio Botanical Gardens, and we're giving them
tours and stuff. And we were walking out through there
and all of a sudden we turned the corner and
somebody said, what is that smell? And what it was
was it probably the gaudiest smelling plant on earth, and
that is Texas Mountain Laurel with those big old costumes
(24:44):
of grape black blooms. I mean, that syrupy thing was
hanging on the air and it's like it's like a
load of bricks. But I think fragrance is important. I
can't walk by plants without smelling them. You know, if
you don't want me touching your rosemary, if you don't
want me touching your copper canyon daisy, then don't plant
them in your yard. Because I love that citrus pine,
(25:05):
a copper canyon daisy. And uh and you know another one, uh,
and I know you guys have these. They're intended for
us and Richmond. But Boodleias. Someone called earlier about boodlias.
You know it kind of had started dwindling a little
bit on the blooming, and I was telling them, share
it back, fertilize it and water and it'll be right back.
Those are attractive to butterflies. And some of the boodleas
(25:25):
really have a nice.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Fragrance right now. They're a good They're a good group
of plants. And there's dwarfs and there's big ones. Right,
so you almost like a Salvian. You can pick anything
and then you know you want a short one, great,
you want a pink one, great, you want a blue
one great. There's so many different colors and so many
different sizes. So Budley is a really plan it is.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
It is wonderful. Yeah, so many plants, so little time
or space. Uh, but that is a good, dependable one. Yeah.
Vitex is a good one.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
You know it.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
When it's spring, everything wants to bloom.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
And in summer it's like not so many options. We
got some great ones, quite a few great ones, but
not like spring. But boy, Vitext just laughs all the
way through summer, kind of like Craig Martle does. But
that's a good one and I've seen some nice butterflies
on it as well.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Uh, that's you bet, you bet option for those, and
now nowadays that we have Dwarf Dwarf vitext as well,
So if you don't want a big plant, yes, you
can go with the Dwarf actexts.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
There there that is that is really uh what a
pug something I'm trying to think.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Of the name of the No, that's the Delta series.
The Delta series will be the Dwarf, and there's the
there's the flip side. There's the flip side vitext too,
which is a really neat plant. It's got a different
color under under the foliage which is really neat, and
the wind, the little breeze blows and it kind of
teeter totters around. It's it's really neat cool.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Well, well, any other plants that you like for pollinators?
I mean it could be butterflies too, but bees and
other pollenases.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
Bottle bottle brush, so bottle brush used to be very
very popular before all these freezes started happening. But that
is a really really be attracting plant right there. I mean,
the little red flowers just totally covered up with honey
bees during the during the spring, and people always come in, oh, no,
(27:29):
we couldn't have this buy our sidewalk because all the
all the bees on it, and so I usually, yeah,
I could run my hand inside the plant with all
the bees on it and pull it back out and
then look at them. They're like, how come they did
invite you. I'm like, because they don't want me, they
want the flowers. It's it's kind of you know, people
are afraid of them, but they're they're they're not there
(27:51):
for you. They're they're doing their business.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
That's a really good point to make, especially those honey
bees that you know when they sting you, they give
their life to do that. Now they'll die to protect
their babies. If you get near the comb and the
young and all that, yeah, they'll come after you. But
in a flower, I mean, I guess if you grab
a flower and start smashing it with a b inside,
well okay, that's a little different. But uh, I work
(28:16):
around bees all the time and they not a problem
at all. That's a good point to make.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Yeah, No, they're they're they're totally totally gentle. H.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Some of the Hibiscus and Hibiscus family relatives can be
attractive to We have a number of those, from the
big old dinner plate size hibiscus to the tropicals. But
the althea, the southern is another good one. Yeah, that's
a good one to have. Uh. You know one of
my one of my favorite plants is the oh gosh's
(28:49):
my plank, oh cone flower. The cone flowers echination, right,
and now there's so many colors. I still like the
old regular purple ones, you know, because I think they
they probably are among the toughest of the acinatious. But
if you like colors, if you want something you can
cut and bring inside as a cut flower, but then
something to bring in the butterflies and the bees, they'll
(29:09):
they'll do that as well too. And I know you
guys care quite a few of those, don't you.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Oh yeah, yeah, we have so many different colors of
cone flowers. It's unbelievable. You know, we hadn't talked about
diyro diyrolys is a really good plant. I'm not sure
if you're familiar with diyralis.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
That's so I am really I posted a video post
a video on Facebook for those of you who follow
the garden Line Facebook page. Go look, I don't know.
A week less than a week ago, I posted one
with me by a Trialis, and I cannot quit singing
the praises of that plant, Danny. I mean, I know
(29:44):
a very few plants that just bloom and bloom and
bloom and bloom and bloom and like Trialis. And if
you want it to be more compact or bloom more,
just share it back because it blooms on terminals. So
every time you share it, what was one bloomhead, now
you get two or three sprouts out there, and now
you got two or three more. And that is a
great plant.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
It is, it is, you know.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
I'm told them the deer don't like like it either.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Yeah, I think it's this deer resistant. I mean, so
I always tell my customers it's resistant, not proof. Right.
So the deer when they get hungry enough or or
or and like during the drought during this time of year,
they all eat anything they need to to survive. So
resistance and proof are two different things.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Yes, yes, they're they're not deer proof. I used to
have a list of deer proof plants. But the deer
came into my office and opened the file drawer, found
it and ate it. Uh, And so I don't have
that list anymore. Yeah, seriously, No, I grew up. I
grew up in South Texas and I can remember, you know,
(30:54):
hunting season for deer. You would find deer with literally
a punch of cactus thought horns in their mouths because
they were so angry. They were literally eating prickly pear,
which is a sad situation, but that that goes with
what you just said, and that's they get hungry enough,
and you know, kind of all that's are off.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Yeah. So Mexican olive, I don't know. I'm sure you're
familiar with Mexican olive. Mexican olive is a great small
tree and humming birds seem to be on that thing
all summer long that.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
Their light flowers oh desert.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Well yeah, yeah, they're both really good, you know, small
small trees, right, so you've got to have a little
bit of room for them. But they are both really
good plants for hummingbirds. Humming birds seem to be on
those things all the time and they bloom.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
All and the Mexican olive is a little on the
coal timber side, but for those listening down a little
further south in the listening area, and I wouldn't I
wouldn't try one in Huntsville unless you unless you want
to replant it each year. But uh, it's a it
is an outstanding I love that plant. I love the
beautiful white flowers. And but the desert willow. It used
(32:07):
to be we just had the native one. Now there
are all kinds of like Bubba is one that's more
burgundy in the in the color, and but there are
others that are out there. And I know you guys,
I think Carrie more than one kind of desert willow. Probably.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
Yeah, we we have a couple of different varieties of them.
They're they're a really good planet.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Really, folks. If you want to, if you want to
know what one looks like as it gets older and bigger, Uh,
you go up to to enchanted forest. Take a look
off to the left. I think it is left of
your of your front of your store. You got a
big plant there, Am I right about.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
The direction exactly? Okay, Yeah, that's been there for twenty
years or so.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Wow, that's a good one. Well, and it can take
the drought, but like a lot of drought plants, you
want to make sure they get adequate drainage. You know,
we have we don't have a whole lot of plants
in general. They just want to live in a swamp.
There's some that can take that, but most of them.
Good drainage is important, and especially as we bring these
things from the west over here east, like the Texas
(33:08):
Mountain Laurel or the desert willow or there's other examples
of those. Uh, make sure they're kind of high and
dry that they get or the soiled drains adequately where
they are, uh, just so you have best results with them.
You know.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
We we had all those plants, We had all those
plants out there during during the flood during Harvey, and
they all stood underneath the water for a week. So
they can they can take the water, but they don't
want to have every day. Wow, that's amazing. That's good
to know.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Yeah. Yeah, uh And it now, is your soil pretty
clay out there? Or what do you have?
Speaker 2 (33:45):
That pretty pretty much clay?
Speaker 1 (33:49):
All right? Good? Well? Uh, how about some other plants?
Got any other ideas we can talk about here? We've
got a few minutes left before we're done.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
Let's see, well, sell you a fire fire cracker plant.
You know, it's called a lot of different things, but
kind of the ferny foliage, that's a really neat plant
for texture in the landscape. And the little tubular flowers
also attract the hummingbirds and the bees and the butterflies.
But that's a look just plant for text texture.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
I do too, And I just realized, Danny, I blew
right past the break. I gotta take a quick break here.
Well, I've got special guests this hour, and I wanted
to tell you about it. We are bringing Danny Linderman
from Enchanted Forest Garden Center down there just south of
fifty nine Richmond Rosenberg. Hey, Danny, what's up.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:16):
I'm doing good. I appreciate you coming on today. I
do realize that you probably have a bass boat park
somewhere that isn't occupied by you today, So thanks for
taking time to be on Garden Line.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I wish that was a case. I've already been out
of here watering.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Oh my god.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Plant.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yeah, that's the truth, especially in containers. It's good to
have you I've had. I've asked Danny to come on
today because I want to talk about pollinator plants. And
they do as good a job as anybody I've ever
seen when it comes to bringing in plants that bring
in pollinators. And you know, whether we're looking at a
time when bees are often struggling at the all the
(01:00):
things they have to deal with. Uh, and then everybody
loves to have butterflies in the in the garden and whatnot,
So we're going to talk about those kind of things.
If you've got a question about pollinators, it could be
bees or butterflies or the plants that bring them in.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
You welcome to give me a call here on Guardline.
We can talk. You can talk to Danny and I
at seven one three two one two fifty eight seventy four. Now,
if you've got a question on other gardening things, well
we're going to hold those until the nine o'clock hour,
uh to open it up more. But Danny, I, uh,
I would just like to kind of, I guess start
off by, uh, you telling me about some of your
(01:39):
favorite plants that you have there at Enchanted Forest for
bringing in those kind of things. What are some that
you know, it's a great easy plan. Like if I
were going to recommend one or two or three plants,
these probably should be on that list because they're just
that good.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Yeah, always always Lantana and salvia. Those are always my
top two picks. And then we kind of branch out
from there. Greg's mist is another great one. Greg's miss
is the natives, so that that helps too. But yeah,
there's so many, so many good ones like African blue basil.
It is amazing for attracting pollinators. It's crazy.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Oh, I've got one of those. I've got one of
those in my in my garden and it makes a
big bush, but it just blooms and blooms and blooms,
and the bees they line up down the block to
get on that. I mean, basil blooms in general, honeybees
love those, but that African blue, it's just like it's
like Disney World for bees. They love it.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Yeah, that that is that is true. That is true.
I was going to tell you the story last night.
I was I was coming in the house and it
was already dark out, probably nine thirty or so, and
I'll walk by a spider lily that's blooming at the
house and I had to do a double take. I
thought I saw something there, and it was a giant
humming bird moth sitting there just oh wow, eating up
(03:03):
those spider lily flowers is unbelievable. I love. I love
to see those things. If oh yeah, if you have never,
if you have never seen a hummingbird mothy, you need
to you need to try to attract those to your
to your garden because they are You're so right neat
to watch.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
They are. And for those of you listening that are going,
what's that, well, it's it's a moth. It's almost as
big as a hummingbird. I mean they're huge, but they
fly like a humming bird. They sit there and hover
in midair, and they can be flying over a flower
while their long tongue goes out there and drinks nectar
out of the flower. And you know, they don't have
to land necessarily to feed on the flower. That they
are cool. You know you mentioned that that bloom the
(03:45):
lily things that are that bloom white at night and
have a fragrance seem to really attract those things.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
In exactly exactly, Yeah, it was. I really love those
things because they don't move like a humbingbird's afraid of you.
The hummingbird moth doesn't care. You could you could pretty
much catch it right there in your hand, and so
it's really great for pictures and videos, you know.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Bringing uh well, I tell you, we got about thirty
seconds here before I have to go to my first break.
But when we come back, I want to talk about
some of the strategies for bringing these in beyond just
the plants. We're going to talk about a lot more plants,
I'm sure, but strategies like you got to feed the adults,
you got to feed their babies and when it comes
(04:30):
to butterflies especially, and just kind of that approach to it.
And we'll be right back with Danny Lenderman. Denny, thanks
for thanks for being on again today. We'll be right
back with you in just a second. We are visiting
with Danny Linderman have Enchanted for Us nursery down in
the Richmond Rosenberg area, and we're talking about things related
(04:51):
to pollinators and plants that bring in pollinators, including those
beautiful things we love to see, the flying flowers called butterflies. Danny,
I I appreciate you being back with us, and what
I'd like to talk about are some of the strategies
for bringing things in. I kind of did a teaser
for we went to break there, you know, about taking
care of the adults and taking care of the larva
(05:12):
as well. Do you want to comment a little bit
all on that.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Yeah, I mean, so flowers, flowers are very important to
bring in the butterflies, right, and so to keep the
butterflies around, you'll need a host plant. So that's where
they lay their eggs, and their eggs will hatch on
that plant and the caterpillars will hatch out and eat
those plants and then they'll be bait and turn into
(05:40):
a butterfly again. So the cycle continues. And that's where
it's very important to have the host plants. You know,
flowers attracted them in and people worry about, oh what
color whatever, flowers, flowers, flowers, flowers, the more flowers, the
better out flower type of attracting anything.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Good. That's a good point. So you know, like monarchs
are real popular now and people concerned about the populations
of monarchs and whatnot. Uh, you know, you have a
You mentioned Greg's missflower earlier, and boy, I tell you,
when we get especially late summer fall season and that
thing just loads up with blooms. The monarchs and queen
(06:20):
butterflies are loaded on that thing. But the monarch baby
wants some milkweed around. And I know you guys can
carry several kinds of milkweed milkweed there at at in
Chenna forest, right.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, several different natives. And
then you know, we always are tropical in the trup.
Some people are you know, down on the tropical, which
I understand, but you know, definitely we always carry tropically
to natives and that is that has been been a
real hot item. Natives in general have have just exploded
(06:53):
over the last couple of years.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Yeah, that that is true.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
And when I was out at your store, I always
like to and you go at the back, you know,
you walk in the front and go at the back
of the store off to the right. You've got all
those plants that attract butterflies out there. But also in
the store, I noticed you carry seeds of things the
native milkweed, the Sclepias tuberosa called butterfly weed, the orange
(07:18):
red flour. You got the showy milk weed as well
with its pink flowers. You got antelo porns with those
little pomp pom balls of white flowers, and I don't know,
probably some others as well. But you've got a lot
of seeds for folks that you know, want to go
that route, in addition to the plants themselves.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
You bet, No, seeds are always fun. It's always nice
to build to buy a plant. A lot of times
we'll have caterpillars on the plants already, and so you
can take take home a plant ready to ready to
have your own butterflies.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Yeah, it's kind of like, you know, you go get
sour dough starter from your neighbor, so you can come
home and get you your own sour dough bread going.
This is kind of like butterfly Starter. You buy the plants,
Danny will throw in a free larva or two to
go with it. Because there's plenty around your place. I
think you could probably go to Kansas City, Kansas. You
(08:15):
could probably go to Kansas City, Kansas and interview a
migrating caterpillar and he'd say, I'm on my way to
in Jennet Forest because you guys have some stuff down there.
They know they plenty for their babies to eat, and
you don't spray to get rid of them. So that's
a good thing, right right, Well, you mentioned Salvias. That's
one of my favorite, and you guys have ash I,
(08:36):
I mean, the other Danny and Jenny Forest was telling me, y'all,
I had like almost ninety kinds of Salvi's or something,
just a whole bunch of.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
I don't know how many we have, but it's unbelievable
the number we have. That's something for everybody.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Yeah, yeah, that's my favorite genus of plants as Salvia's,
you know, asking me to pick my people always ask me,
you know, Skip, what's your favorite plant. It's like, come on, man,
just like asking me my favorite kid. I know which
one it is, but I'm not gonna tell you. But anyway,
when it comes to plants, Salvia's man, there's so many
(09:17):
good ones. Uh in their Texas tough too, that's another
good sure. Well we were talking about some some favorite plants.
Uh uh, what are some other ones that you like?
Uh maybe for the blooms, uh to bring in some
of the different kinds of adult butterflies.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Well, you know, so, so I like passion vine for
the gold friddler. That that is a beautiful, beautiful flower,
and then that the little butterflies is a cutie. But
that passion vine is one of my favorite vines, which people,
you know, kind of overlooked. That citrus is a good
(09:55):
one for the giant swallow tail, and that's uh, you know,
citrus and sitters have been getting a bad name the
last couple of years because the freezes. But if you
can figure out a way to protect it or leave
it in the pot, the giant swallowtail is one of
the you know, prettier and giant butterflies. Aristolochia, the pipe
(10:17):
bine swallowtail is as probably one of the prettier ones,
not the biggest, but prettier. It said, aridescent, kind of
purple purple black color, and that is one of my
favorite butterflies.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Yeah. So when you when you have larva food plants,
you just have to be patient because caterpillars are gonna
gonna chomp them up. But the most sience plants bounce back.
They can they can take the abuse.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
I know some people that will allow a few caterpillars
to remain and move the others off. But however you
want to go about it. But yeah, that's a good thing.
I love. I love the Golferdllarry butterfly. And you're right
about that passion. Fine, my gosh, yeah, I go nuts
on it.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
It's unbelievab.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Yeah, that's a good one. One of my favorite plants
is well, some of our natives that I like. I
like the turks cap for example. You know, it brings
in a yellow and also I think a white butterfly
that comes into it. But it is you talk about
a bulletproof plant. Put it in some put it. You
(11:22):
don't water it, I mean it, it just keeps going
and hummingbirds like that too. By we're not re featuring
hummingbirds in this conversation, but I can't help but put.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
That out because yeah, turk cap is great. We have
one out in the parking lot in the full sun,
and we have one back in by the creek in
the full shade, and both of them are just you know,
oh yeah, rock solid.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Are Yeah, those are outstanding.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Fire bush speaking of something with butterflies and hummingbirds and
beautiful fire bush is a good one too.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
And I know y'all that's a great plant too, you bet.
Joe Joe another good one.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
I like, Okay, Joe pie and described described Joe. When
you say weed, people go, huh, I'm on planing a
weed described.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
I would described as a little you know, puffball, almost
similar to the Greggs Greggs missed. Okay, all right, that's
a good that is that's a good one. And then
the actress, I don't know if I mentioned Lee actress
already really good one.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
I think, oh yeah, pentas yeah, Oh that's a butterfly.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Yeah, and that and that's more of an annual, which
is fine. But they are a great a great plant.
Most of most of these that we've been talking about
our perennials. So you plan them once and they'll come
up next spring again after the winner.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Well, having a little of each one, you know that.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
That's that's what it is. Diversity. The diversity, I think
is the key to the life there.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
I posted something to our Guardline Facebook the other day
and it was a picture of Pride of Barbados.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
It's also called Silpinia as one of the names. It
has these gaudy orange and yellow flowers and orange red
and yellow. And I like to say that if you
had a yard full of pink flamingos and you had
a Pride of Barbados in the yard, no one would
notice the pink flamingos.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
That plant is so.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Gaudy that all the eyes go to it. And you
got one in the corner of your parking lot. And
I'm telling you, every time I'm around one, I see
the yellow swallow tail butterfly on them. They love those things.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Yeah, that's a really really good plant, really good plant.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Yeah, that's a good one. Oh and I saw you
mentioned golfredlare. I've seen those on Pride of Barbados too.
I love that plant, you know, And it's so hot
that you don't even want to think about going outside. Uh,
Pride to Barbados says, get out of my way. I
can do this, and it goes out and heat.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
And humidity and it's a it's a great plant for
the winter. You know, it'll freeze back and come right
back next next spring. We were, you know, during that
bad freeze in twenty one, we were concerned that they
won't they wouldn't come back. But they all bounced right
back like like nothing happened. There.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
You go, that's it.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
They are.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
They're a good one. I always tell people we got
listeners that are a little further north. You know, you
get up around oh I don't know, uh maybe north
of College Station, especially Huntsville direction and whatnot, and you
can lose one up there. But if you just moltch
the base with a good thick covering of maults for
the cool season, uh, it'll it'll keep them and they'll
(14:50):
come back. It's a good one.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Yeah, that one in the parking lot has been there
for years.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Oh has it? Okay, Well, that's a good one. Any
other kind of particular plants that you're especially fond of
when it comes to bringing in the butterflies. Say to
say that again, any other plants that you particularly fond of.
I just like to give folks a lot of different
plant ideas, But when it comes to bringing in the butterflies.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Durant is another one of my favorites. Back so back
in during Harvey, we flooded out here and we had
a Duranta bush and that was the only thing sticking
out of the water that had flowers on it. And
I bet there was a thousand butterflies on that thing.
There was an unbeliever.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
It is beautiful. And then you get the little yellower.
The yellow berries that follow the flowers are also attracted.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Right right now, That's cool? Yeah, I like that.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Well, I'm up against a half hour break here, which
is going to be the news, so uh, it's a
hard break for me. We're going to go to that.
We're visiting with Denny from Enchanted Forest down in the
Richmond area. If you haven't listened to Garden Line before,
you probably haven't heard me talk about them. But if
you listen once, you have and it's a great place.
I love to go in there. Number one, I like
(16:13):
I like the way it's laid out. I think it's
just a really beautiful, cool place. But the giant shade trees.
You know, now that it's summer and it's hot and
people are like, I don't want to be out in
the sun. You go to Enchended Forest and you can
shop in shade and really enjoy all these things we're
talking about down there, And I hope you'll stop in
and say hello to him when you're there. Danny, we're
(16:34):
going to come back in just a second with you
and continue this discussion. Maybe we'll take it in a
little bit of a b direction for a while when
we come back. If you got any questions on any
kind of pollinator plants, give us a call here on
Guarden Line. Welcome back to the guard Line. Good to
have you with us. We're visiting with Danny Linderman from
Jenny Forest down in the Richmond area. I uh, we're
(16:56):
talking about pollinators and been spending some time on butterflies.
We would I think we'll switch over here a little
bit and talk about some honey bees or bees in general,
not just honey bees. We got a lot of other
great bees. If you have a question and you'd like
to ask about plants to attract pollinators in general. Give
us a call. You can reach Danny and I hear
(17:18):
at seven one three two one two fifty eight seventy four.
So we're going to bring Danny back in here, Danny,
I was. I was just going to tell you. I
think that your employees impress me. They are friendly and helpful,
and I always enjoy coming in and being trigued like that.
But I have to complain about to your employees that
are just not holding up their end of the bargain,
(17:41):
and that one of them is Taco and then the
other one is Hazel, And every time I show up,
they're sleeping, they're laying around, they're not getting anything done.
So I just have to let you know that.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Yeah, no, that I hear that quite often. The bad news.
Tapa is retired, by the way, folks. Yeah he's he's
he went home with one of the employees. He I
guess got a little old and I think he got
in a little ruckus with another another furry friend, and uh,
(18:16):
we decided it may be better for him to go
into retirement.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Okay, good. Well, you know, the last time I saw him,
he was a little beat up. He kind of looked
like you veteran of foreign wars there, so I can
understand by the way, folks, Taco and Hazel are cats.
But yeah, we hang around the plastic. Yeah I knew,
I knew that.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
But yeah, people are going.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
There, you go, people are going skipt calling on employees
on the radio. I'm talking about two cats, folks. Well,
let's talk a little bit about pollinator plants in general.
You know, things that attract bees and and other things.
You got any other kinds of favorites.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
But before the break you mentioned Duranta and you know,
well I mentioned Durant and you mentioned the yellow berries
on it. But what what stands out to me when
you mentioned that was the holly. Holly's in general, any
holly that that berries is a pollen. Netters love the
flowers on it, bees especially, and then the birds come
(19:22):
back and eat the berries. So that is a really
really great plant for for you know, multiple different angles.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
That that is true. And in addition to all the
great you know holly shrubs that you see out there,
we have to remember that our yopan is a holly.
And boy, when yopan blooms, those honey bees and others
are they're they're happy with it.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
As you said, that's a good bed, you bet.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
What what are some other what are the other good
plants that you like? You mentioned African blue basil, and
that one, of course is a bee magnet. Uh, any
other plants that you like particular as far as bringing
in the and pollinators.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
So you know, we're going we're going into fall, maybe
not quite yet, but we're going to be in the
fall soon. And one of the things that popped in
my mind is dientus diantis, or the butterflies seem to
be attracted to dianis. As we go into fall, we've
kind of run out of the vents, the lantanas, all
these other things, but the dientis are one thing that
(20:22):
will hang around during the fall. And the pollinators really
like the dientis. That is a really good plant and
a tough plant. Right, It's not a it's not a
wimp of a plant. So which is good, right? Right?
Speaker 1 (20:36):
And uh, you know, when it comes to the bees,
we have so many good ones. I mean, everybody knows
honey bees, and we need to take care of those
because they too are having to deal with some struggles
that have arisen in recent years. But when you think
about bumblebees and all of the other kinds of bees
that are native. There's so many kinds of native bees
(20:57):
out there. Having them come to the gardens. Number one,
it does you the service of pollination.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
And anybody growing things to eat like squash and stuff
that has to be cucumbers and whatnot that has to
be uh be pollinated. Uh, you're going to benefit from
that as well. But I think it's interesting to see
them out there and watch them, watching them do their work.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Yeah. No, that's that's what I usually tell people. You know,
we're walking around. They're wanting to know which flower, you know,
attracts what plant, And I'm just stay here for a
second and watch and you can tell which which plant
that the bumblebees or the honey bees or the butterflies
are going to go to. It's easy to see them
in action. But the bumblebees seem to really like the
(21:39):
like black and blue salva, kind of a tubular shape.
They they'll crawl in there and own anything you can
see as they're hind end sticking out, they're just you know,
in it to win it. To watch them they go
after it.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Yeah, I've watched them crawl into the Mexican petunia flowers too,
and I'm you know, it's just like, uh, it's just
like something whistling inside a tosac when they get in
that bloom start. It is cool. And I've done what
you said sitting at your place, just being still a
while and looking at a table full of flowers and
(22:14):
and just noticing the things that come. I wouldn't kidding
while ago when I said, you know that you could
go to Kansas City and run across a butterfly that's
on his way down there because there there's so many
they've learned, you know there. Your food for them is
there every year, and they're going to show up. And
that's that's something people need to realize about building their
garden is if you build it, they will come, you know,
(22:35):
like like humming birds for example. Maybe maybe the first
year they're not going to find a place, but one will,
and then then more and then more, and the more
you build that out, it'll just be it'll be the
must stop on their travels, uh to stopping at your place. Sure,
get to enjoy them. Yeah, I uh.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Were talking about we're talking about all the almond verbina.
Almon verbena is one of my favorites. And the fragrance
off of that plant is you know, outstanding. So which
is a really good one to two punch plant.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
That is a great one. And I had one in
the backyard there when it's it's like it is kind
of an almond vern vanilla kind of smell, but it
is so strong and it gets on the wind. And
in fact, Denny, one thing I've done is where I
have a back patio sitting area. Uh, the predominant breeze
(23:35):
is southwest around here, and so I will plant these
things on the southwest. You know, I got a broog
Manci out there. They're fragrant at the end of the day.
I've got an osmanthus they're fragrant at the end of
the day. And the almond verbina and white butterfly gingers
and things, and you sit on that patio and that
breeze comes blowing by and it is intoxicating all the
(23:58):
wonderful smells that you can enjoy.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
So just to just to it's it's neat to walk
through the nursery when when all these things are in
boom and you can you know, people are asking, what
does that smell? What does that smell. It's kind of
funny taking to the plant that's making that smell and
you're like, how cow can you smell it so far away?
I'm like, well, that's what that's what it does.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
One year we had a with extension. We had a
group of people that came down from all over the country, uh,
down to San Antonio Botanical Gardens, and we're giving them
tours and stuff. And we were walking out through there
and all of a sudden we turned the corner and
somebody said, what is that smell? And what it was
was it probably the gaudiest smelling plant on earth, and
that is Texas Mountain Laurel with those big old costumes
(24:44):
of grape black blooms. I mean, that syrupy thing was
hanging on the air and it's like it's like a
load of bricks. But I think fragrance is important. I
can't walk by plants without smelling them. You know, if
you don't want me touching your rosemary, if you don't
want me touching your copper canyon daisy, then don't plant
them in your yard. Because I love that citrus pine,
(25:05):
a copper canyon daisy. And uh and you know another one, uh,
and I know you guys have these. They're intended for
us and Richmond. But Boodleias. Someone called earlier about boodlias.
You know it kind of had started dwindling a little
bit on the blooming, and I was telling them, share
it back, fertilize it and water and it'll be right back.
Those are attractive to butterflies. And some of the boodleas
(25:25):
really have a nice.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Fragrance right now. They're a good They're a good group
of plants. And there's dwarfs and there's big ones. Right,
so you almost like a Salvian. You can pick anything
and then you know you want a short one, great,
you want a pink one, great, you want a blue
one great. There's so many different colors and so many
different sizes. So Budley is a really plan it is.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
It is wonderful. Yeah, so many plants, so little time
or space. Uh, but that is a good, dependable one. Yeah.
Vitex is a good one.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
You know it.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
When it's spring, everything wants to bloom.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
And in summer it's like not so many options. We
got some great ones, quite a few great ones, but
not like spring. But boy, Vitext just laughs all the
way through summer, kind of like Craig Martle does. But
that's a good one and I've seen some nice butterflies
on it as well.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Uh, that's you bet, you bet option for those, and
now nowadays that we have Dwarf Dwarf vitext as well,
So if you don't want a big plant, yes, you
can go with the Dwarf actexts.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
There there that is that is really uh what a
pug something I'm trying to think.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Of the name of the No, that's the Delta series.
The Delta series will be the Dwarf, and there's the
there's the flip side. There's the flip side vitext too,
which is a really neat plant. It's got a different
color under under the foliage which is really neat, and
the wind, the little breeze blows and it kind of
teeter totters around. It's it's really neat cool.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Well, well, any other plants that you like for pollinators?
I mean it could be butterflies too, but bees and
other pollenases.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
Bottle bottle brush, so bottle brush used to be very
very popular before all these freezes started happening. But that
is a really really be attracting plant right there. I mean,
the little red flowers just totally covered up with honey
bees during the during the spring, and people always come in, oh, no,
(27:29):
we couldn't have this buy our sidewalk because all the
all the bees on it, and so I usually, yeah,
I could run my hand inside the plant with all
the bees on it and pull it back out and
then look at them. They're like, how come they did
invite you. I'm like, because they don't want me, they
want the flowers. It's it's kind of you know, people
are afraid of them, but they're they're they're not there
(27:51):
for you. They're they're doing their business.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
That's a really good point to make, especially those honey
bees that you know when they sting you, they give
their life to do that. Now they'll die to protect
their babies. If you get near the comb and the
young and all that, yeah, they'll come after you. But
in a flower, I mean, I guess if you grab
a flower and start smashing it with a b inside,
well okay, that's a little different. But uh, I work
(28:16):
around bees all the time and they not a problem
at all. That's a good point to make.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Yeah, No, they're they're they're totally totally gentle. H.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Some of the Hibiscus and Hibiscus family relatives can be
attractive to We have a number of those, from the
big old dinner plate size hibiscus to the tropicals. But
the althea, the southern is another good one. Yeah, that's
a good one to have. Uh. You know one of
my one of my favorite plants is the oh gosh's
(28:49):
my plank, oh cone flower. The cone flowers echination, right,
and now there's so many colors. I still like the
old regular purple ones, you know, because I think they
they probably are among the toughest of the acinatious. But
if you like colors, if you want something you can
cut and bring inside as a cut flower, but then
something to bring in the butterflies and the bees, they'll
(29:09):
they'll do that as well too. And I know you
guys care quite a few of those, don't you.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Oh yeah, yeah, we have so many different colors of
cone flowers. It's unbelievable. You know, we hadn't talked about
diyro diyrolys is a really good plant. I'm not sure
if you're familiar with diyralis.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
That's so I am really I posted a video post
a video on Facebook for those of you who follow
the garden Line Facebook page. Go look, I don't know.
A week less than a week ago, I posted one
with me by a Trialis, and I cannot quit singing
the praises of that plant, Danny. I mean, I know
(29:44):
a very few plants that just bloom and bloom and
bloom and bloom and bloom and like Trialis. And if
you want it to be more compact or bloom more,
just share it back because it blooms on terminals. So
every time you share it, what was one bloomhead, now
you get two or three sprouts out there, and now
you got two or three more. And that is a
great plant.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
It is, it is, you know.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
I'm told them the deer don't like like it either.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Yeah, I think it's this deer resistant. I mean, so
I always tell my customers it's resistant, not proof. Right.
So the deer when they get hungry enough or or
or and like during the drought during this time of year,
they all eat anything they need to to survive. So
resistance and proof are two different things.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Yes, yes, they're they're not deer proof. I used to
have a list of deer proof plants. But the deer
came into my office and opened the file drawer, found
it and ate it. Uh, And so I don't have
that list anymore. Yeah, seriously, No, I grew up. I
grew up in South Texas and I can remember, you know,
(30:54):
hunting season for deer. You would find deer with literally
a punch of cactus thought horns in their mouths because
they were so angry. They were literally eating prickly pear,
which is a sad situation, but that that goes with
what you just said, and that's they get hungry enough,
and you know, kind of all that's are off.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Yeah. So Mexican olive, I don't know. I'm sure you're
familiar with Mexican olive. Mexican olive is a great small
tree and humming birds seem to be on that thing
all summer long that.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
Their light flowers oh desert.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Well yeah, yeah, they're both really good, you know, small
small trees, right, so you've got to have a little
bit of room for them. But they are both really
good plants for hummingbirds. Humming birds seem to be on
those things all the time and they bloom.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
All and the Mexican olive is a little on the
coal timber side, but for those listening down a little
further south in the listening area, and I wouldn't I
wouldn't try one in Huntsville unless you unless you want
to replant it each year. But uh, it's a it
is an outstanding I love that plant. I love the
beautiful white flowers. And but the desert willow. It used
(32:07):
to be we just had the native one. Now there
are all kinds of like Bubba is one that's more
burgundy in the in the color, and but there are
others that are out there. And I know you guys,
I think Carrie more than one kind of desert willow. Probably.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
Yeah, we we have a couple of different varieties of them.
They're they're a really good planet.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Really, folks. If you want to, if you want to
know what one looks like as it gets older and bigger, Uh,
you go up to to enchanted forest. Take a look
off to the left. I think it is left of
your of your front of your store. You got a
big plant there, Am I right about.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
The direction exactly? Okay, Yeah, that's been there for twenty
years or so.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Wow, that's a good one. Well, and it can take
the drought, but like a lot of drought plants, you
want to make sure they get adequate drainage. You know,
we have we don't have a whole lot of plants
in general. They just want to live in a swamp.
There's some that can take that, but most of them.
Good drainage is important, and especially as we bring these
things from the west over here east, like the Texas
(33:08):
Mountain Laurel or the desert willow or there's other examples
of those. Uh, make sure they're kind of high and
dry that they get or the soiled drains adequately where
they are, uh, just so you have best results with them.
You know.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
We we had all those plants, We had all those
plants out there during during the flood during Harvey, and
they all stood underneath the water for a week. So
they can they can take the water, but they don't
want to have every day. Wow, that's amazing. That's good
to know.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Yeah. Yeah, uh And it now, is your soil pretty
clay out there? Or what do you have?
Speaker 2 (33:45):
That pretty pretty much clay?
Speaker 1 (33:49):
All right? Good? Well? Uh, how about some other plants?
Got any other ideas we can talk about here? We've
got a few minutes left before we're done.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
Let's see, well, sell you a fire fire cracker plant.
You know, it's called a lot of different things, but
kind of the ferny foliage, that's a really neat plant
for texture in the landscape. And the little tubular flowers
also attract the hummingbirds and the bees and the butterflies.
But that's a look just plant for text texture.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
I do too, And I just realized, Danny, I blew
right past the break. I gotta take a quick break here.
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