Main

Get Your Copy of the Landscape Care Guide

Xeriscape

Changing Seasons

Understanding Your Plants

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Garden Problem Solver

Pruning Guidelines

Watersaver Lane

Conservation Plant List

Landscape Workshops

To everything there is a season...

We would all love to have a magical plant that would bloom in abundance for us during all seasons and in all conditions. Unfortunately, only artificial plants do this. There are some plants with particularly long blooming periods. But, most blooming plants have a peak season that is only about six weeks long. After that time has passed, some plants go through an awkward, less attractive phase.

Applying excess water during these “past peak” times won’t bring back a profusion of blooms and may be harmful to your plant. Use our “Seasonal Stars” and “Past Peak” guides listed in each section to help you plan your landscape. A balance of plants that will bloom during each season of the year will make your landscape interesting and fun.

Seasonal Stars
You will know which plants to look forward to at each time of the year by using the “Seasonal Star” list. For full enjoyment, plant Seasonal Stars several months ahead of their peak blooming time.

Past Peak
The same plants that are Seasonal Stars will often look less attractive during a different time of year. For each season, we will list some that go through a temporary, awkward phase at that time.

Backbone Plants
Backbone plants provide the backdrop in a landscape because they look very much the same year-round. This does not mean they are boring. Backbone plants are selected for their unique textures, shapes and subtle color distinctions. Evergreen shrubs, trees, and herbs are some examples. A suggested list of backbone plants is provided in the winter section of this guide. You will appreciate these plants when the stars of warmer seasons have frozen back or wilted from cold.

Seasonal Changes
San Antonio is unique. We are located on the edge of several different ecological zones. Our gardening calendar does not match other parts of the country or official season changes. Summer is long and intense and what we call winter is often short with many mild days. The transition seasons of fall and spring vary in length and temperature each year. Which plants are the most showy is as unpredictable as our weather. It is exciting to garden with so much variety!

	Spring Mid-February — April
	South Texas gardeners think of mid-February as the start of “spring” for planting vegetables and many other warm-season plants. Everyone looks forward to spring wildflowers in March and April. If we are lucky, the mild spring weather lasts until May.
	Summer May — August
	Summer is when Xeriscapes prove their worth by needing half the water that traditional landscapes require. Our brutal summers are the reason many plants that are beloved in northern climates cannot survive here. However, we have many heat-loving perennials that bloom even on the hottest days. During summers of extreme drought Xeriscape plants and drought-tolerant turfgrass can be allowed to go completely dormant. They rebound when the fall rains and cooler temperatures arrive.
	Fall September — Mid-November
	Fall is a favorite time of year for gardeners. The weather is mild and there are often wonderful rains. Plants get relief from the summer heat and look gorgeous. It is a great time to plant and perform garden tasks. Even if it is still warm, the water needs of plants drops dramatically when cooler night temperatures and light changes begin. Over-watering is perhaps the most common gardening mistake in the fall.
	Winter Mid-November — Mid February
	The first winter hard-freeze often does not come (if at all) until mid-November. Even without a freeze, the soils are cool after November and plants that need warmth decline. The last date for a hard freeze is often mid-February. Late freezes are always possible and they can wreak havoc with spring flower buds.