It’s pumpkin season! Those wonderful, plump, orange balls of fall can be seen almost everywhere we look this time of year. They are relatively easy to grow in our diocese and are fun to watch in the garden.

Hens and chicks are charming and are a very interesting garden plant. They grow extremely well in our diocese, don’t need a lot of water and under the right conditions come back year after year. They remind us of motherhood and little babies and life passing on from one generation to another.

There’s nothing like a thick, juicy slice of sweet watermelon on a hot summer day. With more than 1,200 varieties of watermelons grown around the world, watermelons are available year-round, with peak season in the United States from May to August.

Vines can be charming and add vertical interest to the landscape. They are considered to be under-used and tend to be over looked at our local nurseries. Silver lace vine is a great choice for gardeners in our diocese who are interested in a fast-growing, easy going and undemanding vine. Silver lace vine (Polygonum aubertii) is a vigorous, deciduous vine that can grow up to 12 feet in one year. This drought-tolerant vine twists its way around arbors, fences, and porch columns. Beautiful, white flowers embellish this low maintenance plant in the summer and fall.

It’s time to pray for rain. Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, according to a recent report from the U.S. Drought Monitor. are getting drier by the day. As of April 26, 2022, 45.4% of the U.S. and 54.2% of the lower 48 states are in drought.