| Positive | LawDoggy | On May 16, 2006, LawDoggy from San Antonio, TX (Zone 9a) wrote: I bought a home in San Antonio, February '06. The landscaping had been partially converted to xeriscape with gravel, yucca, aloe, lantana and esperanza. Ho-Hum! I am not a cactus fan - prefer shady lawn with perennial beds and annuals for color. I saw the Gold Star Zinnia at Calloway's and it said, "great for xeriscaping," so I picked it up, moved some gravel out of the way, dug a little hole and crammed this plant in. WOW.
It has out-done my expectations and has thrived in that hot gravel bed, blooming non-stop with no mildew or pests. It is spreading and re-seeding. I have since planted four more and interspersed some orange "regular" zinnias and pink skullcap. The color is eye-popping.
I highly recommend Gold Star Zinnia for hot spots in your yard. It may wilt if not watered, but recovers almost instantly with a sip - and the flowers stay as perky as ever.
I had planned to completely eliminate the gravel beds in the landscape, but this plant has done so well that I may leave a bit by the driveway - just to show off the zinnias! |
