Attract Butterflies to Your Houston Garden

"Butterfly Milkweed has other common names such as Indian Paintbrush, Yellow Milkweed, Canada Root and Butterfly Love"

With winter nearly upon us I am already looking forward to the days of spring and what new flowers I can introduce into my garden. I decided that I would like to add a few plants that will attract butterflies and came across Butterfly Milkweed as one of the largest attractors of several species of butterflies.

Favorite Flowers: Lexis Florist

If you are looking for some great flowers in the Houston, TX area, check out Lexis Flowers. They have floral arrangements for every occasion and they are locally owned and operated. See them in person at:

Lexis Florist, inc.

6102 Skyline Dr

Ste A

Houston, Texas 77057

OR give them a ring at (713) 774-8080

Foxglove for Heart

I’ve always thought that foxglove was one of the more witchier-looking and sounding flowers out there, and it turns out that it really is. The plant is used in a potent brew used to alter the hearts of men (and women). You may have heart of it—it’s called digitalis! I’ve also wondered how the plant got its name in the first place. Maybe a fox somehow ended up with the purple blossoms on his paws somehow?

Read more about Foxglove for Heart

Personalize Your Floral Arrangements

If you are from Houston and you want to personalize your next floral gift arrangement, you might want to include a little something from home. Houston is a remarkable city, known for its wide culinary diversity, so including a favorite nonperishable food sample or baked goods from your favorite Houston restaurant would be a perfect addition to your gift basket. Read more about Personalize Your Floral Arrangements

Houston Texas Botanic Garden

Looking for something fun (and cheap) to do in Houston? Check out the Houston Botanic Garden! It's a great place that has a ton of great stuff to see, smell, and even hear! Check them out! Read more about Houston Texas Botanic Garden

Flesh-Eating Plants of Texas!

Remember those giant plants in Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs? You know, the one that almost ate Manny and Diego, and Buck, the annoying yet hilarious ferrety-weasel thing had to get them out? It turns out that they’re not the stuff of fairy tales. In fact, there are a few carnivorous plants that sometimes—though rarely, if ever—eat small mammals today, such as the species known as Nepenthes rajah.

Though man-eating plants are said to be cryptozoology legends and nothing more, they technically could exist. Most of the carnivorous plants we know of, however, just eat bugs, such as the Venus Flytrap.

Texas Wildflowers Spring Explosion

From about mid February through early April, Texas erupts in an explosion of wild flowers. Texas' state flower, the Bluebonnet, along with Buttercups and Indian paint brushes flourish along the state highways, and in otherwise unused meadows. Different regions of Texas are known for different species. The Texas hill country, from about March through June, turns into a landscape of vivid blues, yellows and reds because of the Bluebonnets, Black-eyed Susans, Indian Paintbrushes, Mexican poppies, Winecups, Indian blankets, and other less showy wild flowers. East Texas is better known for flowering shrubs, especially Dogwoods, Azaleas in various colors, sweetly scented Yellow Jasmine, and Wisteria. The wildflowers look as if they've been painted and poured over the landscape, flourishing on roadsides, highway margins, and meadows. Read more about Texas Wildflowers Spring Explosion

Bastard Oak!

No, it isn’t an epithet for poor, fatherless trees. It’s not even something you call your husband when you find him having an affair with a tree nymph. It’s the actual name for a tree native to Texas.

(For the record, I would never call our oak tree a bastard. We heart our trees.)

To be fair, the most common name for the Bastard Oak is Lacey Oak, which is much more dignified and curiously much more feminine. Actually, that name comes from Howard Lacey, who was the first person to collect specimens from the tree in Kerrville, Texas, on his home property.

It’s also known as the Canyon Oak, Rock Oak, Smoky Oak, and Mountain Oak—all of which seem much better than the alternative. Read more about Bastard Oak!