in the yard
I react to touch.
flowering stones
No one would fault you for mistaking these petite succulents for a pile of pebbles. Also called lithops, the plant is known for its uniquely marked gray, brown, or rust-color leaves, which grow in a rounded, pebble-like shape. Plant it in well-draining soil in a sunny spot (indoors or out), and water sparingly only when it flowers, which is usually in fall.
sensitive plant
Brush your fingers against or blow on this annual and you’ll see how it earned its name. The plant’s delicate fernlike leaves fold inward when touched, shaken, or moved in any way. Give them about an hour and they’ll spring back open. To keep the plant healthy, place it in a sunny area, and water regularly. It grows puffy pink flowers in the summer.
I change color.
I smell like root beer. confederate rose
Despite its name, this flower isn’t a rose at all but a hardy hibiscus. Growing as tall as 15 feet, it boasts blooms that start white but morph to pink in as little as 12 hours. Although the flowers die after they darken in color, you’ll often see them in multiple shades at once, since they start blooming at different times. The flowers have hardly any sun or water preferences and easily grow from seeds. 108 HGTV Magazine
‘gingersnap’ iris
Take a whiff of this tall, bearded iris and you may not believe your nose. Its distinctive spicy-sweet fragrance is more typical of a soda shop than a garden. Known for its rich coloring as much as its signature scent, this perennial features bronze petals with reddish orange highlights. Plant the bulb in a sunny spot in late summer to early fall, and water well. It will bloom the following spring.
FLOWERING STONES, PITCHER PLANT: GAP PHOTOS; SENSITIVE PLANT, HOPS: ALAMY; CONFEDERATE ROSE, FOUR O’CLOCK, FLY, MEASURING TAPE: GETTY IMAGES; SMOOTH HYDRANGEA: COURTESY OF PROVEN WINNERS; ‘GINGERSNAP’ IRIS: COURTESY OF SCHREINER’S IRIS GARDENS; ROOT BEER: SHUTTERSTOCK
My leaves look like rocks.
These are leaves!
