This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Shade covers provide relief from the sun for plants that get burnt from the intense summer sun. These peace lilies find shade that a bottle brush provided before Winter Storm Uri.

Pentas are annuals that love the summer heat, but appreciate an afternoon sun reprieve. Plant in a 4-inch pot or larger and mulch to retain moisture. If winters are mild, they will come back. Trim and fertilize for the new season.

Esparanza, Tecoma stans, is a prolific bloomer that requires little care. This Texas Superstar grows 3-6 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide, blooming spring through fall. Once established, this beauty is very drought tolerant.

There are many tools available to help homeowners water lawns wiser. Smart irrigation controllers adjust to weather conditions and are accessible through device apps.

Buffalo Bayou Preservation presents a Wildflower and Pollinator Walk Friday, June 24th. Sunflower, gaillardia, and rudbeckia grow in patches along the west side of Buffalo Bayou Park.

Topsy-turvy planters are available for purchase or can be made at home with rebar. Pots are added to the rod or rebar and offset along the rim, creating a vertical garden.

If you are stuck on a gift for that hard-to-buy-for father, then check out these fresh ideas.

Some people have themed gardens — think herb, pizza and herbal tea. Why not start a barbecue or grilling garden? Many herbs can still be planted right now, just be sure to water regularly to get them established. If a container garden is easier, pot up a few herbs so they are at hand near the grill and a water source.

• Marinades: basil, oregano, sage, chives, dill, fennel and cilantro (although it is too hot for cilantro now)

• Rubs: thyme, sage and rosemary for steak; parsley, sage, thyme and rosemary for chicken, pork and seafood.

• Herbal brushes: For a subtle flavor, bundle rosemary or thyme to brush on the barbecue sauce. ‘Gorizia’ rosemary is a Texas Superstar. It has strong upright growth with thick woody stems, making it ideal for skewers. The common name is Barbecue Skewers Rosemary.

• Rosemary and thyme are all-around favorites for grilling. They hold up under the heat better than more tender herbs.

Open Garden Day: Harris County Master Gardeners host Open Garden Day the third Monday of each month. Tour a variety of plant exhibits, meet and talk with Master Gardeners, and purchase perennials and herb plants available in the greenhouse. 8:30-11 a.m. June 20; free; Genoa Friendship Gardens, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff; hcmga.tamu.edu.

Wild Cooking - Echinacea + Elderberry Flower Root Candy: Mark "Merriwether" Vorderbruggen will present a hands-on candy-making class from herbs. Participants will create their own handmade candies to take home. Presented by Houston Botanic Garden. 6:30 p.m. June 21; $45; members receive $10 discount; register at hbg.org.

Pollinator And Wildflower Walk: Gabriela Sosa, Buffalo Bayou Partnership's conservation manager, and County Extension agents Brandi Keller and Shannon Dietz, will lead a walk to identify native plants and flowers that attract pollinators. 7 a.m. June 24; free; register at buffalobayou.org.

Captivating Carnivorous Plants: Mike Howlett, owner of one of the largest carnivorous plant nurseries in the U.S, will speak on predatory plants found in Texas and around the world, then lead a tour on carnivorous plant collections at Mercer Botanic Gardens. 9 a.m. June 25; free; Mercer Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield, Humble. Meet at Mercer's visitor center. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring a water bottle. For more information, call 713-274-4160.

Replace Dad’s irrigation controller with a water-smart irrigation controller. Instead of being on a timed schedule, a smart controller adjusts an irrigation system based on real-time or historical weather conditions and/or on-site sensors (soil moisture sensors). In addition, it adjusts watering frequency based on season. If you are not home, no problem; just access the system remotely.

Add a rain sensor to an existing sprinkler system. It is not only efficient, by telling the controller when a rain event has occurred, but state irrigation rules (Texas Commission of Environmental Quality) require a rain sensor on all irrigation systems when a controller is replaced or new system is installed. When the sensor detects a certain amount of rain, it interrupts the cycle and shuts it off. As a result, the lawn does not get watered during a downpour, saving money and water.

• Composter with book and/or class

• A plant that his mother grew

• Unique planters, especially those that save backaches from bending over

• Garden accessories with a purpose, like a portable shade tent to relieve plants from getting leaves burnt in full sun

• Drought-resistant flowering shrubs — once established, Texas Superstar plants stand up to drought and neglect. Examples include: ‘Gold Star’ esperanza (Tecoma stans), pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima), Turk’s cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii), and butterfly vine (Callaeum macropterum)

Brandi Keller is a Harris County Horticulture Agent with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

How did investigators find Holly Marie Clouse, the child of a murdered Texas couple? It all came down to a question about spelling — and a birth certificate.