Meadowview Thymes

January 1, 2010

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 18:49:00 +0000

They had red tulips at the grocery store--I just couldn't help myself!

Happy New Year everyone!!

Merry Christmas from Meadowview

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:20:00 +0000

There is sure not much going on in my garden right now. The weather here in the Dallas area is a roller coaster. It was in the 20's two weeks ago, it was in the upper 60's today, and it will be back in the 20's on Christmas. Even the pansies are confused. So, since I am not out in the garden very much right now, I thought I would share Christmas from my house with you...

The old school desk in the entry hall welcomes you in the door...
Two Santa's say hello from the dining room. They like to look at...
The Dickens Village on the hutch...
I started this collection about 6 years ago... no room for any more cottages!
Not sure why--maybe it's because I live where there is no snow..but I love, love snowmen! They are all over my house at Christmas..
on the mantle...
in the kitchen...

Love the snowman towel!

The snowmen even have their own tree!

Snowmen are in the family room on the sofa..

And on the sofa table...

You can even find a snowman ornament in a basket on the coffee table!

I love my new tree. It's tall, but "narrow" and fits our room so much better! I have ornaments on this tree that are new; that are from other countries; that were made by my children; and that are from our vacations. I even have a few ornaments that are from my childhood.

But, of course, this is the most precious decoration of all. Our "reason for the season."

From my home to yours:

I wish you peace, hope, joy and love.

December

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:15:00 +0000

The turkey and pumpkin pie are all gone. Fall is put away. The Christmas Tree is up! And gifts are....well, no gifts yet, but that will come. And I am happy to announce..
the bulbs are in the ground!
I ordered all my bulbs except for some hyacinths online this year. I am really hopeful I will have some beautiful flowers in spring.

From Brecks, I ordered 3 different types of daffodils: Spectrum, Quail and Replete. The Spectrum and Quail are yellow and are suppose to be very fragrant. The Replete was Brecks 1995 Daffodil of the year. The 4" blooms begin to open as ivory-white petals. As they unfold, they are yellow-orange hues that quickly change to a rose-pink! Doesn't that sound fascinating! Actually, I planted only one of these at my house. I planted the others at my Mothers. I thought she might really enjoy watching them change. And, Tina--I did what you suggested and planted 3 types of hybrid tulips: Darwin, Triumph, and Daydream. The tulips are mixed colors.
Then I planted 4 types of daffodils from Old House Gardens. I mentioned this catalog in a post last spring. They sell "unique, endangered and amazing bulbs." These bulbs, as you might guess, are kind of expensive since they are heirloom, so I only planted 3 of each kind: Sweetness, 1939; Campernelle, 1604; Trevithain, 1927; and Jonquil, Early Louisiana, 1612. This Early Louisiana is one I already have, but it came in the sampler package that I ordered. All of these daffs are suppose to be very fragrant. I can tell you the Early Louisiana is the most fragrant bulb I have ever seen!
The one thing I worry about is all the rain we have had. I just hope the bulbs do not rot. I don't ever remember having a problem like that, but I planted all these in the back, and our back has just been saturated. It rained again this week and I hear there is more to come. According to the Farmer's Almanac, this will be a cold wet winter for Texas. All I can do is hope that some wonderful sunny day in February or March I will walk outside and see the green tops of daffodils and tulips shooting up all over the garden.

"It is a greater act of faith to plant a bulb than to plant a tree!"
Clare Leighton

Pansies!!

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:07:00 +0000

I have been looking forward to "Pansy Saturday" for a long time! I headed to my favorite garden center early Saturday morning and filled the back of my SUV full of sweet smelling pansies! Do ya think I bought enough?
I usually plant pansies in front..all along both sides of the front flower beds, grouping them on either side of the entrance.

They always look so sparse when I first plant, but I know in early spring, they will be beautiful.
I bought one flat of cute little violas. A few go in the containers on either side of the porch. The remaining flowers will be planted in an old bucket on the flagstone patio next week some time.
The pansies were on sale, and who can resist a sale..so I bought enough to plant some in back. I thought a few would be pretty around the pond.
On a bleak winter day it will be nice to look out and see a little color around the rocks.
I filled 2 old baskets with a few remaining flowers and proceeded to plant the wheel-
barrow. I hated to take out the coleus and sweet potato vine, but I wanted to get it done before we get our first freeze.

I never cease to be amazed to see the "potato" when I dig up the sweet potato vine. Wonder if I could save these and start a new plant? Anyone know?
I always enjoy planting the wheel-
barrow. It is one of my favorite old
"treasures" in the garden. I mixed in 2 different types of ornamental kale and a birdhouse along with the pansies in this container.
When I plant pansies each fall, I use a combination of bone meal and blood meal as I plant..and I add a small sprinkle of fertilizer as well. Just like to give them a boost.

So I can check planting pansies off my list of things to do.
Next weekend's project: Bulbs!!!

The Wedding is over and The Mexican Marigold Mint is in bloom!

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:25:00 +0000

What an absolutely fabulous weekend we had. The weather for the wedding could not have been any better. Everything was decorated for fall...the church, the country club where we had the reception..it was all beautiful! I only have a few pictures right now, but if we get some good family pictures, I will post those later. This is a sweet picture of our Pastor explaining the vows to Jen and Jason.
And a picture of the very happy couple cutting the cake. (and YUM was it good!)

With the exception of the bridal bouquet, all the flowers were fall colors. These are what the bouquets looked like on all the tables at the reception. They were in short round vases with 4 votives surrounding them.(I didn't keep their vases-this is one I had in the garage.) The chocolate brown napkins on the table had a pocket fold with a silk fall leaf and little bag of chocolates tucked inside. I got to bring some of the flowers home. Roses in every fall color filled the vases along with several other things. The florist did an outstanding job.

And, while I was busy with wedding details, my Mexican Marigold Mint started blooming! I bought this as a small plant back in early summer. Just one of those things I wanted to try. I didn't even know it bloomed in fall! It just got taller and taller all summer, and now it has these buttery yellow flowers.
Sorry the close up is so blurry-I wanted you to see the cluster of flowers blooming only at the top.

Mexican Marigold Mint is native to Mexico and Guatemala where its foliage is used for teas, seasoning and medicinal purposes. Herb gardeners in Texas often substitute this plant for French tarragon, which cannot withstand summer heat in Texas.
Although it is a marigold, this plant is not susceptible to spider mites. After becoming established, very little needs to be done to keep Mexican Marigold Mint looking attractive, although growth may be pruned back before June in order to shorten the ultimate height. Mexican Marigold Mint does best in well-drained, sunny locations. The leaves are slender and have notched edges, and the blooms are in clusters of golden-yellow single flowers, appearing from mid-fall till frost. There is a noticeable fragrance of anise associated with the plants.
This plant even survived all the October rain we had! I think this will be one of my fall favorites!

Do you have a favorite fall flower this year?

November

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:45:00 +0000

It's November! Can somebody please tell me where October went?? And, while you're at it, can someone please explain what happened to summer!

From time to time I go back and read articles I saved written by the late Jo Northrop who wrote for Country Living magazine many years ago. This is from one of my favorites of her "Simple Country Pleasure" articles about November:

"The exquisite cranberry and chrysanthemum days of November are a gift. We intensely and thankfully absorb them, knowing the inevitability of sudden, bone-chilling cold. Even in clear autumn sunlight, a scarecrow among fallen leaves in a deserted garden looks cold. It is this deepening of the season, the passage toward the end of the year, that gives November a quality that is energy charged."

Jo Northrop was legally blind; however, I think she "saw" the seasons better than anyone else and described them so vividly. Through her writings I can see that scarecrow standing in the now empty garden, and I can feel the sudden chill of the north wind. And the passage toward the end of the year is certainly exciting-(thoughts of spring flowers-whoo-hoo!) And, for us, this November is very "energy charged." Our daughter's wedding is next Saturday--so I will be away from blogging for a week or so getting ready for the big day. (I think it was just yesterday I was driving her to dance lessons! )

Happy November everyone! I wish you all cool and crisp cranberry and chrysanthemum days!

Garden surprises and Red Geranimums

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:45:00 +0000

In the fall I love to walk around the yard and find little blooming surprises. I didn't have to go far before noticing this lonely little cosmos growing right in the grass.
Not a blooming plant, but I thought it was odd to see an asparagus fern growing in the bed in front of the tree. Now, where did that come from?
I bought this little plant because I thought it would look good growing around some of the large rocks in my garden. I don't even know what it is..so how surprised I was to find a little yellow bloom on it!
The little star creeper has started to bloom again. Poor little thing has been struggling to survive this summer. I think the ground ivy is taking over.

When I put the new trellis in the wildflower bed, I saw this one BIG bloom on White Swan Coneflower.
And look at the tiny bloom of a rose moss growing in with the hens and chicks. I think this pot at one time was full of rose moss.
Not a surprise though are the red geraniums all around my yard. Now that the temps are lower and we have gotten so much rain, they are lush and blooming up a storm. This is one of two containers that I kept on the front porch. They are just too heavy for me to move around, so hubby did one final move and put them in the back bed. I will try and keep them over the winter, but this may be the year they go.
An old tin picnic basket holds more flowers...

I actually started both of these plants from cuttings from the large pot of geraniums.
Red in a garden is my favorite!
I completely forgot there was a little geranium in the basket of all mixed plants I bought in March. It never really bloomed, but I see now there is one tiny bloom.
I love these late fall surprises..and I especially love seeing all the geraniums blooming for probably the last time this year. I guess I will move all the plants to the corner of the patio and cover them during the really cold days (if we get any of those!). It's quite a treat to have early blooms in spring after looking out on the brown of winter. Flowers never fail to brighten my day.

"Flowers are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul."

Luther Burbank

Saturday things..

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:10:00 +0000

Do you see this..it is sun!! Today is the first time I have seen the sun in a month. We are so grateful for all the rain, but cloudy and dreary every day really gets to a gardener. I was ready to get out in the garden today when I saw the bright sun!
This pretty yellow daisy is one of my favorites. I bought it last spring to put in a red ceramic container (you know me with my red and yellow in the garden!) It has bloomed continually all summer. I did have to water it twice a day during the hot summer days, but that was not a problem.
Have you noticed I keep calling this pretty little thing an "it?" Well, it's because I forgot what it was! Is it an Englemann Daisy? I always keep the plant tag that comes with plants when I buy them, but guess I lost this one. Look closely at the petals--does this look like a cutleaf to you?
Remember this? I didn't know exactly what it was-and I still don't know. Some of you thought asparagus, Robin thought it looked like her sea shell cosmos, and Cindy thought it was probably just a weed. Well-I didn't know..and decided I didn't care. This plant was taking up too much room in my wildflower bed. So, today it was cut down. I still needed height in that bed, so--I did what all good gardeners do, I went shopping!
And this is what I found at Lowes. It is just a plain wooden trellis, but I think it was just what I needed. The green looks really good against the fence.

The trellis looks pretty lonely right now, but what you can't see is that this bed is full of little seedings. Bluebonnets Mexican Hat Coreopsis, Coneflower rosettes and who know what else.

Winter may find this bed rather dull, but I am hoping spring will put on a beautiful show of blooms to make this new trellis happy.

What did you do this Saturday? Hope it was a good one for you too!

Fall at the Arboretum

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:33:00 +0000

It has been so rainy in the Dallas area, I have had a hard time finding a Saturday to go to the Arboretum. Even though today was cloudy and pretty chilly, it was a great day to tour some of the gardens.

It is fall, and the trial gardens are full of plants showing off their fall colors. It was so wet, I just stayed on the walkway and didn't venture over like I usually do. Looks like most things did really well this past year. They will be planting bulbs and pansies pretty soon I think.
The cute little thatched roof house is still transformed into Hansel and Gretel's house. The plants on either side of the walkway look like they are about ready to stop blooming, but they have been spectacular this past year. I love the cottage look this area has.

This is one of the ponds. I think it looks great! It won't be long before the lilies and poppies will stop blooming. In the winter, the ponds look cold and lonely, but the minute warm weather returns, the pond comes back to life.
This is one of the beds around the grassy meadow. This time of year the Arboretum beds are full of coleus (my favorite!) and ornamental grasses. The colors are normally very striking-this cloudy day does not do justice to their brilliance.
And, Cindee, I took this picture just for you! These hens and chicks were really big!
Can you tell it's getting about time for Halloween? woooooo...

And of course, we saw lots and lots of pumpkins!

They lined the walkways..

There were pumpkins to buy..

There was even a pumpkin house!
But we had the cutest pumpkin there!

No day for gardening!

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:05:00 +0000

This was definitely not a day to garden. It started to rain yesterday late afternoon, and rained all night into this morning. I think it stopped around 2 in the afternoon, but the day remained cloudy and cool.
We have such bad drainage in back, even with a french drain. Water will be standing for days-and the weather forecast is for rain all week. It was sure not a day to be outside...but..
..it was the perfect day to bake cinnamon cookies! My best friend gave me this recipe 19 years ago. It is the perfect cookie for a cool fall day. And it is really easy to make!

Carolyn's Cinnamon Cookies

Cream:

1 cup softened margarine

1 1/2 cup sugar

Add:

1 egg

1 T. plus 2 t. molasses

Combine:

2 1/4 cups flour

1 T. plus 2 t. cinnamon

1 1/2 t. baking soda

Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and mix well. Drop by level tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 10-12 minutes (I bake mine 13 minutes). Let rest on cookie sheet about 2 minutes before removing to rack to cool.

Now pour yourself a glass of milk or a cup of coffee and enjoy! YUM!

A few new things for Fall

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:21:00 +0000

I know-it's not exactly the right time of the year to buy new plants, but when you go to a garden center to buy mulch, you just can't resist picking up a few things!
I don't have any asters, and knew this cute little "Pixie Dark" aster would just fit in a spot by the pond. And it's a perennial, so maybe next year I will see Pixie's cute little flowers again!
I have been trying to think of a way to camouflage these stakes around the pond. Until I do, I thought I might try a dwarf grass. So, I picked up a "Little Bunny" fountain grass. I read about these before I went to the garden center, so this is one plant I was watching for. It will only get about 18 inches tall and wide-perfect for this space!
The wheel-
barrow full of coleus and sweet potato vine is so pretty right now, but I needed something tall for the back. I thought this ornamental pepper plant would work great. It is a very, very dark purple and called "Black Pearl." Should look great against the reds and greens in the wheelbarrow.
I wasn't planning on buying any sweet alysum, but they had some pretty little bedding plants, and I thought I would get a few for the flagstone walkway and enjoy their sweet fragrance this fall.
And of course, who could leave without buying a few pumpkins...

Even though it's in the 90's here today...

It's Fall Y'all!!!

Window Boxes and Bluebonnets

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0000

When we lost the Bradford, I just knew one of the things to go would be my window boxes. They are full of shade loving plants..and they just couldn't survive in the hot west sun, or so I thought. But, look how good they look!
They didn't just survive, they flourished! I have had these window boxes for years. Hubby made them for me. I just stick bits and pieces of this and that in them. There is airplane plants, swedish ivy, wandering jews, some tiny english ivy, and of course my favorite...
...coleus!!! I snip cuttings from all my coleus plants and just stick them in the dirt. So easy!
I am so pleased with the results, and with all that sun too!
Even the purple heart growing below looks good (although I think it enjoys all this added sun).

And the Bluebonnets ??
I scattered seeds 2 weeks ago all around the bed the new tree is in--and here they are! We have had so much rain lately, I just hope they don't drown, but wildflowers like rain early in their life. Hopefully I will have a bed full of these blue beauties in April!

Late Summer Blooms

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:41:00 +0000

I couldn't resist the temptation to go outside on this rainy Saturday and get a picture of the morning glories. They love this cooler weather-and will enjoy the rain. It has been a real chore to keep up with watering these plants all summer, but their fall show may just be worth it. This past week I have been taking a walk around the house and making note of what is still blooming in late summer. This are some of my late bloomers...
My favorite thing blooming right now are Blackfoot Daisies. This is an old pail that is on the flagstone patio. I also have several plants in the wildflower bed cascading over the stone border. Our backyard gets hot, hot sun which these little flowers love. When the sun hits them, the have the most wonderful honey fragrance. The entire yard has a sweet and homey scent-kind of like a vanilla candle you might burn inside.
The Salvia Greggi (Autumn Sage) is blooming which is making the humming-
birds really happy. They are getting ready for their trip south, and are filling up on flower nectar as well as the sugar water I provide them.
I have 2 Angelonia which have bloomed continually since I bought them back in spring. I hate that they are annuals, but they are definitely a buy next year.
Profusion zinnias are just the best. They start performing in early summer, and will continue to bloom until I replace them with pansies. I couldn't recommend these flowers more.
I have been totally surprised about how well the red begonias have done in back. We really kept them watered, and I guess that is the trick. We just knew the begonias would die after we lost the tree, but no..they just kept blooming and are beautiful. You can also see that I have a few Rudbeckias still in bloom.
Not everyone likes Ruellia because it is so invasive, but this one is contained and is placed in an area that really needed height. The pink blooms have been beautiful and another flower appreciated by the hummers. I may be pulling new plants next year, but I don't mind.
I still have a few Zinnias. Most are becoming very leggy, but they still add a little bit of color to the gardens.

I don't have any fall blooming plants. We keep summers so long in Texas, we can keep quite a few plants up to our first frost. I think one reason I am so drawn to yellow and orange in the garden is because it is so pretty in all seasons.

It's about time to say goodbye to summer. I don't think many will be sad to see this season end. It will be time to put some flowers to bed, and plant wildflower seeds and bulbs for spring. We will be getting out our sweaters (well, it will be a while before we do that here in Texas!), and buying pumpkins and mums. Knowing summer is coming to an end, I will cherish the memories of summer-both good and bad-and look forward to crisp autumn days and enjoying a cup of hot tea sitting in the swing.

Labor Day, Peppers and Birdfeeders

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:02:00 +0000

Happy Labor Day everyone! I know it's not fall-and the temper-
ature today will certainly not feel like fall, but I am ready for fall!

I haven't been to a garden center in months, but Saturday was the day to go. We needed so many things, and of course, you can't go to a garden center without looking at the plants!
I always like to buy ornamental peppers this time of year. I found these at the garden center I go to for mulch. They are Sangria Peppers. I have two glazed pottery containers I bought in Santa Fe a few years ago that are perfect for these peppers. One is blue..
...the other one is gold. The peppers can take this Texas heat that will stay around for a while as long as I keep them watered. They are a great plant to start fall!
My other treasure came from Lowe's. You know how I love to feed the birds, and hung bird feeders from our Bradford Pear Tree. Losing that tree has changed my little backyard in so many ways. The birds were very confused when their home and supper table was removed. We have tried to figure out a way to hang feeders and found the perfect solution. This is just what we had in mind. It's like a shepherd's hook, but it is specifically designed for 3 bird feeders. One attaches to the top, and you can hang 2 others. This feeder is a "gazebo" feeder that was sitting right beside the pole.

I think it makes a nice addition to the garden, plus it gives my bird friends a little bit of protection as they eat. Hubby and I each took a guess on what type of bird would find the feeder first. I guessed a cardinal--and I won!!

Have a wonderful day everyone. Fall will be here before we know it!

What IS this???

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:55:00 +0000

Does anyone recognize this?? It started growing in the wildflower bed last spring. I thought it was pretty, so I just let it go. It adds quite a bit of texture and interest to that bed, but over the summer it has gotten way out of hand.
It has very fine, fern like branches. I promise-I did not plant it. Hubby thinks I must have just forgotten that I planted it, but I think I would remember..wouldn't I? It's not like I have anything else on my mind, right? :)

I will be ready to plant wildflower seeds in about a week, so I will need to cut this back. We are thinking we might try and move it to the corner of the bed this winter, but before I do, I sure would like to know what it is!

Can somebody out there please help me??

Moving On...

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:04:00 +0000

Thanks everyone for your sweet comments about the arrival of our first grandchild. He is a cutie! Mom and baby are doing great and I am so proud of the job my son is doing. Adam sure has wonderful parents!
So now we are moving on... The baby is here, my daughter's wedding plans are coming along, the new tree has arrived, and we are trying to get our backyard back to "normal."

This is a Chinese Pistache (or Pistachio). According to two Arborist, two tree farms, the stump grinder, and horticultural experts at Texas A&M (sorry my UT kids!)-this is the best tree for our small yard. Here are some things the experts say about this tree:

Extremely hard, durable wood, which is also very decay resistant, helps protect tree from wind, ice and vandal injury .
Superior drought, heat and wind tolerance once tree is established .
An extremely tough, durable and adaptable medium-size tree which is tolerant of both urban and rural conditions
Spectacular fall color in shades of orange, red-orange and even crimson, often rivaling the show of sugar maples in the Northeast
Pest free and easily maintained
The first shade tree to receive the coveted "Earth-Kind" designation from the Texas Agricultural Extension Service for its high levels of genetic resistance to insect and disease problems.

Sounds pretty good, huh? The down side to all of this is that these trees go through an "ugly ducking" stage for a while. Which..is where this tree is now. Hopefully, it will mature and grow and become beautiful.
Hubby had to re-do the brick around the bed the tree is in, and I think he did a wonderful job!
I still don't have a definite plan in my mind for next year, but I think I will plant bluebonnets around the tree for now. Surely over the winter I will come up with something.
It's the end of a hot, dry and eventful summer. I have had disappoint-
ments and joys. As I look out at the flowers blooming I am reminded of my favorite Lady Bird Johnson quote:

"Where flowers bloom..so does hope."

Guess what we've got???

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:20:00 +0000

No....it's not a new tree

And it's not a new flower....

It's a new baby-- our first grandchild! Our oldest son and his wife are the proud parents of a brand new baby boy.

Grammy Lin and Papa Bert would like to introduce you to Adam Thomas. Say hello to everyone Adam!

Wordless Wednesday - A Morning Glory

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Tree update, fuzzy caterpillars and worms

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:46:00 +0000

We worked every evening last week to scoop out remains from the Bradford Pear stump and roots..and look what a wonderful pile of rich mulch we have. We piled it high in the small veggie garden area for later use.

Then, yesterday and today our youngest son came over and helped hubby dig a BIG hole. That was not an easy task, as they ran into still more roots that had to be chopped out. Plus, working in the hot afternoon sun is just a killer. But, now we have a place for a new tree. It comes next week. I am excited, but a little nervous too. Keep your fingers crossed for us! :)
Now on to other gardening issues--caterpillars! These fuzzy white caterpillars are feasting on every plant I have! Well... almost. Does anyone know what they are? They were mainly on the pond plants, but now I am finding them on everything! And, can they eat!
This is--rather WAS--the Lizard's Tail in the pond. The caterpillars have destroyed it. I cut this plant back once this year due to these pest, and now they are back. I even found one on the ivy I stuck outside to water.

Worms!! I didn't take a picture, but my four o'clocks have little green worms eating them. I looked on the Internet to see if four o'clocks are host plants for butterflies, but did not see that they were.

I don't mind sharing my plants with the birds and butterflies--even the bunny, but enough is enough.

I think I'm ready for fall!!

Update on the Backyard

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:58:00 +0000

A crew took the Bradford down, but left the stump. And it was a BIG stump. And there were BIG roots everywhere We could not find a stump grinder that had a machine that would fit through our gate, so last Saturday hubby hired 2 workers to help him try and axe the stump out.
They all worked about 5 hours--and didn't make a dent. After many phone calls, we found a company that had the perfect grinder for our stump and our unique yard. Someone came out that afternoon to look at the situation and scheduled us for this Tuesday. The grinder fit through one of our gates, did not really harm any of the plants along the way (I moved everything I could), and ground that stump and roots completely down to nothing but mulch. I would have loved to watched, but unfortunately I was at work.
This is what is left--a huge pile of our Texas clay mixed in with Bradford Pear mulch. It is really rich, and looks really good for use in flower beds. That's the good news.
The bad news is that we cannot use it for about 10-14 days as there is too much acid in it..and we have a new tree coming in 7 days..so guess what we are doing for the next several nights? Yep, we are moving all the great mulchy dirt from this area into our little vegetable garden area. Thank goodness the temperature is below 100 this week, but that backyard is still extremely hot late in the afternoon with the sun streaming down.
I cannot tell you how dis-
couraging it is to try and find joy in gardening right now. This special little place is not very enjoyable anymore. I do have a few happy things to look at though. My blackfoot daisies just love the extra sun. They have been blooming up a storm. I have a few in flower beds.
And I have this one in an old bucket on the flagstone patio. I am trying to find some good things to see in all of this..but it certainly is a challenge. I feel like someone took my paradise away--and I want it back please! But I am trying to work on a plan for spring. I am trying to think "sun" when I think of seeds to buy. Hubby just knows I will again have a beautiful little garden area in back. Wish I shared his optimism! (Have I mentioned I am married to the most wonderful man in the world??) :)

"Ones best success comes after their greatest disappointments"
Henry Ward Beecher

A Good Plant

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:10:00 +0000

Our little backyard has become quite a challenge after losing the Bradford Pear. The sun hits the back around noon, and doesn't leave until it sets in the western sky. Knowing some plants just cannot survive the intense heat of that west sun, we are just trying to keep as many things alive as we can. (I could not do this without the help, understanding, and compassion of the most wonderful husband in the world!)
One plant that has not suffered from all of these changes is Angelonia, Serena Purple. It has tolerated dry conditions, wet conditions, and now additional sun. I bought 2 of these plants in spring. This one is planted in the east bed that runs along the fence. It is under a wax myrtle. It gets good sun, but is somewhat protected from the hot west sun.
This Angelonia is planted in the bed that runs beside the flagstone walkway. It gets sun almost all day. This bed goes from dry, to wet, back to dry. And the Angelonia not only survives, but thrives. According to the Internet:
"The Angelonia 'Purple' provides masses of 3/4-inch blooms that open along plentiful long, elegant stems all summer long. A fine plant for hot, dry, humid, and even wet garden spots. This super-easy sun-lover is grown like Salvia and just as beautiful! 10 to 12 inches high, 12 to 14 inches wide."
And to top it off--you do not need to deadhead!
Fresh flowering stems simply arise to replace the old ones! Not only is it heat tolerant, it is humidity tolerant as well. The Serena series of Angelonia comes in this purple color, plus pink and white. I cannot recommend this Angelonia enough. If we can grow it this well in our conditions, it is a keeper!

Snake Repellent ???

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 22:30:00 +0000

This past week has given us somewhat cooler temps and quite a bit of rain. Very unusual for the Dallas area deep in the summer. We will make up for up next week though as the temps are expected back in the 100's.

Usually rainy weather brings us very unwelcome slithering visitors. We never found the cottonmouth. We are thinking all the activity in our yard with the tree falling and crew coming to take it down made the snake decide to head on down the road. My snake story circulating around my office, and one of my programming friends (who had a visitor herself) found a product at Tractor Supply for us to try. (Thanks Karen!!)

And..it really is called "Snake Repellent!" I have seen products at Home Depot before, but they contained lots of warnings. This product is organic! It will not harm lawns, gardens or flowerbeds. It is safe to use around pets and children. This blend of cedar oil, cinnamon oil, clove oil and sulfur trigger an escape/avoidance behavior in snakes. Snakes actually taste the air around them via a receptor organ known as the Jacobson's organ. (who knew??) This product provides a potent scent/taste repellent that snakes find unpleasant. It triggers a natural reaction to escape and avoid. According to the label, "Bonide Snake Stopper Snake Repellent does not harm snakes, it drives them away naturally." Perfect for me to use. Now, you cannot add it to water, so I couldn't put it in the pond, but instead I would use it to create a barrier around the pond. It is a powder and is easy to shake out. You would need to re-apply after rain as it would wash away.

(To be fair, I must also tell you there is a note that says this product is exempt from registration with the EPA because of its ingredients. I have not checked this out yet. ) Most repellents have such a terrible odor, and this one..well it smells of cinnamon and cloves-what more can I say? : )

I am really optimistic this will send the snakes away. I will certainly keep you informed of what happens next.

Wordless Wednesday - Poppies in the Birdbath!

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:58:00 +0000

Saying Goodbye to a Tree

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:46:00 +0000

Last Sunday started out like many Sunday mornings around here, but it did not end like a typical Sunday night. Around 3:00pm, we had a terrible storm--one of those pop up kind that sneak up on you. About the time I thought it was over, the wind starting whipping around violently. That whipping became "wind shears" or "micro burst" that came through our backyard and sliced right through our Bradford Pear. About 1/3 to 1/2 of the tree fell over and landed on our roof.

I knew when I looked out, that even though some of the tree was still standing, my greatest fear for the yard was now upon us--the tree would need to be removed. An arborist came out the next morning, and confirmed what we already knew. The tree would have to be cut down. Most of you know that this Bradford was the focal point of my backyard. I knew it had to be done, but I was just devastated.

The tree was cut down, and the branches placed on the driveway until they could be removed.

And I say "back

yard," but really it's more of a side yard. We are a corner house on a cul-de-sac, there is no alley between us and the house behind us, so the yard is really the size of a side yard. Plus, we live in a hilly neighborhood, so the house behind us is also higher than our house. That wonderful old tree gave us privacy; provided shade from the west sun that shines in back; and was home to many little bird friends of mine. Walking into this little space was like walking into a secret garden for me. It was where I spent most of my time--it was where I did most of my gardening. We knew Bradford Pears were not recommended trees anymore, but they were when we planted this one 25 years ago. I felt like I had lost a good friend, and I guess I had. I could not even walk out in the backyard this past week. I knew it would not be the same yard I knew and loved. I couldn't sit in the swing and read under the shade of my good friend anymore. I couldn't watch the birds feed every morning and evening from the feeders hanging from the branches. I was heartbroken.

So this is what we are left with. A tiny yard that need something to guard and protect it. I finally walked outside Friday evening after the sun went down. I love that time of day--somewhere between dusk and dark. My sweet husband, bless his heart, had been watering like crazy trying to keep my flowers from dying. And you know, under the circumstances, everything looked pretty good. I picked up one little pot-it was one of Mother's forget-me-nots that I knew would be dead, and under all the dried out leaves, I saw a tiny bloom! My heart was so warmed by that one flower and my husbands efforts on trying to keep the garden alive-I decided I must move on.

We will get another tree--it will not be too big, but perhaps will help block the hot west sun a little. I will lose quite a few plants due to the sun, but I will use the opportunity to find new plants I have not been able to grow before. I am sad beyond words, but I am trying to create a new plan in my mind and explore new possibilities for this small space. Gardening will be more challenging now, as I will not be able to "play outside" in the late afternoons after work. I have tried to think of good things that will come out of this...and like I told hubby..I'll plant pansies in the fall. They like the sun...they will take me into winter and a new year.

"Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest, but in rhythmical motion, chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another." John Muir

Can anything survive in the heat??

lbmandeville@verizon.net (Meadowview Thymes) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:20:00 +0000

Summer's are always hot in Texas, but this year the heat hit us really early. We reached 100+ degrees in June-usually it's August before it gets that hot. I feel like all I do is water (and watch out for a snake-no, we have not found it yet!).
It is so discouraging for a gardener to try their best to keep flowers going in heat. I decided to walk around and take note of what flowers still looked happy despite the heat. The first thing I noticed was this Ruellia. I watered it only a few hours before I took this picture. This is all the sun it gets, I know it's not thirsty, but look how the heat of the day makes it look. Luckily by evening it recovers.
The Hot Lips Salvia has a few yellow leaves, but is ok-it just stopped blooming. Last year it stopped blooming when the heat of summer hit, and started back with blooms in fall.
I am so worried about my precious little maiden hair fern. This was a pass-along gift from a dear friend. It gets enough water, it's the heat that is making it look like this.
The candy tuff is just about dead. I will miss it in winter and spring, but maybe I will plant more.
For some reason, my coreopsis is looking like this..and it is not blooming. I thought coreopsis liked heat. The cream brulee in front is doing ok though. That one only gets morning sun, but this one doesn't get much more.

This is only one of several blackfoot daisies I have. This one is doing ok. The others not so good. Note: this one is in a container, the others are planted in the ground. Not sure why that would matter though.
Begonias, believe it or not, are one of the best plants I have found to survive the heat we have. I probably need to use them more than I do.
This bed is primarily shade. I try to keep it watered really good, and I think my efforts have paid off. The hostas and coral bells look pretty good as does the artemisia, juniper and turk's cap.
This little geranium is doing great, but it's because it's close to the back door and I baby it. However, if you keep geraniums in the shade and keep them watered during the hot summer months, they will survive and bloom again when fall arrives.
The window boxes have been a little more of a challenge this year. They are very shallow, so I really have to water them quite a bit. Easy watering though.
The wheel-

barrow with coleus and sweet potato vine looks great I think. It is in shade, maybe gets a tiny bit of sun, and I keep it watered although it does not need water every day.
Impatients? Well, I took this picture when they were looking happy. They are a struggle. I have to constantly water them. They are in the shade of the Bradford Pear Tree which is good, but the Bradford is greedy and takes all the moisture for itself leaving nothing for these flowers.
So far, the crepe myrtles have been very pretty this year. They don't seem to require much attention.
The coneflowers have been a slight disappoint-ment. This white swan usually does great, and there is one pretty bloom here, but they are not putting on the show I usually see.
The purple coneflowers were beautiful, but not now. The color looks faded and the foliage looks terrible. I don't water them a lot, but I think it's enough. Not sure if it's the heat or something else.
The profusion zinnias that I fell in love with last year do seem to thrive in hot weather. The plants I put in this year do not seem to be as healthy as last year, but I didn't buy them at the same nursery which I am going to remember next year.
Cosmos are fine. They come and go not noticing the heat or lack of water. Such fun flowers!
After observing many flowers and plants, if I had to choose a winner of who can survive this heat the best...it would be the Rudbeckia. They are the stars of summer in my book.

Mine seem to bloom later for some reason, but once they start, they are beautiful.
I have them all along the side of the house, in the back, and some scattered out in front. They never complain that it is too hot or that they are thirsty.

I have lived in Texas all my life, so I am use to the heat. In fact, when I was younger I yearned for the hot summer time. As I age, summers are somewhat harder to tolerate, and as our climate seems to change, summers tend to bring us a longer time period of these hot days. But, I read a post from Cindy at My Corner of Katy that seemed to say it best, ".. we who garden here in Texas know that summer is the price we pay for being able to garden our way through the winter months." The more I thought about that, I know how very true that statement is. In Texas you can garden your way through most of the year. We have mild winters and early springs. Mary Engelbreit has a great saying, "Bloom where you are planted." I have always loved that quote. A few years ago I found a wonderful little stitchery picture that sums up my feelings about summers in Texas.

It says.. "I Bloom Here."