Meadowview Thymes

Gardening Nightmares!

2012-01-31T15:14:00.000-08:00

Usually at this time of year I am watching this bed around the Chinese Pistache tree..
watching the bluebonnets grow. Not this year. Instead, I am watching the weeds grow--namely the wild carolina geraniums. Oh I am so mad about all these weeds. I wish you could see how thick they are.
You can see this bluebonnet in the middle of the mess, but this plant is a nice one--most of the bonnets are tiny. There are red poppies planted here as well. I can hardly find them! Grrrr..have I mentioned how angry I am right now!
So this afternoon, I started the tedious job of trying to dig up all the weeds, while trying to pull out the bonnets and poppies and re-plant. This is a job! The roots of the weeds have literally wrapped around the real wildflowers smothering them. It is garden MURDER!! Someone call the garden police! As I sit here trying to calm myself (think a glass of wine would help!) I am thinking I will start tomorrow just digging everything up. If I can save a few bonnets and poppies, great-but if not, so be it. Then as soon as I can, I will get mulch on this area. But..I want to plant zinnia seeds in late spring, and seeds need to touch the dirt...oh my goodness, have I told you how mad and upset I am right now?

So here is my warning--if you see anything in your garden that looks like this--pull it out NOW! It is not wine cup as I thought 2 years ago--it is a wild geranium that will literally take over your garden. When I looked this up on google, the site had a "weed warning" label across the top, so apparently I am not the only gardener with a problem. I am not sure how the weed came to my garden; perhaps rode in with the Pistache tree. But it is time to hit the road you bad, bad geranium! And don't come back!!

Feeding the birds

2012-01-15T15:10:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone--Happy New Year to you!
Not much going on here in my part of Texas. We are on a constant roller coaster with our weather. Some days it is cold and gray; some days it is cold and clear; other days it warms up to the 60's. Not much going on in the garden either these winter months, however one of my favorite pastimes is very active. I love feeding the birds..especially yellow finches! And I must have some really tasty thistle as these little birds are at the feeders every morning and stay most of the day. This picture is taken from my breakfast window-these cuties would run (well, fly) if I ventured out to take their picture. Normally the finches I see have on their winter colors of brown-not as much yellow as I am seeing this year. Hum...sign of the La Nina we are experiencing maybe?
I actually put up 2 feeders wondering if they had a preference. When they first arrived, they only went to the yellow feeder, but as more and more birds appeared, both feeders stay full of diners. We enjoy our little feathered friends every morning as we sit at the kitchen table with coffee. We have other feeders in the yard for the sparrows, black-capped chickadees, jays and cardinals. (Oh...guess I should mention squirrels-they think that food is for them!) But our very favorites are the yellow finches. They will only be here a short time as our summers are way too hot for them. And while they are our guests, their feeders will remain full!
Do you feed the birds in the winter...what is your favorite?

Pansies...or Begonias??

2011-11-25T10:01:00.000-08:00

I am having a gardening dilemma. Late every fall, I plant pansies in the front. Usually in back as well, but this year I am sticking with my perennials and leaving the beds in back as they are. But I will take advantage of the great east sun that hits the beds in front, and plant pansies for that beautiful color and wonderful scent that will last into early spring. So..pansies are planted on either side of the porch.. and in containers on the porch.. but my plan to plant them across the front is being disrupted this year..

..because..
the begonias are beautiful! We have just not had any really cold weather, so these pretties are looking healthy and happy! My plan for this day after Thanksgiving was to go buy the rest of the yellow flowers for the front-and finish out the bed.
But seriously-could you pull these up when they looked like this? Bet not-and neither can I! And, when you look at our house from the street, the red begonias look so great along with the yellow pansies. It's Spring.. in Texas..in November! So, what else could I do today. I could get out my Christmas decorations..but I just want to put out some bunnies! :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Autumn Gold

2011-11-16T11:35:00.000-08:00

At this time of year, when there is not much blooming , it is so nice to look out and enjoy lovely golden color in the garden. I have two plants that have nice foliage in summer, but fall is when they really put on a show. The first is this Mexican Mint Marigold, or as we call it here..Texas Tarragon. We can't grow French Tarragon here in Texas, but this herb gives us a great substitute (it is wonderful in chicken salad!) for cooking. However, the biggest wow factor to me is the reliable fall color. It starts blooming around the end of October and continues until frost. The other plant that I am completely in love with is Copper Canyon Daisy. Sometimes it blooms a little in spring, but fall is really showtime. This plant can get pretty big, but I keep it cut back some in summer just making sure I don't do any pruning after the middle of July. Brushing the feathery foliage releases a very spicy, citrus smell. I love it--but it does not appeal to everyone. The CC Daisy begins blooming around the first of November, and like Texas Tarragon, blooms until frost.
I have enjoyed the look of this plant all summer, but now that it almost in full bloom--I am in LOVE! Both plants work well cut and used as fillers in fall bouquets inside. (especially with asters and spires of Mexican Bush Sage.) Unfortunately however, both plants die back completely over winter, but as soon as it starts to warm up in spring you will see new growth begin. If you need a little autumn gold in your garden, you might consider these two. They never fail to brighten dull autumn days for me!

Beautiful reminders...

2011-11-12T05:50:00.000-08:00

While enjoying the splendor and vivid colors of fall..I stumble across a beautiful reminder of a spring yet to come..
Abraham Darby--David Austin English Rose

"How I would love to be transported into a scented Elizabethan garden with herbs and honeysuckle, a knot garden..and roses..clambering over a simple arbor."
Rosemary Verey

Road Trip!

2011-10-26T09:38:00.001-07:00

Have you ever been to Paris? Paris, Arkansas that is. That is where we went on our recent road trip-to Mount Magazine State Park. This is the lodge where we stayed. It is on top of Mount Magazine, which is the highest peak in Arkansas.

It is pretty, rustic, and very scenic.
All of the rooms off of hallways like this face the beautiful Petite Jean Valley.

The lobby is made with huge logs, and has high ceilings and rustic lights.

There is also a massive stone fireplace, which we enjoyed each evening.

We saw beautiful sunsets..

..and a bright, colorful sun rise.
Our hikes took us down shady paths through the woods,
into bright clearings with blue skies.

The panoramic views were spectacular..

..and although not yet peaked, the fall colors were sure pretty to this Texas couple!

There were lots of patios. Off of this one I found a very special garden..
As you can see, it was created by Master Gardeners.
The Pineapple Sage was sooo pretty! (wish mine looked this good!)

I loved the way they marked each plant..with rocks! And believe me-there are enough rocks up there to mark plants for a very long time!

I would have never know what this grass was without that plant marker. It was so unusual!
The night before we left there was a big storm. We woke up to FOG! The usual gorgeous view from our balcony looked like pea soup!
The fog did however make for a really pretty drive down the mountain side.
This deer didn't seem to mind our stopping to take a picture. I would go back to this area anytime. The fall colors (even though the area was seeing some drought conditions) were really pretty. The spring wildflowers are suppose to be amazing. The temperature is always 10 degrees cooler, so summer wouldn't be a bad time to go. And the pictures of winter are simply beautiful. (not sure how one gets up those windy roads in winter though!). I put this area on my "return to" list!

It's true!!!

2011-10-13T11:30:00.001-07:00

Frogs really do sit on lily pads!

Hi Freddie! (or is it Freda?)

Anticipation....

2011-10-10T07:24:00.001-07:00

What a cloudy, wet, foggy day---it is just beautiful! A day I have been waiting for...anticipating...for a long time. We had a nice, soaking rain this weekend--Thank you Lord, very much! The summer was long...record breaking days over 100, and no rain. But, you are not going to hear this "flower gardener" complaining. I was just tired of watering and not getting to spend a lot of time outdoors. However, there are farmers losing crops, and ranchers having to sell their cattle because they couldn't grow enough feed. Stories are heart-breaking. And the forecasters are anticipating next summer to be the same. Actually, we were told last summer to expect the hot, dry weather--but I for one did not listen. I am listening now.

My flowers have been ok. Many are still blooming. Thank goodness last spring I started to buy more perennials..going with lots of natives that can take the heat. Glad I did. This bed of lantana mixed with re-seeding cosmos, blue salvia and turks cap has been pretty all summer.
So needing to clean out the bed on the opposite side of the yard anyway, I planted 3 little lantanas trying to get a jump start on next year. I also scattered lots of wildflower seeds. I get excited anticipating seeing wildflowers in spring, then lantana spilling over the bricks in summer.
The zinnias around the Pistache tree were amazing this summer. All but a couple along the edge (that were still blooming) are now gone and the bed awaits bluebonnet seeds. I scattered a few red poppy seeds last week thinking the red and blue would be pretty--but I will admit this may be my last year for wildflowers around this bed as the weeds become more and more of an issue. I know I have always used way too many containers, but with such a small backyard I am always looking for more opportunities to plant flowers. But of course, it's the containers that take all my time in summer. I really like all my old buckets and pretty glazed pots filled with color, so not sure if I can let them go. I will most likely continue to plant twice a year; pansies for late fall and winter, then a bright annual for late spring into summer. It seems like as a gardener I am always thinking of the next growing season..anticipation. Guess that is just part of the passion of growing things, but for today this gardener is feeling very blessed with what is growing today, and enjoying this perfect, cloudy, dreary--beautiful autumn day.

"There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been! " ~Percy Bysshe Shelley

The Pond

2011-08-18T10:56:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not, there are some plants that thrive in this heat. Number one--pond plants. I quit trying to grow water lilies years ago because of all the shade from the Bradford Pears. After losing the trees, I watched how the plants in and around the pond started to flourish. This past spring I decided to try my luck one more time with water lilies. I bought this 1 plant- Mayle Rose. Mayle Rose has not disappointed me. Not only has the foliage been beautiful and lush, the blooms just keep on coming. I was lucky if I ever saw a flower before with the shade. Now I look forward to checking for blooms each morning.
Really the entire pond looks good. I am trying very hard to keep the water poppy cut back as it will take over the surface, but I still have quite a few buttery yellow blooms. The sedge grass has been in this pond since the beginning, some 12 years ago! And, it is evergreen!
These hot days (and nights!) are just about to drive hubby and I crazy, but I try and find bright spots in each day. This morning it was walking out to feed the fish and seeing not one, but four water lilies in bloom! Ahhh..hot summer heaven!

"Broad water-lilies lay tremulously, and starry river-buds glimmered by. And around them the soft stream did glide and dance, with a motion of sweet sound and radiance."
Percy Bysshe Shelley

Losing an old washtub..

2011-08-08T06:33:00.000-07:00

I seem to remember having an old wash tub in this corner..but where did it go? Do you think it is under all that coleus and sweet potato vine?? Seriously, can you believe the old tub has grown this much? Do ya think I need to do some trimming? Oh yeah..
I complain daily about the heat and what it is doing to most of my plants-but then I stop and notice how some things, like these plants, are holding up. I do have to water this old tub once a day, but that is not a problem if I can keep the plants happy. This corner is pretty shady-well, until late afternoon. Then it gets some HOT west sun for a while. Guess that is why I am so surprised the old wash tub plants have survived. I can't tell you if this is a "sun coleus" as I just buy all kinds of coleus in spring and plant them based on color, but my guess is that it is one of the types that takes heat better than others.

One more plant that is enduring our summer just fine is Black Foot Daisy. I have a love/hate relationship with these plants as I think they can be hard to grown. Reason: you have to ignore them, and I want to mother them. However, for these hot, dry summers they are perfect. Just let them be, don't water but a small bit, and they will reward you with lots of honey scented blooms.

Now I am headed inside to think about what kind of Kale to plant in the old washtub in fall!
Have a great week everyone--stay cool!

Mountains, Texas heat and a Surprise visitor

2011-08-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

We have been on our annual
"Rocky Mountain High" camping up in the Rockies near Crested Butte. It was beautiful as usual..and cool!
The wildflowers up in the mountains have yet to
peak, but the flowers in town were breath
taking!
It was a good trip, with lots of hikes, fishing, campfires and oh my goodness stars at night!
The special treat this year was meeting up with our daughter! (Love that hat Jen!)

Before we knew it our week was over and we said goodbye to Jen, and headed back to the Texas heat. Thanks to a very caring young man, the flowers looked good despite the terrible heat! (Thank you so much Travis!)
The time outside these days is spent watering or mowing-not relaxing. The temps have been over 100 for 31 days now, and there is no break in sight. The high Thursday is suppose to be 110. That is actual temperature, not heat index. It's Texas-we always have hot summers, but not quite like this. It hasn't rained in...well....I don't remember the last time it rained. All of Texas is in drought conditions now. We are on water restrictions now as the lakes are going down fast. So, we sit inside these days looking over the garden. As we watched the birds, we noticed a surprise visitor..
All the other birds flew away when I went out to take this picture. I think we have a run away. He (she) didn't seem very scared of me so I know this little one is pretty domesticated. I have plenty of seed and water for it, but I hope it will just visit and find it's way back home soon.

Hope your summer is going well..and is cooler than mine! :)

Bringing flowers inside

2011-07-04T15:06:00.001-07:00

I love to bring flowers inside my home. One of the best and longest lasting flowers is rudbeckia (Back-eyed Susans) which also happens to be my favorite summer flower! These happy yellow flowers have just now started to bloom so I am out every morning finding a few to cut. I am always on the hunt for a unique container to hold flowers and when I saw this wine caddy given to me by a very dear friend (holding no wine at this time!), I decided it would be perfect for the cut rudbeckias.
I found 6 clear glasses that fit perfectly in the openings. I picked a few Susans for each glass. It looked great, but I decided that some zinnias would make it even prettier. For texture I cut a few Copper Canyon daisies (that are fall bloomers) and tucked them in the middle. Ohhh, I love that spicy scent! I was really pleased with the results!
The flowers look really good on the sofa table in the family room. I should have some kind of cut flower for several more weeks, so hopefully the caddy will stay full of color--well, until it's time to bring out the pumpkins! : )

Zinnias!

2011-06-27T06:23:00.001-07:00

I have loved zinnias since I was a little girl. It is the first flower I ever grew from seed. Mother would let me pick all I wanted and create bouquets. Sigh...love those memories... And I have continued that summer tradition of planting zinnia seeds in anticipation of the summer show of color plus cutting some of the beautiful flowers for my kitchen.
This year I bought a seed packet of every type of zinnia I could find. They are all planted in the bed around the Chinese Pistache in back. Luckily for now, that tree is too young to produce much shade, so the zinnias get plenty of hot sun and lots of room to breathe. I tossed and raked them in this bed a couple of months ago. They are now starting to bloom, and I am being rewarded with so many different types and colors. Some are almost ruffled..
this one is a candy striped..
this is my favorite of the new--it has the colors of blanket flowers.
And can you see the large red standing proud and tall? Those came from seeds Cindy at
My Corner of Katy sent me last year. They are scattered through out the bed. I also have lots of what are called "cut and come again." Perfect for me! I have a bouquet in the kitchen, and I love to have several little vases with one flower in each on my breakfast room windowsill.
I have never tried planting seeds for profusion zinnias, but the plants I bought a few months ago are looking pretty happy in this old galvanized bucket.
Last year I was so afraid my zinnias were not going to grow, and they ended up doing beautifully. I hated the day I had to pull them up. You know what the problem was? ME! I simply could not wait for the flowers to grow and bloom. One of the hardest lessons for me to learn as a gardener is "patience." Zinnias are a good teacher!

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Types of zinnias I planted:
Giant Cactus Mixed; Giant Double Mixed; Starlight Mixed; Oklahoma Mixed; Giant Scarlet; Whirligig; Big Tetra; Candy Cane; Cut and Come again; Pass-along Large Red

Love those Coneflowers....but....

2011-06-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

You all know how I love cone-
flowers!
I have them growing all around the pond now.
This is my newest one: Tomato Soup. It is just starting to bloom.
This is Hot Papaya. I know the original Purple Cone-
flowers are the best, but this hybrid was planted last year and look how beautiful it is this year!
I dug a few purple up last year and started them along the little pathway behind the patio..

..and I noticed they are starting to naturalize in this area now. Yea!! However, if you will remember last year I did a post on all my Coneflower woes. Since that time, several gardeners have commented on having similar problems. Basically here was the issue: the heads of the flowers got a tar-like look on one side; then the flowers just kind of fell apart, or did not continue to develop. Trying to find the cause, I discovered little worms in the seed heads. I had comments from people in Canada and Nebraska, all the way down here to Texas. Well--the same thing started to happen to mine earlier in spring. I decided to keep a careful watch on the flowers to see if I could determine the problem. As I watched, I began to see these bugs that looked like yellow lady bugs flying all over the coneflowers and coreopsis. After a while, I began to notice that tar looking head again, and after digging into it, I found the same greenish worm I found last year.
I never got a picture of the bug, but this is the closest thing on the Internet I could find. This is a "cucumber beetle." However, after reading about the larvae of this kind of beetle, I don't think this is it. (The larvae attack the roots) There is also a type of beetle called "asian beetle." I didn't think the description fit either. Then there was the "squash bug beetle." One picture looked like it might be the culprit...but again the description did not match my problem. So...folks I just don't have an answer for you. I did use insecticide soap on the flowers, and if I sprayed it heavily, it did seem to work. I also cut off the flowers that were damaged. Once the spring rains stopped, and the high temperatures hit--the problem seemed to go away. Looking back, I think that is exactly what I remember happening last year.
Wish I had better news for you coneflower lovers out there. The bees and butterflies love the flowers as much as I do, so I suppose I will just keep on researching and watching. But in the meantime...I am still in love with coneflowers!

Note: I did some research on aster yellows disease because it is one thing coneflowers are known to get. (It is spread by leafhoppers) However, I did not think it fit my situation. Here is a link to an article that gives good information and a picture that could be some help. Let us know if those of you with coneflower problems solve the mystery!
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Pests/Diseases/astryel2.htm

Texas Star Hibiscus - In the Pond!

2011-06-07T12:04:00.000-07:00

Here is the plant I told you about in the last post. It is a Texas Star Hibiscus, and it is indeed in the pond! After doing our big pond clean out and getting rid of all the plants, I went to the pond store to buy a new water poppy and a lily. The guy helping me said "oh, you gotta get one of these-they are my favorites." I couldn't believe he wanted me to get a TS Hibiscus and put it in the pond. I kept thinking how drought tolerant I always thought hibiscus were--but when he told me about the flowers, he convinced me to give it a try. The buds start out large like this one..and stay in bud form..it seemed like forever, but guess it was several weeks.

This weekend I noticed it had split and I could see the color---RED!

Yesterday it opened a bit more..

And this morning it was all the way open-big and gorgeous! Well worth the wait I think.

But of course, you know hibiscus--here today, gone tomorrow. Oh well...there are lots more flowers to come judging by all the buds I see!

She's a Beauty!

2011-06-01T06:35:00.001-07:00

This is my new water lily--isn't she pretty? Her name is "Mayle Rose Pink." About 2 months ago we did a big pond clean up. We scraped the bottom of the pond and got rid of all but 1 of our old plants. They had just about taken over the little pond and made it impossible to clean--or see the fish!
Because water lilies need so much sun I couldn't have them when we had the Bradford Pear trees, but now that the back is in full sun all day I decided to give them a try..one more time. I have been thrilled with the results! When I bought this plant, it was small and...well, not very pretty. But once it warmed up a bit and the sun started hitting the pond again, I have been rewarded with bloom after bloom. The leaves are large as well. I couldn't be more pleased.
My picture doesn't really show the true pink color--but I can you it is yummy! I think it goes well with the yellow water poppy. The plant you can barely see to the left is a water "Texas Star Hibiscus." Cannot wait to tell you about that one!
Happy June everyone!

Where HAVE I been??

2011-05-25T15:27:00.001-07:00

It's been a while...like a month...so where in the world have I been? Just busy..life gets so busy these days. Why didn't someone tell me retirement is BUSY! Actually, you know the Master Gardener program I am in requires 72 hours of volunteer work after the class is complete. I have been working pretty non stop on getting those hours-and....drum roll please...I am done! Of course I will continue to work, but probably not quite as much as these last few months. So let me show you some things that started to bloom in my garden..like these beautiful clasping coneflowers. They are just swaying in the breeze these days.
And the wheel-
barrow is full of color...
This is my new love... Texas Primrose
"Sun Drops." Love it, love it!
Rock Rose is looking rather..well, "rosy" these days!
Remember the new window box? Here it is today. Ummmm..
The Larkspurs started to bloom and have been really pretty. They are such sweet flowers.
The wildflower bed has been...yep..wild ! Love the cottage look in this bed. The bluebonnets have been gone for some time, but the coreopsis are making up for the loss. Indian Paintbrush are still blooming and blackfoot daisies are trying hard to handle all our recent rain.
With the coming of spring..and thinking about summer I have come to an important decision. You know I love the 2 little beds along the flagstone walkway. I plant bulbs, pansies, then any other annual that gives me a pop of color--and I do this every year. After much thought I have decided I will not plant annuals in these beds any longer.
These beds get great sun and I think I can find enough perennials that love our summer heat to keep the beds full. The only annual in the beds right now is Angelonia. Just had to get them-they are one of the best annuals you can have. Other than that, I have coreopsis, several different salvias, blanket flower, lavender, rudbeckia, wine cup and coneflowers. I plan on tossing poppy seeds in fall--and maybe a few other wildflower seeds. The geranium is one I keep over every winter and since it is not too big I will continue to try and hold on to it.
I think I will probably fill a couple of containers with violas and add a hanging basket (I had such good luck with this one), but it's time to stop the madness and concentrate on things that will return.
Yes, flowers are blooming, birds are singing and butterflies are happy flying about. My garden is my "happy place." It is not large, but at times it is almost magical. I find peace and serenity in this space. I solve problems in the garden, and sometimes create problems in the garden! :) I start my days here, and I end my days here. I hope you find this contentment in your garden as well.
"The kiss of the sun for pardon, the song of the birds for mirth.
One is nearer God's heart in a garden, than anywhere else on earth!"
Dorothy Gurney

A New Rose!

2011-04-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

I bought a new rose bush at the Master Gardener's Rose Sale. It's a Julia Child--and I am in love with it! According to the rose information: "This lovely floribunda, produces clusters of blooms in abundance, from early Spring, right through the season, into fall. The famous Chef, Julia Child, chose this rose to bear her name. She loved the color, as well as the wonderful sweet/Licorice/Candy fragrance." It is suppose to be very easy to grow, heat tolerant and disease resistant. What more could you ask for? I saw these roses at the Arboretum a few weeks ago, and if mine even comes close to those it will be gorgeous. Wish you could smell this bloom--I think Julia would be very pleased!

Snapdragons and Dianthus

2011-04-14T16:26:00.000-07:00

Sooooo Pretty!

Have a good gardening weekend y'all!

Only One...

2011-04-03T07:53:00.001-07:00

Last fall when I was scattering wildflower seeds, I tossed one (or two-can't remember) packages of Indian Paintbrush. Sadly, only one plant came up. But that one plant has been beautiful and given me lots of happy red flowers! I am not sure why I didn't have more paintbrush--I had several last year. Maybe it was the unusual winter, maybe I didn't water the seeds enough, maybe they just didn't want to grow this year--who knows! I think this one plant knew it was the only one and responsible for providing lots of spring blooms. It stands tall and proud, and doing a perfect job of providing contrasting red color in with the bluebonnets. And the bluebonnets? Just awesome! My how I love spring!

One project checked off the list!

2011-03-24T15:46:00.001-07:00

It has been a busy time out in the garden, but we now have one project checked off our list. One of the beds along the fence in back needed to be enlarged a bit. The curve was too severe, and I could use more room for flowers. We had to remove the existing sand stone bricks carefully so the wildflowers I have growing would not be disturbed.
After moving the bed out from the fence and redesigning the curve, I filled in the new area with a mixture of top soils.
I was really pleased with the new look..now on to plants!
Behind this little gate are larkspurs getting ready to put out their buds. I seeded these in fall with heirloom seeds given to me by a special friend. I have never grown these flowers before, but know they will get really tall so I needed something short for the front..and something that can take really hot sun. Traveling to a couple of garden centers I found one of my favorites already in stock--Blackfoot Daisies. Perfect!
In front of the verbena I planted (close to the edge) Laura Bush Petunias (also given to me by a special friend!) Hopefully they will spill out over the bricks and not interfere with the verbena.
I can just picture the tall colorful Larkspurs behind the Blackfoots!
And since we are visiting this area--how about those Blue-
bonnets! Yum!!!!
Happy Spring everyone--have a wonderful weekend!

Blooming Surprise!

2011-03-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest blooming surprises of "almost spring" is my purple Homestead Verbena. I planted a few plants last year, and really paid no attention to them this winter. About a month ago I noticed the plants looked pretty green considering our cold winter, and about 2 weeks ago I noticed buds. Now as I go out to check this bed, I see purple blooms all over!
Homestead Verbena is a perennial and should overwinter, but I read that some gardeners did lose their plants because of the colder than normal weather. This pretty purple flowering plant is a rampant grower. It likes full sun and endured our hot dry summer with no problems at all. Once it starts to flower in spring, it should flower right up to the first frost. It does have a rather woody look, but will fill in an area quite nicely. I love the way it spills over the stones around the flower bed.
Actually, I did not realize this verbena had spread as much as it has--I see shades of purple growing right in between the almost blooming bluebonnets. In summer, I have rudbeckia blooming in this area-the deep purple with that golden yellow is really pretty.
So..2 thumbs up for the purple Homestead Verbena! Don't you think it would look pretty in your garden?

New Window Box

2011-03-12T06:32:00.000-08:00

Remember these-my 2 beautiful window boxes? Well--they fell apart! Of course the cold weather made it impossible to keep plants in the winter, but this year the boxes literally went to pieces. Time for something new!
My wonderful hubby made the last boxes and was eager to make something new, but this time he decided to make one box-and NOT attach it to the house. Making the box was easy, deciding what to do about legs was the tough part. We looked and looked and decided to buy these rustic plant stands and just sit the box on top of them. You know how I love the old rusty look anyway, so I thought it was a perfect idea, but hubby is not 100% pleased so the legs may end up changing eventually. The box is made out of cedar, so it will age and get that old seasoned look that I love.
I went to Lowe's and Home Depot yesterday for mulch, so I decided to buy a few things for the new window box. (yes, I know we will probably get another freeze, but I can easily cover the plants!) I planted coleus, creeping jenny, begonia, dusty miller, and added a few sprigs from a green wandering jew. The box is far from complete, as I will add a few things here and there, but at least it is a start.
My sister gave me the cutest herb markers for my birthday last fall, and even though I can't grow herbs in this box (too shady) I thought I would add the markers for some whimsy.
Thyme....
Sage...
Parsley... These markers may move to the herb garden later in the spring, but for now they look pretty happy here in the new window box. The cost of the new box was very minimal, just 3 boards and the plants stands which I found at an import store--the labor and love that went into making it------priceless !!! Thanks hubby!

Leaving Spring at home....

2011-03-07T11:28:00.000-08:00

For a few days last week we left the spring like weather behind and headed for a family get together in Colorado. No spring here yet...but lots and lots of SNOW! This is the house we rented in Breckenridge.
The house was in a very picturesque setting and so convenient to the gondola for those wanting to get to the ski lifts.

The first day we got there it was clear, but the next evening it started to snow quite a bit--and by Friday things were really snow covered.

Hubby and I are not skiers...
..but we sure enjoy taking care of little snow bunnies!
More fun in the snow came from snow mobiles! Have you ever ridden one? It was soooo much fun. I was a little nervous, but it was not hard and the scenery was breathtaking!
Hubby and I go to Colorado almost every year, but only in summer. We have never gone in winter, and we have never seen any snow but Texas snow-- so this trip was quite an experience for us. Not only did we get to be with our kids and grandson, we got to experience the mountains we love so much covered in beautiful white snow. It was hard to say goodbye and come home.
But we left winter behind and came home to "almost Spring" in Texas. More daffs were blooming, the tulips were starting to appear, the pansies looked happy and recovered from our harsh cold spell--spring is certainly on the way.

Sweetest Little Tulips!

2011-02-22T19:10:00.000-08:00

Aren't these the cutest little flowers? They are "Full House" tulips from Brent and Becky's bulbs. They were planted in December after chilling in the frig a few weeks.
I don't plant a lot of tulips--you know, they just don't return, but I always try a few for that early spring show. These little cuties are really early. I saw them poking through the ground right before our ice and snow. I mulched them really good, and when the sun came back out, they started to grow.
What a cheery sight to look out and see these red and white flowers blooming among all the brown of winter! I think they are the sweetest little tulips I have ever seen!

The First Daffodil

2011-02-17T16:36:00.000-08:00

As I was cleaning up outside yesterday and dead-
heading the sad looking pansies, I saw a bright glimmer of hope for things to come: the first daffodil of the season. I have really been worried about spring blooms after our record breaking lows from the past few weeks. I lost some of the pansies in containers, a few snapdragons, and all of the kale. These plants usually do fine in our winter weather, but these Arctic fronts have taken their toll on Texas plants this year.
I was starting to see bulbs poking up before the fronts paid us a visit, but not realizing how really cold it would get, I wasn't worried. It was after it started to thaw up a bit I noticed all the freezer burn on the foliage. I wrote Southern Bulbs and asked what they thought about the daffs and tulips here in the Dallas area. The answer was:
"Your daffodils and tulips should be fine and bloom for you this spring (although the foliage was covered in ice and snow for 4 days). The most important thing is that the daffodils and tulips were not budding or in bloom when the freezing weather came and sat down on Dallas/Fort Worth. Damaged foliage can recover from freezing those temperatures, but a bud/blossom cannot. So, expect healthy daffodil and tulip blooms this spring!"
Such good news!! But pessimistic me was still rather skeptical..until I saw this pretty little flower nodding in the breeze. I am now seeing more buds on the daffodils, and I do see a few tulips starting to come up. It was lots of work planting the bulbs, and the disappointment of not having their spring show made me really sad--but looks like my harbingers of spring are ok after all.

Cabin Fever

2011-02-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

This has been the scene at our house since Tuesday. No pretty fluffy snow--just raw, cold ICE! We had to break through the ice on top of the pond to reset the pump when the power went out. (well...that would be hubby bless his heart!) I made my soup, I made cookies, I drank hot tea, I cleaned one closet and the pantry--need to get those seeds planted, but oh I have cabin fever! I know the weather is bad just about everywhere, and much worse than ours--and I know all of you are ready to get outside and get those hands dirty. I didn't know what to do, so decided to get the latest book I bought and read. But this was really not the "latest" book--it was very old.
Last week I went to half priced books (love that store!) and finally found a copy of "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett. You know, the book you read as a child. I was so excited as this one was illustrated by the late Tasha Tudor, one of my favorite people! Let me tell you, if you have not read this book in a while-or if you have never read it, go as soon as you can and get a copy. Yes, it is written for young adults, but that is quite ok. You will love it. It takes you to a place of excitement and serenity. I cannot recommend it more. If you need something to do on one of these cold winter days, read The Secret Garden..you will be glad you did!

"...she was inside the wonderful garden and she could come through the door under the ivy any time and she felt as if she had found a world all her own."

NEWS FLASH!!

Hey y'all--I thought I would give you an update on the weather. They told us we would have a "dusting" of snow over night...this is what the "dusting" turned into!!

Old Man Winter

2011-01-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

The last 2 days have been beautiful!! Yesterday was especially pretty, which gave me the opportunity to get out and do some winter clean up. Little Benjamin bunny supervised as I worked cutting back a few things and watering wildflower rosettes.
I have decided that I really like kale. Isn't it pretty in the old wash tub? I am going to make a note in my gardening journal to buy more next year. But..of course, these spring like days are not going to last! Old Man Winter is returning--and returning with force. The forecasters are telling us that Alaska is sending us a cold front that might bring ice on Tuesday and frigid temps. The low Thursday night will be 14. Really! Texas weather is so fickled!
Oh well--I don't care. I am making more soup, oatmeal cookies this time--and-- planting seeds indoors! I always start nasturtiums inside so they are ready to go outside in early spring. I use the fiber containers so when the time comes, I can plant without disturbing the roots. Kind of ironic though..one of the nasturtium seeds I am planting is appropriately named "Alaska!"

Where IS it??

2011-01-17T07:44:00.001-08:00

Where IS it? Have you seen it? I haven't seen it in weeks. It use to be up in the sky shinning bright, even on cold winter days. But the past few weeks--it disappeared!
And in my little garden, we are all a little glum and could use some warmth and shine to cheer us up!
Ok--going a little crazy these days, but that is what happens when the sun disappears from sight for soooo many days! It has been cold and cloudy for so long now, we are all feeling rather droopy like these pansies. The weather forecasters keep saying "maybe tomorrow," but here we are again with a dreary day. sigh...
But there are promising signs of good things to come. The cold weather has not hurt the snap-
dragons or alyssum, and little bunny and I are so happy to see bulbs shooting up all over the garden. I see early, early signs of spring on this dreary winter day that delights me..but I sure would like to see a bright shinning sun in the sky to cheer us all up! Maybe tomorrow...

"The sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun.."

Winter

2011-01-08T11:24:00.001-08:00

It is a beautiful day! The sky is blue, the birds are singing and the pansies are looking happy. I guess it's in the mid to upper 50's. Yesterday the high was 68! So what am I doing today? Why I am making a list!
Ingredients for soup - check!
New package of hot chocolate - check!
Chocolate chip cookies - in the oven
Plants inside - oops, not yet!

Can ya tell what is coming?
For some reason our spring like winter days are turning into true winter overnight tonight. An arctic front is on the way.. darn it!
Tomorrow at this time there will be a cold rain, perhaps mixed with snow. Before the end of next week the low will be 19.. double darn!
Here we go again on this roller coaster ride with our Texas winters..
one day it's gorgeous, the next day it snows. We are suppose to be in a deep freeze all next week, but looking at a long range forecast, week after next should find us back in the low 60's! So...bring it on Mother Nature--I am ready for you! I can handle this cold I hate so much. But..if anyone needs me, you'll find me sitting by the fire drinking hot chocolate eating chocolate chip cookies!
Stay warm y'all!

Gardening - 2011

2011-01-03T07:17:00.001-08:00

Happy 2011 everyone! I hope you enjoyed the holidays with family and friends like I did. Now that we are into a new year I guess we all are thinking about our gardening chores and goals for 2011. Here in Texas the weather people tell us we will have a "La Nina" winter this year. Typically that means warmer temperatures and less precipitation. So far, that has been true. We tend to get cold fronts come through which puts the lows in the 20's with highs in the upper 40's, then a few days later the highs will get back into the 50's or 60's. Back and forth, with not much rain. As you can see from this picture, it's cold enough to add winter brown to the garden.

However, our winters do allow us to have pansies blooming all the time. That is certainly a bright spot to a cold winter day. But...I do miss getting outside and digging in the dirt!

One thing to do on a cold winter day is think about what changes to make in the garden. My goal for the little backyard always seems to be "clean up that mess!" :) I tend to accumulate a few too many things out in my garden--or can one really ever have too many things? Well, that maybe the gardener's choice, but I will have some tiding up to do. Something that maybe a big project for hubby and I in front is that we (that would be ME) are wanting to enlarge our beds that run along the front of the house. We are also thinking about cutting down some of our shrubs that are not growing well and have gotten really too big. The problem is deciding what stays and what goes. And enlarging those beds will not be easy as we have a sprinkler system to deal with. But I really would like deeper beds so I will have more room for blooming things. Right now the beds are full of leaves. I need to get out there and hand pick the leaves out of the beds as they almost completely cover the pansies. I am having a hard time knowing exactly what to do, so this project may have to wait a bit, but winter sure would be a good time to start.

Of course this time of year we all think about seeds. My wildflower seeds are in the ground, but I am already thinking about what to plant in spring: ZINNIAS!! Last summer it seemed to take forever, but my zinnias finally grew and became beautiful. They were the focal point of the yard in hot August.

Lots to think about and plan. And I know you are all there with me, dreaming of that beautiful garden in 2011.

"If winter comes, can Spring be far behind?" Percy Bysshe Shelley

Feeding the Birds

2010-12-17T14:12:00.001-08:00

As you can see-I love to feed the birds. I feed them all summer as a matter of fact. (yes, I know they can find food-I just like to feed them!) In late spring I put out hummingbird feeders. In late fall I put out thistle in special tube feeders for yellow finches. And we always have quite a flock visiting us at breakfast, lunch and dinner. However..this year I am having a bit of a problem.
Can you see this guy hiding up in the tree? This hawk is huge! It almost looks like an eagle the wing span is so wide. I think (looking at my bird book) that this is a "Cooper's Hawk" which preys on backyard birds. At one time this bird was known as a "chicken hawk" for obvious reason. But, we don't think this is our problem..
We think this is the culprit--the one chasing our little friends away. This little one is much smaller than the other hawk. What we don't know is: is this a baby Cooper's Hawk, or could it be another kind? There is a "Sharp-shinned" hawk (again looking in my book) that is similar to the Cooper's but smaller..and according to the book hangs out at backyard feeders. I am not thrilled there are predators out there scaring my little birds friends away, but at the same time it has been very interesting to see these large birds. And yes, I do know this is part of nature, survival of the fittest, etc... The hawks are welcome-just wish they didn't want the diners as their dinner!

A Beautiful "Tulip" Day!

2010-12-02T13:30:00.001-08:00

Today is tulip day! The bulbs have been in the refrigerator now for about 8 weeks, so it's time to get them in the ground. I thought my Mother wanted me to plant some in her garden, but she decided there was no more room-so..I planted 60 bulbs in my little backyard today. And what a perfect day to be in the garden. It was sunny and warm (temp was 67 at planting time-which explains why we have to chill our tulip bulbs here in Texas!) After some much needed house work this morning--I couldn't wait to get outside.

I don't use a bulb planter like I bet most of you do. I like to use this old, ugly, slender spade. It has a sharp point that is great for digging down into clay soil. I was somewhat worried about digging up existing bulbs as I went, but only came across a few. I had 6 different types of tulips-mainly yellows and reds which I planted in between the pansies. I bought 10 all white bulbs that I planted together out under the bird feeder. I added lots of red pepper, then mulch to this area to try and discourage pesky squirrels. The last group of bulbs were white with red edging. I planted them behind the flagstone patio--again with red pepper on top. I never know whether I should plant only one color tulips, or plant lots of colors but always group the colors together (which I think I heard in class is the right thing to do.) But I like red and yellow mixed together so much-I usually mix the bulbs together in a pot, then toss them here and there. I never mark where I am planting as I LOVE to have surprises popping up in spring. By the time I finished planting and peppering and mulching..I was ready for a break. Nice afternoon snack--warm pumpkin bread right out of the oven! Ummmm--what a beautiful tulip day!

Hope you had a good day today!

Wildflower Seeds, Backyard Tree and Thanksgiving

2010-11-20T06:31:00.000-08:00

I thought I would give you an update on the wildflower seeds I planted in October. With the warm sun and lots of watering, it didn't take them long to germinate. This little area behind the pond is not the best place for spring wildflowers, but even the few seeds I scattered here have developed into tiny seedlings.
Along the fence and in the corner wildflower bed I scattered Lemon Mint and Standing Cypress seeds. There are lots of little seedlings in both areas that are continuing to grow. We have had some rain, but not enough so I have tried to keep all areas watered enough to help the little plants out. Wildflowers are drought tolerant, but not until they are larger rosettes.
I found an empty area in the corner bed and planted Golden Wave Coreopsis that are starting to come up. I wish they were further along as our temps may get to freezing this next week. I also planted pass-along poppy seeds and some heirloom larkspur seeds a MG friend of mine gave to me. I am so hopeful both of these plants come up and produce blooms.

Along with all the new little seedlings are bluebonnets that re-seeded. You can see how nice and healthy they look. I really wish everything was this big and may regret planting in October instead of September. We are due for a warmer winter this year, so maybe all the seedlings will be fine. Fingers will be crossed!
The Chinese Pistache tree in back has been turning a beautiful red this year. It is still not the prettiest tree, but we are hoping this is still part of the "ugly ducking" stage they say Pistache trees go through for 5 years. I do think the size makes it perfect for our little backyard.

But now let's talk about the wildflower seeds that I scattered under this tree...
Well, I am not very excited about all these little plants because I just planted Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush here. As you can see, there are tons of things popping up and I can tell you it's not just bonnets and paintbrush! My biggest problem with this bed is that it is being taken over by Carolina Geranium! I think I told you last year there were a few plants in this bed I couldn't identify and I think a few of you told me it looked like a wild geranium-and it was! As soon as those plants got bigger and I could tell what they were, I pulled them up. This year they have taken over! Yes, there are bluebonnets and I think paintbrush growing among the "weeds", but I am not sure who will win out. I have tried to pull the unwanted plants, but it is not easy-plus I have trouble not pulling bonnets that are mixed in. So..bottom line is that I may not have a pretty wildflower bed around the tree in spring, plus next year I will probably not plant seeds here and try to eradicate the unwanted weeds. Just hate this, but I will have to live with the problem for now.
It is hard to believe next week is Thanks-

giving. And, it's hard to believe 2010 is about over. Time really does fly by when you are having fun, and I have had lots of gardening fun this past year! I am grateful for all the success with plants I had, and even for the failures as we learn so much from those experiences. I am grateful for my wonderful family and my home, and for all my precious friends.

So, from my home to yours:

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

For flowers that bloom about our feet;

For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;

For song of bird, and hum of bee;

For all things fair we hear or see,

Father in heaven, we thank Thee!~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Bulbs! What is going on??

2010-11-11T15:34:00.001-08:00

I have been waiting for all my daffodil bulbs to arrive so I can get them planted. This afternoon I met the UPS man at the door when I heard him drive up. I knew the last of the bulbs were here at last. A couple of weeks ago I went to a Master Gardener Meeting and heard "The Bulb Hunter" speak. He was a wonderful speaker who has a company called Southern Bulb Company. He has hunted bulbs all over Texas. Very interesting story--go here and read all about it. After the program, we were able to purchase a few varieties of bulbs. I bought Lilac Wonder tulips and Golden Dawn narcissus which I planted today. I also ordered heirloom daffodil bulbs from Old House Gardens. That's what arrived today. You know how I love fragrance in the garden, and it's no different with bulbs. I always try and find the best bulbs for Texas that have the best scents. I planted 3 types today: Sweetness, Trevithian, and Campernelle. I also planted some of these last year. Which brings me to the next subject....what is going on with last year's bulbs?

Do you see what I am finding in my yard..
Daffodils are coming up in front and in back..look at this!
And look how big this one has gotten. Oh dear, oh dear. I talked to a master gardener expert, and she said this same premature sprouting is happening in every one's garden around this area. She thinks it is because we had that a cold spell, then quite a warm up soon after. Are the poor bulbs confused? I am not sure, I just know I don't want to be disappointed this coming spring when I watch for spring blooms and see none. My MG friend said to be sure and mulch the appearing bulbs very good. So not only did I plant today, I mulched--and mulched again. It turned out to be a perfect day for planting. Right after I finished tucking the bulbs in the ground and covering with the mulch, a soft rain started to fall. I sat on the patio and watched the delicate rain hit the flower beds and pictured what these beds will hopefully look like in a few months. I have tulip bulbs chilling in the frig-I will plant them in December. That will end my gardening for a while I guess. As much as I like to be out getting my hands dirty, I look forward to sitting in front of a fire for a while and dreaming of gardens yet to come!

Back in the yard - Class is over!!

2010-11-01T06:07:00.001-07:00

Last Monday was the last day of Master Gardener classes--yahoo! However..we were given the take home exam which included 8 chapters of about 50 questions in each one. So I bet you can guess how I spent last week. I closed myself up and worked on the exam for 2 days straight. But I can happily say that the exam is finished, I will turn it in tomorrow. After one year of internship (volunteering 72 hours in MG projects), I will graduate and be an official "Master Gardener." Whew!
While I was busy with school, summer turned into fall and I realized this weekend that my little garden was in desperate need of attention. The first thing I did was clear out the old wash tub and plant 3 different kinds of kale with a few pansies tucked in.
The Mexican Mint Marigold started to bloom so it will stay where it is for a while. It dies back in winter so I may need to plant a few pansies to cover it when that happens. Note to self: need to cut this plant back in July--it got rather leggy this year.
All the seeds I planted are coming up nicely--well... we will talk about this later. There are a few TOO many seeds coming up nicely (that are not bluebonnets!)
My main area of concern were the beds along each side of the flagstone walkway, and around the the pond. The pond beds were just cleaned out and got some nice new mulch for winter. The flagstone beds were totally cleaned out and planted with pansies. I also added a few snapdragons to this bed. I have always wanted to try them, and seeing some healthy looking plants at Home Depot for a dollar-well, this seemed like the right time.
I added pansies to both sides of the walkway. These beds house daffodils and tulips down deep in the ground, so it's nice to have something to plant on top. When the bulbs start to pop up, the pansies will not get in the way-they just add more spring color to the show. Ummm, just the thought of that spring flower show makes me smile!
Have you heard of the new cascading pansies? I read about them a few weeks ago in the paper and decided to buy a pot, plant it in a hanging basket and see what happened. This one came from HD. I noticed the flowers are not as large as traditional pansies, but larger than violas. I'll give you updates on this plant. Hopefully by spring I will have an overflowing basket of sweet smelling flowers!
The old wheel-
barrow has not gotten a winter make over yet. Would you believe that those yellow flowers hanging over the side (all the way to the ground) are marigolds I planted last spring? Yep! They just keep blooming. I will say the foliage is starting to look kind of brown, so it won't be too long before I will have to pull them out and fill the wheelbarrow with something else, but until then I will just keep on enjoying fall in this space.
It's hard for me to believe this past year has gone by so fast. It's not cold here in Texas, but we are starting to get fronts that will bring us seasonal cooler weather. As I do so often when seasons change, I pull out my articles written so many years ago by the late Jo Northrop. I know I have mentioned this before-Jo Northrop was legally blind..but oh how I loved "seeing " the seasons through her eyes:

"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, passage toward the end of the year that gives November a quality that is energy charged...In these fine cranberry-chrysanthemum days, every day can be a day of thanksgiving."

Fall at the Arboretum

2010-10-13T18:29:00.000-07:00

I took a break from my hectic schedule to visit the Dallas Arboretum last week. It was so pretty and fallish! Join me for a short tour...
The little cottage was cute and cozy like always..
and the giant lilies were still floating on the pond.
The water wise area was blooming and looking happy,
but the real show this trip were the beautiful fall flowers and..all the PUMPKINS!!

There were houses made of pumpkins..

There were beds bordered by white pumpkins,
and beds bordered by orange pumpkins!
There was a German cafe surrounded by hay bales and pumpkins.

Who knew pumpkins grew on sweet potato vines! : )
There were pumpkins stacked up every-
where!
There is always something wonderful to see at the Arboretum-even if you just want to sit and relax.
Of course of all those pumpkins-this
little
"punkin"
was my favorite!

"Thyme" for Seeds!

2010-10-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Fall Y'all! It has sure been busy at my house. No one told me Master Gardening school would be so..well..hard! Sorry I haven't been visiting your blogs lately. I study all the time! And, all of a sudden, it's fall! The temps are cooler, pumpkins are at the markets, as are mums and scarecrows. Love it! In the business of life, I almost forgot that it was "thyme" to plant wildflower seeds. Well, I didn't really forget-but the temperature was so hot here mid September I thought I better wait. I called the Wildseed Farm to verify, and they agreed-"wait for October" they said.
So, as I turned my calender to October yesterday, I realized the time had come. I had to pull up a lot of flowers from this bed around the tree. That was quite a job, both physically and emotionally. The flowers were leggy and looking pretty sad, but they still had blooms on them. I hate, hate to pull up things in bloom, but I did have seeds ready to plant, so I got busy.
Last night I soaked the bonnet seeds, and bright and early this morning I was ready to start scattering. Wildflower seeds must touch the soil, you don't really plant them. After soaking all night, the bluebonnet seeds became plump and felt like tiny little rocks. Very easy to grab a handfull and toss them here and there. I love scattering seeds-makes me know how Johnny Appleseed must have felt! :)
I do have a few rosettes coming up from last year-can you see this little one in front of the rock-but I have so little space to have flowers in the back, I use the beds to plant annuals which makes it hard for the bonnets to re-seed successfully.
I scattered seeds everywhere I could find a bare spot. They may not germinate in all spots, but why not try and hope for spring blooms.
This sunny spot is the corner wildflower bed that has only crazy wild things in it. I scattered bluebonnet seeds, mexican hat, horse mint, standing cypress and indian paintbrush here. In spring, I will add plains coreopsis and ox eye daisies.

I love seed planting day in fall! It teaches me patience, gives me hope for the future, and brings me joy! I can't wait to see what surprises these little seeds will bring me next spring!

"The most noteworthy thing about gardeners is that they are always optimistic, always enterprising, and never satisfied. They always look forward to doing better than they have ever done before!"

Vita Sackville-West

Smart Cars and Butterflies!

2010-09-19T11:26:00.001-07:00

Ohhhhhh I had such a good time Saturday morning! A friend of mine is a member of the DFW Smart Car club and invited me to be her
"navigator" for the Smart Car Butterfly Rally! (no, I will not share with you how many times we got lost!) This is Sheri, and her car "June Bug." Have you ever seen anything so cute! The Smart Car club was teaming with Texas Discovery Gardens to provide scholarships for children to participate in some of their programs.
"All sponsorships benefit Texas Discovery Gardens’ 2010-2011 education programs by giving our community’s under served youth a day of environmental learning. These programs teach math in nature, the study of botany and insects, the science of soil, composting and how to lead “greener” lives in the real world through direct, hands-on experiences. "
About 23 cars participated in the rally. Some were decorated with just a few butterflies..

..while others were decked out completely in their butterfly finery! But of course,
"June Bug" was the hit of the show. As we drove from one end of Dallas to the other, heads turned and everyone waved. We went to butterfly gardens, farmers markets and community gardens. Unfortunately there was not enough time to stop and take pictures, but we did enjoy passing by and seeing all the various gardens. The two projects that impressed me the most were the butterfly garden at White Rock Lake's Bath House Cultural Center (created by Dallas Master Gardeners!) and the Lake Highlands Community Garden. This community garden is big. The gardeners incorporate organic and water wise gardening principals and I will tell you the plants were lush and healthy. Very impressive!
After the rally we headed back to the Texas Discovery Garden to the Butterfly Conserva-tory.
We were each given a little sack that contained a live butterfly (raised at the discovery center). On a count of 3...we all opened our sack and let our butterflies go. Mine sat on my finger a while, then I moved her to a leaf to get her strength. Before long she was flying with the other butterflies. If I was a butterfly, think I would enjoy living here!
Sheri, thank you so much for such a wonderful morning-and for such a good cause! Our children are the future. I was very happy to support the Texas Discovery Garden as they educate these future caregivers of our world!

"We have not inherited the earth from our fathers, we are borrowing it from our children.
(Native American Saying)

Just couldn't help myself!

2010-09-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

Ok--so it's 95 degrees outside...I am at Home Depot...and what do I do???
Well, of course--I buy asters...

..and mums!

Please hurry fall!!

Late Summer and the Pond

2010-09-06T06:47:00.000-07:00

I sat on the patio early this Labor Day morning enjoying a cup of coffee and slightly cooler temps, listening to the peaceful sound of the pond. We built our pond about 11 or 12 years ago. It added the perfect touch to our little backyard. We used a red pump as our source for recirculating the water back into the pond. We like the nice sound it created, plus although a lot smaller, the pump reminded us of camping in Colorado and pumping water at the campsite. However, the past 2 years, the pump has been slowing down and collecting so much algae we are cleaning it out way too often, so, we have been thinking it may be time to retire the old pump and create a small waterfall.

Just a thought that I ponder as I sit this morning. I am also thinking what a good idea it was to plant yellow cosmos around the back of the pond. Those flowers love sun, and are really drought tolerant. They should re-seed too! There is another reason I am enjoying the pond this early morning..do you notice anything missing? The net! Because of heron problems, we had to net our pond last year. But last month we noticed we never see heron anymore. Back in the spring we could just stand outside and watch them fly by-- so many! Now I don't think the problem is over--oh no! We have discovered the heron fly over in late winter/early spring during their nesting season. Then when the temperatures start to heat up, I'd say late June, they seem to go somewhere else.

I don't miss them either! I want to protect my fish, but I also watched the dragon flies trying to get to the water these hot summer days, and was very torn on what to do. We keep the net close by just in case, but for now the pond is open for the birds, bees and butterflies (plus dragonflies) to enjoy.

If we decide to build a small waterfall, the pump will not be thrown away--it will just be disconnected and sit beside the pond. I don't want to lose the character of that old pump. It will always be a reminder of the first years of the pond and all the hard work hubby did in designing and building it. I so love my little pond!

Dog Days of Summer..and next year

2010-08-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

I am so ready for fall-are you? This has been such a hot dry summer. Hubby and I have to go out twice a day and water the little back yard that gets sun all day including the hot west sun in the afternoon. This weekend I was writing in my gardening journal noting some things that did well this summer, and changes I need to make next year. I thought I would share some of those thoughts with you.
A big YES plant again are the zinnias around the tree. Not all the seeds germinated, but the "cut and come again" have been amazing. I didn't get the red flowers I wanted, but thanks to a nice garden blogger, I have seeds for red zinnias to plant next year. Love the zinnias!

Another yes is, buy a purslane basket and put it by the pond. This area gets really hot, which purslane loves. I get these baskets for about $15.00 in early summer. I hope the garden center doesn't go out of business-I never see anyone there anymore.
The most interesting flower I had this year was the cleome. But now it's top heavy and I am wanting to cut it down. I have lots of seeds saved, so that may happen this weekend. I loved watching the flowers grow and change, but next year it needs to live in another spot.
I planted a purple fountain grass with lime and purple sweet potato vine in a shallow container and put it on the flagstone patio. Very pretty and love the contrasting colors...but..man did we have to water it every 2 minutes! I like the combination of colors, but way too much trouble. However, I do need something between these 2 chairs..any ideas??
The purple heart has been great, and will live there forever. I had to re-plant the window boxes as I lost the plants this past winter. Usually our winters are mild and I just cover the boxes, but it just got too cold this year. They look great right now, but please remind me NOT to buy petunias. I get so carried away in spring and planted quite a few in these boxes. The pretty flowers just cannot handle our summers!
Love ornamental grasses and need to find more of these next year. They seem to like hot and dry weather! The old wheel-

barrow is behind this grass, and I am not showing you a picture because it looks too bad. Oh my, what was I thinking last spring. I need a good plan for this special container. I will work on ideas for it all winter.

No, no, no--not ever again!! I simply cannot have morning glories in my yard. I have 2, one here.. ..and one at the other end of the yard. They are in containers, which is wrong, but I needed them up high to attach to the trellis. They could use water every 2 minutes along with the fountain grass and potato vine, and I refuse to do that again. I have learned my lesson-no more morning glories!!!
But I will always have blackfoot daisies and profusion zinnias. As a matter of fact, I made a note to buy more profusions next year for the back.. I only have this one plus 2 more. Funny thing, I always buy the cute little zinnias for the front, and used a few begonias in back for color. Now the back is full of sun, and the trees in front are shading the beds-so maybe I just need to switch. The blackfoots are so heat and drought tolerant. And when I walk outside on a hot afternoon, that sweet honey smell is divine. Ummm--YES to blackfoots and profusions!
The last thumbs up flower is angelonia, the summer snapdragon Without a doubt I will continue to have these. They bloom all summer, don't mind getting very little water, no deadheading required--what more could you ask for? Well, they are annuals where I live, so I could ask them to be perennials!
I have lots more "tweaking" that needs to be done in my yard, and quite a bit of thinking about what to do about next year. The weather people say our summers are going to be hot like this for a while (how do they know these things??). I know I have way too many annuals, but I love the color they add. I am going to try really hard to add perennials and use fewer annuals next year. But gee when spring hits, and the garden centers have all these pretty plants, and I am sick of a brown winter-it sure is hard to resist buying.

So here we are at the end of August. Here in Texas it will still be hot, but we can look forward to those September cold fronts coming our way, along with pumpkins and mums. So how about you-have you made notes for next year? Are you ready to end this summer and think about gardening next spring? I am!

"Gardening is a way of showing that you believe in tomorrow."

Good information on Coneflower Problems

2010-08-20T15:46:00.000-07:00

In June I did a post on the problems I was having with my coneflowers The seed heads were turning brown and the flowers were dying. You can read about it here. Taking the heads apart, I found little, tiny worms. After that post, I got several emails from other folks have similar problems. Two of the gardeners were from Ontario, Canada. I want to share one of the emails with you that I thought was really interesting. Her description of the problem matched what I found exactly. This is what she said:

Yesterday I noted my coneflowers were not looking as good as earlier this summer. The leaves look great but the flowers were looking like they were all going to seed. However, I noted no new blooms.So, a closer look identified the heads of the blooms appeared to have dirt on them. Among the dirt, I noted small holes. When I opened a bloom, it contained brown and olive worms. These worms (0.5-3 mm) were eating their way through the blooms. Every bloom with the black dirt contained at least two worms. It seems that 85% of my coneflower blooms have this dirt and worms. So, I have removed all the dirty blooms.Since I have biology training, I know these worms are the larval phase of something. Given the size of the larvae, I can only guess they will mature to be beetles.So, this blog identifies these larvae occur in the Dallas area, in Delaware, and in Ontario. That seems to cover most of central North America.I am going to try to figure out what kind of larvae we are dealing with. One approach is to go in to the compost pile and find a larvae from a coneflower, so I can identify it directly. Or I can find out what other folks here in Ontario are writing about... something that has not turned up on this search tonight.

Interesting, right? I cut off all the infected blooms on mine, and the plants seemed to be ok for the remaining of their bloom time. Perhaps this was a one time problem, but after everyone including the Master Gardeners I talked to said coneflowers rarely have insect or disease problems, I would sure like to know what has developed that is causing problems with people in very different areas. Next year when your coneflowers start to bloom, keep an eye on them and see if you find any problems.

They're here!!

2010-08-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

The UPS man just pulled up out front. Hubby went out to see what "we" ordered and brought me this very familiar box. My wildflower seeds are here!!
I got my catalog out last week and decided what seeds I will try for spring blooms and called the order in. Here in the Dallas area, most wildflower seeds will need to be "scattered" around the middle of September to early October. I should have some plants that re-seed from this past year, but I always like to plant more seeds each fall just to assure flowers. And, I also like to buy something new to try as well.
These are the seeds I ordered:
Bluebonnets (of course!)
Texas Paintbrush
Ox-Eyed Daisy
Wine Cup
Dwarf Red Coreopsis
Lemon Mint
Ladybird Dwarf Cosmos
Standing Cypress

Of course all I can do right now is look at the seed packets, but this time next month I will be getting ready to throw out those seeds! I can't wait--hurry September!!

"To own a bit of ground, to scratch it with a hoe, to plant seeds and watch their renewal of life--this is the commonest delight of the race, the most satisfactory thing..one can do."
Charles Dudley Warner

Pretty 'n Pink

2010-08-10T08:00:00.001-07:00

Most of you are going to shudder when I say this--but I really like my pink Ruellia! I know, they are SO invasive! The speaker in my MG class yesterday said that if you are really quiet you can hear the flowers spitting out seeds.
I only had one large plant last year, and of course now I have several volunteers in all different locations in the backyard. But..I love that cottage garden look, so I am ok with them popping up. I need their pretty color, especially this time of the year.
They add a backdrop to other flowers in my garden. And if I see one coming up that I really don't want to live there, I just pull it up. Of course I garden in a really small space. I know this is not practical for everyone. And I also know that next year I may be singing a different song, but this year I am really loving them.
Their pink color adds such a soft touch to my hot backyard. Oh, and another thing that makes ruellia one I love--in all this over 100 degree heat and no rain...they never wilt, they continue to bloom, and they haven't complained one time about the hot sun bearing down on them. In my book, that makes them a keeper!

My Flower of Summer

2010-08-02T15:57:00.000-07:00

Lots of garden bloggers post on their
"flower of the week" or
"flower of the month." I don't have enough variety in my garden to choose a flower that often, but I do have a "flower of the season"-my flower of summer is Rudbeckia (goldstrum). I started out many years ago with about 3 plants that I planted along the street side of my house. Every spring I divide..and divide..and divide.

I have these beautiful black-eyed Susans everywhere These are on the west side of the backyard..
..and these run along the east side. My Susans are happy anywhere I put them. I now have a few pockets of flowers in front. It didn't take the transplants very long to grow and bloom.
And Rudbeckia make great cutting flowers. I have little bouquets all over..some are mixed in with other flowers..

As long as I can I have a bouquet of flowers on my kitchen table. They last a long time inside if you change the water everyday. What a joy it is to walk in every morning and see these happy flowers waiting for you!
The original flowers are still on the side of the house. I couldn't recommend these flowers more. They are heat and drought tolerant-which is very important in these hot and humid summer months. I only water them occasionally, and the flowers in back get the hot, hot west sun all afternoon and never complain--ever!! And, they are so pretty and bright! It makes my summer complete when they start to bloom!

I have often wondered: if I could only keep one plant..no more..what would it be? I love my spring bluebonnets, but I think my choice would have to be these Rudbeckias--my favorite flower of summer!

So..do you have a favorite summer flower?

It's a jungle out there!

2010-07-28T17:56:00.000-07:00

The other morning I went out to water. I turned on the faucet and filled the watering can, and turned around and just had to giggle. This is what I saw--what a jungle! That cleome takes center stage and amazes me every day with it's blooms.
And as I looked further at my little backyard garden, it really looks like a jungle! But, you know..that is the look I love. I am definitely a lover of the cottage garden. Lots of anything that will grow-everywhere!
Out of the 7 zinnia seed packets I planted, 2 groups of flowers have germinated and grown and look great. They are tall, but have small blooms and make great cutting flowers. As a matter of fact, that is the name of the group they are from, "the cutting collection." You know I was not thrilled with the seeds I bought, but at least I got these flowers. They add to that wild jungle look.
The stroll down the path is pretty clam, but you can see all the things I have growing. There are lots of things that are not handling the west sun very well, but for the most part things are doing ok.
In the mist of the early morning hours, it may look like a jungle-but I do love my garden, even in the hot summer time. It is full of so many different things-lots planted by me, and a few planted by my bird friends. I will try and remember how it looks on this hot summer morning some cold and dreary day in January. Remembering will help get me through the winter!

"In the depth of winter..I learned that within me lay an invincible summer."
Albert Camus

Rocky Mountain High-2010

2010-07-25T15:50:00.000-07:00

These are the Ruby Peaks high up in the mountains of Colorado. This is where we spent a week. It is where we found peace and tranquility. It is where we found simple joys from nature. It is where I would still love to be.
We camped at Lake Irwin which is outside of Crested Butte, high up in the Rocky Mountains. We have been coming to this campsite for 30 years. It has changed over the years--we think the word must have gotten out as it was pretty crowded this year. We can remember when there were always open campsites. That is no longer the case. You have to reserve your campsite in the winter. But, who wouldn't want to come to the cool air and get away from life for a while!
One of the things we love to do while camping is to hike. This is Judd Falls, one of the many water falls we hiked to.
Another thing we like to do is fish in the lake. We catch and release our fish, so our technique makes fishing a little more challenging, but we had great luck and caught quite a few fish that were released back into the lake. And then, there are the flowers....
oh my goodness how beautiful are the wildflowers! I took many pictures..let me show you just a few..

These are Gentain or Monument Plants. We see them every year, but what was so interesting this year-they were blooming! They only bloom every 10 years, so we felt pretty lucky to see them.
The buds and blooms are not very showy, but put them in a big meadow and they really stand out!

Of course we saw lots of columbine, Colorado's state flower. We camp pretty high up (10,000 ft) so we have columbine all around.

These are called Sky Pilot. You smell them before you see them. No, they don't have a wonderful sweet fragrance-they smell like a skunk!
The meadows were full of these alpine sunflowers. They are always one of my favorites. There are so many yellow wildflowers in the Rockies I couldn't begin to try and identify all of them. And because they cross pollinate-they are hard for even the experts. The nick names for the yellows up here is "DYT" --"Darn Yellow Things!"
This is a ferny-leafed white flower with a very distinctive spicy sweet smell. It is named Osha and looks very much like our Queen Anne's Lace. It is everywhere! I saw one meadow that looked solid white because there were so many of these pretty flowers.
This is called Jacob's Ladder. I wish I could have gotten a better picture for you-it is such a sweet little flower. You can't tell, but it is a very light blue and usually grows under trees and other plants. I never see them in lower elevations, only up in the mountains.
This is an Elephantella, or Elephant Head. It is really an unusual plant with little flowers that have the look of a tiny elephant head.
There are a lot of Scarlet Paintbrush (which look like our Indian Paintbrush here in Texas) in Colorado, but this is a Rosy Paintbrush which is very hard to find. I was so excited to come across quite a few of these on one of our hikes.

There are so many other wildflowers we saw: asters, lupines, daisies, wild geraniums, sneeze weed, cow's parsnip, chokeberry, wild roses..oh I could go on and on. As you can see, I was very content and happy to just sit in the middle of a meadow surrounded by all these happy flowers.

John Muir once said "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." How very true this statement is. Our cares did seem to fall off, and we find a peace in the mountains like no other. Thank you Colorado, for your streams and rivers; for your beautiful lakes; and for your cool weather and spectacular flowers. We do indeed find a Rocky Mountain High and can't wait to come back again soon!

Saturday Morning

2010-07-10T06:08:00.000-07:00

I took my coffee out to the patio this drizzly Saturday morning. As I sat and watched the humming-
birds and cardinals come for breakfast, and listened to the sounds of the water hitting the rocks in the pond, I felt such peace. The sky was cloudy, and I suppose there are some that would call this a dreary day, but for me-it was a perfect morning.
For some reason, I love to see a garden on a foggy, drizzly day. After such a hot June, I know my plants are really happy with an overcast sky and rain!
I sometimes wonder why I bother with gardening-do you ever think about that? My answer comes pretty quickly though--I find serenity in my garden. I solve problems in the garden-and I sometimes create problems in the garden! :)
And on this drizzly Saturday morning, I find content-
ment in the garden.
The heat will return, the rain will stop, plants will come and go, and summer will turn into fall. But for this moment in time, I feel such peace.
I hope you all have a peaceful, beautiful weekend. I am taking a brief break from the blogging world. I will be back soon!

"Working in the garden gives me a profound feeling of inner peace. Nothing here is in a hurry. There is no rush toward accomplishments, no blowing of trumpets. Here is the great mystery of life and growth. Everything is changing, growing, aiming at something, but silently, unboastfully, taking it's time."
Ruth Stout

Update on Coneflowers

2010-07-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

I thought I would give you an update on my coneflowers and the worms. As suggested by you wonderful blogging friends, I cut off all the blooms on the plants that had the tiny worms. And, I am happy to tell you the coneflowers are blooming again and show no signs of the pesky little worms.
They look really healthy even in this heat, but of course coneflowers really kind of like all this hot weather.
The only plant that is not looking very happy is the White Swan. There are quite a few buds, but they are not developing as I think they should. I wonder if worms continue to be a problem with this plant. And, something is enjoying the leaves as you can see. I really don't mind a bite or two taken out of a leaf, but please leave the seed heads alone!
This is my newest coneflower:
Hot Papaya.
It starts out as a light yellow, then as it grows the petals turn a pretty apricot color. I found a worm on one of the flowers earlier, and cut all the buds off.

This plant has tons of blooms now and as far as I can tell, it is worm free.
I still don't know what type of worms I had. I tried to do some research on what it could be as did Tina. (thanks so much Tina!) I read about diseases coneflowers are susceptible to, but could never find anything about problems with bugs of any kind. Such as life in a garden.. you never know what surprises--good and not so good--you will find! I hope all your garden surprises were good ones today!

"Let us permit nature to have her way. She understands her business better than we do."
Michel de Montaigne

"Oh I went to a Garden Party...."

2010-07-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember that old Ricky Nelson song! Well, I went to a garden party recently. It was a very special garden party- it was for me! It was a garden party to celebrate.. my retirement! Last Wednesday, June 30th, was my last day to work.

Knowing how I love wildflowers, my work buddies got together and went from fields to backyards picking all kinds of wildflowers for the centerpieces.

I took all the bouquets home and saved as many seeds as I could.

They know me well-their wishes say it all!
I am one of the lucky ones. I have been blessed to have a job I love, and work with the most wonderful people in the world. My last day the department surprised me by wearing t-shirts that said "We love Linda" , "We will miss Linda," and "Happy for you, sad for us." How do you say goodbye to a group of people who have been like family to you for so many years?
We have laughed together, we have cried together. We have shared stories, books and recipes. We have watched our children grow up together.

And throughout the years we have truly cared about each other. I cannot tell you how much I am going to miss all of these work buddies that I think of as family.

But, it's time for me to move on. It is time for a new chapter in my life to start. I am so excited about a new adventure, but I will always remember my family in GISD Technology. I love you guys!

So, what will you do now you ask? Well, right before my last day at work I got a letter in the mail informing me I was accepted into the Dallas County Master Gardener Program...so I am going back to class! I am a little scared, and a little nervous, but a whole lot excited! New chapter in my life--YES!

"Don't cry because it's over...smile, because it happened!"

Doctor Seuss

Wordless Wednesday - Purslane Perfection!

2010-06-30T04:30:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday - I love my old washtub!

2010-06-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

First Day of Summer....really??

2010-06-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

As I was watering last night...
again, I found myself grumbling about my
"summer
disappoint-
ments." Then I realized, it was not really summer yet. Today is officially the first day of summer. However, for those of us in Texas, it seems like the middle of summer. Our temperatures have already reached 100..more than once, and in my area we haven't had rain in over a month. But, back to the subject at hand-summer disappointments. Here is my biggest one (other than worms in my coneflowers!)--the flower bed around the new tree in the backyard.

Do you remember how pretty the bluebonnets were in the spring? After I pulled them up I planted 7 types of zinnias seeds. I was going to have a bed full of beautiful, colorful zinnias, and I was going to cut them and have vases full of flowers all summer. Well..it didn't happen!
Out of all those seeds I planted, there is one little group that germinated and looks like it is about to bloom. I was so frustrated last weekend, I went to the garden center and bought some red verbena, white angelonia, and some type of little yellow flower. I needed some color in that bed! What in the world happened to all those seeds? I used Burpee seeds. Hubby thinks that is the problem. He had trouble with Burpee seeds germinating in his vegetable garden a few years ago. I'm not sure what happened, but next year I am going to develop a new plan for this bed after I pull the bluebonnets.

The view from the patio is not too bad..
but when you get closer, the bed is just bare. I miss all those flowers I was going to have!
Oh well, the new tree looks pretty good. And, although you can't see them in the pictures, the bluebonnets have re-seeded and I have cute little plants starting to pop up all over that bed!
As I continued to grumble and water, I turned around and saw the bed under the breakfast room window. The window boxes are certainly not as pretty as last year--they can't handle all the west sun we are getting now--but look at the purple heart. This picture doesn't do them justice. They are really spectacular, and they have not complained one time about the heat! Summer will be hot and dry I am afraid, and plants will suffer. And as a gardener I will have disappointments, but also as a gardener I know I need to find the beauty in the summer heat. I know it's there--I just need to look.

"If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere."
Vincent Van Gogh

Coneflower Trouble

2010-06-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

I have coneflower problems! I started to notice the heads of the flowers with something black looking on them. At first I thought they were just going to seed, and some are. But when I began to notice the young buds with this same black marking, I decided to take a closer look.

I actually picked a few flowers and buds off and started to dig through them. On some, there was nothing. On others-I found tiny worms about the size of the end of your fingernail. They have some yellow on them and are burrowed down deep in the cone. What are they??
I was afraid my flowers had "aster yellow" disease which I read is a death sentence for coneflowers So, I was happy to think it was worms, but who has worms on their coneflowers?
"Nothing can hurt coneflowers" they say. Well, I beg to differ. I am losing mine everyday.. The funny thing is that this is all in the back. I have a few in front and on the side that look healthy.
I love my "pink daisies" as I called them when I was a little girl. I don't think these would be worms for butterflies or they would be eating the leaves. I tried insecticide soap on the cone heads, but I don't think it worked. Does anyone have any ideas?? HELP!!

Wordless Wednesday - Ready for the Monarchs!

2010-06-15T18:54:00.000-07:00

Tiny Herb Garden

2010-06-12T08:55:00.001-07:00

We usually have a small veggie garden, but this year our garden area is "under con-
struction." I miss the tomatoes, peppers, and onions. But I decided to make up for that loss I would create a tiny herb garden in the back. This is it, and although small--it is flourishing!
I have spearmint, pineapple mint, lemon mint and lemon balm. It has all kind of grown together-which I love. WARNING: grow mints in containers unless you want them to take over!!
This is chives (bring on those baked potatoes!) and thyme. (one of many-I love thyme!)

The parsley started out slow, but is finally looking good-as is the basil. This is boxwood basil. It is a mounding plant with tiny leaves that can be used in pesto.
There is a small rosemary plant in the left corner of this picture, and, I couldn't stand to not have sweet banana peppers this summer, so I bought one little plant. Looks like I can pick for the next salad!
Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.

Wordless Wednesday - A Summer Wheelbarrow

2010-06-08T15:45:00.001-07:00

Water Wise Garden Tour

2010-06-05T12:50:00.000-07:00

I took my Mother on another garden tour this morning. This is the annual Water Wise Garden Tour sponsored by the water utilities company. Gardeners apply to have their gardens rated as drought tolerant as well as have a way to retain rain water. This is always my favorite garden tour. The tour has many gardens on it, but the temperature is getting high up in the 90's now, so I decided Mother and I would only go to 4 houses. This is the first one..not far from Mother's house. If you like cactus-this was the place to be!
The agave were unbelie-
vable! We were so impressed with the front. But the back was even better!
This is the first thing I saw when I walked in the backyard. It is a bog full of lotus. If you know anything about ponding, you know lotus are not easy to grow. And these gardeners have a water garden FULL of them! Wow!
They had a very nice sitting area in the middle of the yard. Behind it was a vegetable garden and 2 bee hives. Loved this yard!
Up close to the house was another water feature. Really cute isn't it? And, in that ground cover are box turtle. They were shy, so I couldn't get a picture.
There were succulents in all kinds of containers. This one is on the back porch. This was a fantastic garden!

The next house was one we visit every year. They are past winners of the Water Wise Award. Their garden changes some every year. They replaced their lawn several years ago with buffalo grass. They have lots of salvias, lavender, black-foot daisies..oh I could go on and on.
But what was so beautiful today was all the blooms on their cactus.
The next house was the garden of the sweet little lady that gave me my ground ivy. She acted so happy to see us, and we talked as we walked through her pretty little shady garden..and I forgot to take any pictures except for this one. Her little lady scare crow still stands tall against the massive trees in her yard.
This last house was really something. It is in an old neighbor-
hood, but the home
owners completely remodeled it. The lady is a Master Gardener and just finished the gardens. She uses so many rustic touches in this garden..which is exactly what I love.
They were so many nooks and crannies in this yard, and the homeowners used every opportunity to create a sitting area.
Their bottle tree was really cool..

..as was their patio.

This is a rudbeckia that I am seeing in so many gardens. I love the colors, but one gardener told me he could not get this one to survive in his yard. I bought something similar to this at Home Depot a few weeks ago. I will be anxious to see if it can survive our Texas heat.

They had a great collection of bird houses. I love whimsical touches like this in a garden!
This was the garden shed (I am soooo jealous!)
There were plants in ALL kinds of containers!

This was the last garden we went to, and I really would like to have sat a while and enjoyed the porch!

It is so much fun to go on these garden tours. You get so many ideas and it's great to see what other gardeners enjoy in their yard. But it is hot, so this gardener is going inside to drink her lemonade today!

Project French Drain: Completed!

2010-05-31T07:13:00.001-07:00

It was a long, dirty, time consuming, hard job-but the french drain is complete! I really owe hubby for this one! Chopping through those roots was tough. He worked on this project every evening after work, and every weekend. This is a view from the gate coming from the side yard.
But this is the view I usually see as it is coming into the back from the driveway. You can see what a narrow yard we have. To re-cap: hubby dug a trench chopping roots as he went. The trench was about 16 inches deep and 10 inches wide. We then put down landscape fabric, laid the pipe, covered it with rocks, then topped it off with mulch. We used no-float, which is not my favorite type of mulch, but every other kind I tried always washed away.
After the drain was in, I took over and finished the area. I added some new plants, and moved a few plants. (The pole you see has a bird feeder at the top.)
The path winds down behind the flagstone patio. Notice anything missing? Flagstone stepping stones! I decided not to use any after all. I like the look and feel of the path with just mulch. I am hoping after we walk on it several weeks, it will look more like the "beaten path" that I always yearned for!
The path ends here. You can see the stepping stones that lead you out the gate.

So we come to the end of the path and look back. Over time, I will add more plants, but it's great for right now. I couldn't be happier with the results. It is such a comfort knowing the next time we have heavy rains, no more flooded areas! Of course, summer has hit here in Texas, so we probably will not have any rain for a while. But when the rain returns...we will be prepared!

Wordless Wednesday - A Garden Tour

2010-05-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

Wildflower Excitement!!

2010-05-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

I am so excited--I had to share my excitement with you! You all know wildflowers are my passion. When we travel, I carry a field guide with me and try to spot and identify as many wildflowers as I can. My dream would be to have my own meadow and have it full of wildflowers nodding their heads in the breeze. As it is, I have no meadow, so I devote a corner of my little backyard to wildflowers. And they have started to bloom. (you never know what will happen when you scatter seeds in fall!)
The clasping coneflowers are starting to..um.."develop."

They don't just bud, then open. They start with a center, then the petals begin to develop until you actually have flowers. So interesting!
When I ordered seeds from the Wildseed Farm, they sent me a free package of mixed seeds, which I just threw out in this bed last fall. I didn't even look closely at what it contained, so I was surprised to see this gaillardia (blanket flower) blooming in this bed! I also see blue cornflowers and I think phlox. Love these kinds of surprises!
But my big exciting moment this week: I was watching this plant grow and grow. Looking at the fern like leaves, I was afraid it was just another cosmos (well, you know how prolific they are!) I scattered seeds for Plains Coreopsis in fall, and was so in hopes that's what it was..and, I was not disappointed! Ohhhh, I was so excited to go out Thursday night and find the buds had opened and it was the cute, cute coreopsis I had been hoping for!
They are tall too, and their heads definitely nod in the breeze. I just love them! Now, this wildflower bed is..well..
wild! It is certainly not a structured showy bed, but it is exactly what I was hoping for. There are still green things coming up too, so I have to be careful not to pull anything up. You never know, you could be pulling up a wildflower beauty!

"May all YOUR weeds be wildflowers!"

Wordless Wednesday - Almost There!

2010-05-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

Weekend Gardening Notes

2010-05-16T18:29:00.000-07:00

Every year, for Mother's Day weekend, I take my Mother plant shopping. Since I was in DC last weekend, this Saturday was our day to shop and plant. And we loaded up my SUV! Do ya think we have room for anything else? I worked Saturday morning in Mother's garden, and we were both pleased with the results.
I only bought a few things, as I wanted to have room for all the things Mother wanted, but I am happy to say I am now the proud owner of a Knock-out rose! Thank you Tina for encouraging me to get one. I think the blooms are beautiful. The tag says they are double blooms, which I think makes them look more like the old roses I remember when I was a little girl. I have no idea where I will put it, and I am wondering....is there anyway I can put it in a large container and grow it as a container plant? It sure looks good right at the start of this path, but I'm not sure if it would be safe in the ground here.
When I got home, I decided to take a stroll through my garden to check my blooms. Come walk along with me and let's see what we can find. The Hollyhocks are just now starting to bloom. I love this pretty pink color.
I have 2 of these growing around stones. I bought them last year. They are really a pretty yellow and perfect for a rock garden. But..uh, I cannot remember the name of this plant! Help!
The Gerber Daisies have been so happy this spring. I think they have enjoyed all the rain.
This is a new plant,
"Blanket Flower Torch." I bought this red one, and a yellow one. Both have produced many flowers.
My Nasturtiums are finally blooming. I have enjoyed the pretty, fragrant little flowers. I know they will not last much longer.
This is my favorite of all--Blackfoot Daisy. Isn't it gorgeous! It is in one of my old galvanized buckets. And, it came back from last year! Yes, I did baby it during that cold weather we had, but it was well worth it. That honey smell and those cute flowers just make my day! Love, love them!
The Marigolds are really doing well--so far no spider mites!
And here are the Red Geraniums I have had for so many years. I moved them from the front porch to a bed in back. They don't mind-they will bloom anywhere I put them I think.
I hope you enjoyed the walk with me looking at a few of my blooms. It has been such a pretty spring here at Meadow-
view Thymes, and I find such joy watching all these flowers grow.

I hope you found the time this weekend to enjoy the blooms in your garden.

Note: The french drain is about 2/3 of the way finished! Yea!

Wordless Wednesday - Mother's Day Weekend with my favorite daughter

2010-05-11T15:00:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday - Peonies from Mother's Garden

2010-05-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

French Drains, Termites, a Wheelbarrow and a Washtub

2010-05-02T18:44:00.001-07:00

Work on the french drain has started. After clearing the area, we took string and tried to lay out the route the drain would take. It will wind through this back bed, connecting with an existing drain, then come up toward the other side of the yard. It will be a long drain, but hopefully will solve our drainage problems. The next step was to start digging. Wouldn't you know, poor hubby immediately ran into problems.
Remember, we had 2 big trees in back. The trees are gone, but they left huge roots. Hubby and youngest son spent all afternoon last Sunday trying to axe out some of the roots. It was a tough job! Hubby worked every evening last week and was able to finally get the big root out.
Hubby then dug a trench to tie in to the existing drain. This was not an easy task. It took him just about all afternoon on Saturday.
Today we laid the first drain pipe. We put rocks on top of the drain, then will cover it with no float mulch. After this was done, hubby started digging more of the trench. And of course, he ran into more roots! This has been a back breaking job and is going to take quite a while to finish. I know we will be delighted to have our drainage problems solved, but it has been a pretty rough weekend for us (especially for my wonderful husband!)
As luck would have it, we encount-
ered another problem last week--we found out we have termites! Yuk, eeeew, eek! We are getting our house treated on Thursday. They will need to dig about a 3 inch trench around the entire house..so, I spend part of this afternoon transplanting the flowers from this side flower bed. They were up against the house and would be removed when the trench was dug. This bed is full of rudbeckia and daisies, plus phlox and a hollyhock full of buds. Gosh I hope they are careful with my plants.

Rough weekend, but I found a couple of nice things to see in the garden. I think the spring wheel-

barrow is looking really pretty right now. The bunny that lives among all those flowers tells me he is pretty happy surrounded by all the beauty in the old wheelbarrow.

And I am so happy with the coleus in the old washtub! And the cosmos seeds are really growing too. I bet they will be blooming before too long.

Whew, it has sure been a tiring weekend. My hands hurt, my back hurts, and I have a very tired husband! It seems like there is always something to be done in the yard. Even in a small backyard like we have, there is one project after another. But, you know what? I love it. I love the feel of dirt on my hands and the excitement of things to come. I love that a gardener's job is never done!

"A gard'ner's work is never at an end; it begins with the year, and continues to the next."

John Evelyn

Wordless Wednesday - Bath Time!

2010-04-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

My Favorite New Plant

2010-04-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

Remember when I bought the hanging basket at Lowe's for the old chair I got in Fredericksburg over spring break? I thought it was perfect for this old chair and it had that wild look that I love. Shortly after I bought this plant, I started to notice a really sweet smell in the backyard. I thought it was hyacinths or the violas, but after they stopped blooming I was still smelling that sweet scent. After careful inspection by my nose, I realized it was the little yellow flowers in this basket that I was smelling. I didn't know what the flowers were (no tag in the basket), but I knew I wanted to find out, and I wanted another basket of these!
This is Yellow Bidens (ferulifolia). Yellow Bidens is a beautiful, daisy-like, yellow flower that grows to about an inch across. The plant has lacy leaves and spreads to about 18" across and 9" tall. It is drought and heat tolerant. Bidens are members of the Asteraceae family and a cousin to cosmos. They are suppose to bloom until frost, but need to be deadheaded often to encourage new blooms. They are very pretty, and that sweet honey-like smell is devine! When the sun shines on mine, the whole yard smells good.
So back to Lowe's I go and buy another basket to hang on the arbor. This basket is mostly Yellow Bidens, plus some bacopa and small purple flowers. Don't you just love it? I can see this from my breakfast room window. It brightens all my days and that sweet fragrance makes the backyard smell so good. I am in love with this new plant!
It is a sunny Saturday, but it rained hard over night, so no digging french drains for us today. Hubby and I both are wanting to get this over with, but it will have to be put on hold-- again. So, I need to find something else to do this beautiful day and it's off to the garden centers I go. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and find a new plant that you love.

The Latest Project

2010-04-17T06:40:00.000-07:00

Gardening in a small backyard is not easy, especially when the yard is long and narrow. A few years ago we added a flagstone patio in the middle of the yard. Great idea, but that did divide the yard in half. We needed a way to tie the 2 sides together, so we created a flagstone walkway from one side to the other. To border the path, I planted monkey grass. I loved the idea and initially loved the look, but this area was under water every time it rained. Plus, the monkey grass got WAY out of hand..so here is the latest project. Last week, every evening after work, I worked on digging up all that monkey grass!
And, let me tell you--it was quite a job! You know how hard it is to dig up monkey grass anyway--then add in the muddy clay soil and what a mess!
I was covered with mud every night, but by Thursday night, the grass was gone. (well, is monkey grass ever really gone?) The next step is to put in a french drain. That was going to be the project for this weekend, but the weather is not cooperating, so we will have to wait. But here is my plan: I think after hubby puts in the french drain, I will use this entire space as a garden bed, then add flagstone here and there, but not as a defined path. That way I can plant lots more flowers, but still have stones so I can get from one side of the yard to the other. This area gets great sun now, so I would like to take advantage of that and use plants I could not have before the tree came down.
It rained very little over night (more to come later today), and you can see that there is already water standing in this area. I am really excited about the latest project and making list of what I would like to buy for the new bed. I may come in each evening tired and muddy..but a happy gardener I will be!

"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt!"

Margaret Atwood

Cedar Post and an old Wash Tub....

2010-04-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

As you might remember from a couple of years ago, we had to do something to protect the goldfish in our pond from the blue heron that fly over our yard. We never had a problem until we took trees down as the heron probably couldn't see the pond from the sky. As soon as the first tree came down, I lost all but 2 fish to a heron visit. The only thing we knew to do was put up green metal stakes with fishing line around them. I hated that look so much! Cindy, at My Corner of Katy, told me what I was hating was the metal stakes. She told me to find something more rustic as that is the look I really like in my garden.
I have tried to come up with an idea ever since Cindy put that bee in my bonnet..and found the perfect thing on our trip to the Hill Country in March. We stopped by a fence company and bought small cedar post. I hope you can see them in the picture. They are just what I have been looking for. Thanks so much Cindy for starting me thinking!
And remember the old wash tub we found on that same trip? It now has a home in the bed behind the pond. I planted it with a really big coleus, a few small coleus, and a sweet potato vine. That lime green vine really compliments the colors of the coleus. I went to Canton a few weeks ago and found the old window and the "Seeds" sign. Of course, I needed to plant some seeds, so I planted cosmos seeds all over the area. Can you see them? They were coming up in 3 days!
I am so pleased with the look. It's that old time in the garden memory I am always trying to achieve. Wish I had a clothes line with an old quilt hanging on it...hum....

Bluebonnets!

2010-04-07T18:25:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that I love wildflowers, and my favorites are now in bloom not only all along the roadsides of Texas (thank you Lady Bird Johnson!), but also in flower beds in my backyard! As you may remember, I planted seeds last fall..well, it was really late summer. I soaked the seeds the night before, then tilled the dirt a little, then scattered the seeds. Our cold, wet winter was actually good for wildflowers, and now this spring they are putting on quite a show!
The bonnets are pretty any time of day- early morning, or sunny afternoons.
I scattered the seeds mainly in the bed around the new tree because I knew the seeds would love all the sun the bed would get. You can see there are also a few in the corner bed to the left.
The bluebonnets are now in full bloom so they are pretty from any direction. And, did you know they have a wonderful fragrance? It is not very strong, very light.
Of all the views of the bluebonnets I may like this one the best. This is walking in from the side gate into my little backyard. I don't notice the small size of the yard, or the lack of many leaves on the new tree, or the still brown empty places in the yard--I see these beautiful blue flowers that I waited for all winter.

"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful: they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul."...Luther Burbank

Srping Gardening Notes

2010-04-03T06:17:00.000-07:00

It has been beautiful here these past few days, and I have been outside playing in the dirt as much as possible. I thought I would share a few of my spring gardening notes with you:
I planted several different kinds of daffodils last fall, and I have been very pleased with my selections. This is Replete-a light peach color with ruffled edges.
This is Quail. It has double blooms that last a long time, and the sweet fragrance is amazing! Yum!!
These next 2 are from a group called Spectrum Sweet Aroma. I planted several in a bed that I am hoping to naturalize. The picture really doesn't do it justice--the color is very striking.
And I guess you see a pattern with the daffs I selected--they all have a wonderful fragrance!
And speaking of sweet scents, my first rose is blooming! This is Odee Pink, and it has what I call that "old time rose scent." It is precious! However, I am a little concerned that both new rose bushes seem to have some black spot. I have been picking the infected leaves off and throwing them away, but I am somewhat disappointed. The yellow rose seems to be much worse than this pink one. Hopefully they will both be fine later in the spring.
Purchases: Yesterday while buying several things for the large planter in back, I also bought a few other plants. I bought 3 Gerber Daisies (one to use as a centerpiece on my Easter table!)
I bought 2 Iceland Poppies..
..and a hanging basket full of feathery looking wildflowers that fit this "new" old chair perfectly!
And, look what is blooming!
Bluebonnets
They are not in full bloom yet, but blooming enough to get me excited! I'm sure there will be more pictures of these in the weeks to come.
I hung my hummingbird feeders yesterday, because..I already have hummers! They were back bright and early again this morning. The temps are warming, the days are getting longer, flowers are blooming, and hummers are back. We made it through the cold, wet winter..Spring is here!

Have a blessed Easter everyone.

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant.."
Josh Billings

Saturday at the Arboretum

2010-03-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

The wind here Saturday was un-
believable. The gust would blow you away, but it was worth being blown around a bit to see the beauty of the Dallas Arboretum. There were tulips in every color!
Some of the flowers were still in bud, others were starting to open..
..some were in full bloom!
Love this bed of yellow tulips with yellow daffs.
And speaking of daffodils--I loved this ruffled variety. Note to self: buy some of these bulbs this fall!
But what really "blew me away", were the cherry trees! I have been going to the arboretum for years and years, every season, but I have never seen the cherry trees in full bloom. This was the year! They were absolutely gorgeous!
The Arboretum has 17 trees, and according the the newspaper, better see them this Saturday as in 3 days, the blooms will all be gone.
This picture doesn't show the color--you really had to get the sun behind you to capture the luscious light pink of the cherry blossoms.
I felt like I was in a fairy land..all pink and fluffy. What a treat to see these beauties. I see now why so many flock to Washington DC to witness the blooms. Maybe one day I will...hey, I have a daughter in DC! I think I may pay her a visit during Cherry Blossom time next year. Oh Jen, can we get that on the calender??

Spring Break trip to the Hill Country

2010-03-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

For spring break this year hubby and I decided to take a trip down to the Hill Country. For those of you that might not know, this is the area around Austin. To me, it is the most beautiful part of Texas. It was settled by immigrants from Germany and still has so much German influence. The first night we stayed in Gruene (pronounced Green) which is a historic German town right outside New Braunfels. We love to eat at the Gristmill..which was, well...an old gristmill! The hamburgers are to die for, and the Sangria is even better. The next day we headed to Fredericksburg.
We stayed here. This is an old log cabin that was built in 1847. I realize not everyone would be interested in this kind of accomm-
odation, but the cabin sure was cute!
This is the back..
This is the bedroom...
yeah, I know they probably did not have king size beds back then, but it sure was comfortable
And this is the kitchen. We are not discussing the bathroom..I concen-
trated on how cute the rest of the house was!
The weather was perfect most of the time we were there. Of course I had to take a trip to my favorite place, The Wildseed Farm.
It is way too early for anything to be blooming, but you can see these poppies just starting to show.
I also saw some of these: BLUE
BONNETS!
We saw lots of bonnets by the side of the road just ready to bloom too.
I had a great time going through the
"Butterfly Haus."
Wish I had one of these..
So many Zebras. The butterflies would fly to your hand if you held it out.
We also took a fun hike to the top of Enchanted Rock. We went the short route--straight up!
On the hike we saw a few wildflowers blooming..
Just enough flowers to give the otherwise drab landscape some color.
Of course, what trip to the hill country would be complete without some junkin'! I love to dig through and find the perfect "treasure." This old chair was just $5.00. I think it will be perfect holding a hanging basket.
I love, love old galvanized buckets and was lucky to find some really good ones. I am thinking red geraniums!

The best find of all...and my wonderful husband gets the credit for spotting it...is this old washtub on a stand. And what a steal! My goal for years has been to find one of these. Remember the area behind the pond I cleared out a week or so ago? Won't this look great right there with cosmos growing all around it? I can't wait to plant those seeds. But, as you may or may not know..we came home on Sunday to snow on the ground! Yeah, here in Dallas it snowed on March 21st! It melted fast and the temperature today is 70! Sigh... Interesting note: one of our weather forecasters said it will be cold until the pecan trees start to bud. Are there any buds on your pecan trees??

Yard work, tulips and sweet smells

2010-03-15T06:08:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful weekend! It was sunny for a change, the temp-
erature was great, and we took advantage of the nice weather and worked in the yard. While hubby was mowing (goodbye dead grass!), I was out back trying to dig up roots in this flower bed behind the pond. This bed was full of wood fern and ground ivy. I don't want to completely get rid of the ivy (which is impossible anyway), but I did want to try and reduce the amount of ferns in this area. Now that the sun shines on this bed (because of losing the big tree), I would like to plant some type of flowers, and I am thinking cosmos. I can just imagine how pretty they would look gently nodding in the breeze. Sounds simple, huh? Not so! I spend all afternoon digging, pulling, and digging some more to clear out the roots. This was quite a job. But it's done. It's too early for seeds, but as soon as I know our freeze chances are over, those cosmos seeds will be scattered.

Tulips are up, and blooming! I ordered quite a few bulbs from Breck's in the fall, and have several coming up, but seems like I should have more plants. I am making a note to order and plant more next year. Some of the tulip bulbs are hybrids, so I am hoping they will come back .
This is my favorite tulip. I ordered a few bulbs called
Day-
dreams They start out as yellow, change to very light apricot..
..then gradually change to a deep orange.
During the day they open to the most beautiful flower. According to the specs on this variety,

"day-
dream blooms are long-lasting and reach up to 5 inches across.."
I am enjoying this tulip so much! It was such a joy to go out this weekend and see the large flower. And that orange color..wow! I will order more of these!

The sun shinning directly on this flower gives it a golden look. Just beautiful!

As I worked clearing, cleaning and pruning this weekend, I kept smelling the sweetest fragrance. I thought it was my violas, which it was to some degree, but then I remembered the 2 new little plants I bought at Home Depot last week. That's what the sweet smell was! This is a Nemesia-compact innocence. Nemesia is a pretty annual with little snapdragon-shape flowers.
I only bought 2 because Nemesia is a cool-season annual. These little plants will not last very long, but I think they add a bright touch to this early spring garden, and I sure will enjoy that sweet smell as I work and relax out in the yard.

It has been such a good weekend, and..it's Spring Break for me, and...we are off to the Hill Country later this week! Spring is almost here!

Wordless Wednesday-Reminder of a promise..

2010-03-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

New Roses

2010-03-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

One cold sunny day in the middle of February the UPS driver knocked on my door with a wonderful surprise. My roses had arrived! I was so excited. They came in this big box and I thought were packaged well. I could not wait to open it and see what they looked like. I was expecting 2 wrapped up stems..or something like that.
But to my surprise I opened the box and found 2 nice size little rose bushes with leaves on them! I was so impressed with the caution the Rose Emporium took when they packed these. I think those people must really have a passion for what they do to take such care with traveling roses.
The instructions said to unpack them as soon as you get them, and to plant them as soon as you can. However it also said if you can't plant right away, make sure you keep them watered and give them sun. Since it was still getting into the 20's at night, I decided I better keep them in the containers for a few more weeks. I added a little more soil to the containers and for the last few weeks they have been watered, moved to the sunny patio during the day, and tucked into the garage at night.
I talked to them (I know you talk to your plants too, right?) and explained why they were being moved around so much and assured them they would be placed in their new home as soon as it warmed up a bit. They both seemed to understand the situation and were very happy for those sunny days on the patio.
Spring has not arrived of course, but the nights have warmed up and I felt like the roses needed to get in the ground, so yesterday was the day for them to arrive to their new home. If the temps take a nose dive, I will be sure and cover them. This rose is Nacogdoches, my "Yellow Rose of Texas."

And this small leafed rose is Odee Pink. Remember, it's the rose they say your grand-
mother may have picked to pin on her dress for the sweet fragrance. I don't know what kind of roses my Grandmother had, but I know she loved them and had quite a few that smelled wonderful; so this little bush is dedicated to that memory.
I hope my new roses love their new home, and produce many colorful and fragrant blooms. Antique roses are suppose to be easy to care for. The instructions that came with them gave me good information and I will try and follow all the guidelines. I did not have a lot of luck in the past with roses, but I feel myself falling in love with these. I'll wait and see how they do, but I already have a couple of others in mind to order next year. Today we have mild temps and drizzly rain. Perfect weather for the roses in their new home.

"There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of it's existence."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wildflower Update

2010-03-03T16:10:00.000-08:00

Blue-
bonnets? No, not blooming yet. This is a picture from last year. I was really worried about my wildflowers making it through those cold days we had this winter. If you will remember I even called the Wildseed Farm and asked them about covering the plants--and they said "yes!" But I am pleased to report, the Bluebonnet rosettes are alive and well!
In fact, they are not only alive, they look wonderful. I planted some in the back corner bed, but my concen-
tration this year was the bed around the new tree. (The new tree? I think it's still alive, but that's another post!) They not only survived the cold, the rain, and the snow-they seem to flourish. The bed is almost full of bonnets.
And, they are so lush. I am so excited! And this is the case, not only in my little garden, but across the state of Texas. According to the reports from the newspaper: " Wildflower experts say the upcoming bloom should be exceptional thanks to the heavy rains.. Expect oceans of blue flowers..It's going to be a spectucular year..The spring show will be the best since 2007.." And for other wildflowers: "That stretch of dry weather helped kill off grasses and weeds and other plants, creating more space for wildflowers." I was worried about the snow, but "The snow helped insulate the plants, while the temperatures were not cold enough to threaten the flowers." Bluebonnets are even starting to bloom around Houston! Wow! This is such exciting news for wildflower enthusiest like myself.
I noticed that some of my other wildflowers are starting to produce green as well. This is the Autumn Blush Coreopsis that I fell in love with last year. Not sure about the name as it bloomed all summer.
I don't remember which coreopsis this is, maybe moonbeam, but I just noticed it coming up among the tulips and daffodils.
I need help identifying this plant please. Several of these are growing around the new tree in with the bluebonnets I thought it kind of looked like a columbine. But then I remembered; I planted winecup seeds in the fall. This isn't where I planted them, but you know wildflower seeds are..well..wild. Could this be winecup? They are probably invasive, but right now I am just happy to have the promise of blooms.

Such excitement! Happy March everyone!

The "Butterfly" Flower

2010-02-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

I don't have anything blooming in my garden yet. There are buds on the older daffodils. The new daffs are still trying to come up as are the tulips and hyacinths. But on this dreary, cool day in February, there are a few containers with blooms that stand out against the cloudy day giving it a bright, almost spring-like look. Who would think such a tiny little flower could add so much color to an otherwise drab garden.
Of course I am talking about the little violas. My Johhny-Jump-Ups. I have several plants in pots. They are so small I always think they will not be very showy in a garden bed.
But this little guy is blooming away in the bed by the flagstone patio. I decided to read a little about these sweet flowers, and this is what I found: "Viola is the name of a genus containing about 500 different species. Most of the violas cultivated in gardens are grown as annuals or short-lived perennials. However, many will self-seed and give you years of delight...Viola tricolor / Johnny-Jump-Up is a self-seeding perennial with nickle-sized flowers marked with purple, yellow and white." I read on that violas are often taken for granted because they exhibit more tolerance to heat and cold than other panises. Hum..sounds like we need to appreciate these little flowers a bit more!
My pansies in the beds look terrible. I am hoping they will perk up when spring arrives. The few I have in containers look ok..
..but even prettier when paried with a pot of Johnnies.
Are you wondering why this post is called The
"Butterfly"
Flower. Let me explain. When my youngest son was a little boy, he saw my Mother's bed full of these pretty little flowers. "Oh" he squealed.."look at all the pretty butterflies!" From then on, Mother and I always refer to our Johnnies as "Butterfly Flowers."

I hope you have something blooming in your winter garden today.

"When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment."

Georgia O'Keefe

Beautiful Snow! Now What?

2010-02-13T08:42:00.000-08:00

The snow we had was beautiful! It was indeed a winter wonderland Nothing we have ever seen before. In all, we got a total of 12 1/2 inches. That is a record for the Dallas area.
Unfortun-
ately, it did quite a bit of damage to trees in lots of neighbor-
hoods and there are still those without power. I hate that. Other than some sinus problems and not feeling great, I have enjoyed the beautiful and serene snow inside a warm house, by the fire, drinking hot chocolate. My hearts are with those not as fortunate, and with the wonderful groups of people out in the cold trying to restore power.
The snow is starting to melt, but it's still cold, so it is melting slowly. As I walked outside this morning to a slushy flagstone walkway and patio, I had a gardening panic attack. Snow is over--now what? See the beds on either side of the walkway? That is where all my bulbs are planted. Will they make it?
This is where I planted new bulbs, so they are not up like the old ones in front. They were just starting to get some height.
All I can see are the daffodils, and I can't see all of them. The tulips and hyacinths are completely covered with snow.
And then there are all those bluebonnets in the bed around the new tree. They are completely covered. Somebody please tell me..is everything gone? I almost hate to know, but I need to be prepared. I hate to sound so ignorant, but we normally don't have weather like this in my part of Texas.

Goodness, I hate to lose everything I planted. Spring! Please hurry!!

Snow!

2010-02-11T14:37:00.001-08:00

It started snowing around 3:00 am and it is now almost 5:00 pm and still snowing! And, the weather service is saying we have several more hours of snow! I know this is not a big deal to everyone, but I haven't seen snow like this since I was a little girl! Our yard is covered, but as you can see, the streets are just slushy.
The snow comes down in really large flakes at times. This is the view from our front to the house across the street. A winter wonderland.

You can see the snow piled up high on plants and the birdbath.

The snow is so wet, the wax myrtle is falling over because of the weight. This patio is where I live when the weather is nice. Not today! I'll be inside by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate!

Hang in there little daff! It will be warm and sunny really soon! (hum....maybe Phil the groundhog knew what he was talking about!)

Bulb Update

2010-02-03T16:10:00.000-08:00

It's raining...

again, but before the rain started coming down hard, I decided to check out my bulbs. These daffodils are in front and have been around for years. As you can tell, they have been up quite a while and I think I see signs of flowers. (or is that wishful thinking!)

Also in front, and also older bulbs, these are daffs to the right and Early Louisiana Jonquils to the left. The Early Jonquils are heirloom bulbs I planted many years ago. They are transplants from one of my Mother's neighbors. My very favorites! You'll hear more about these I am sure in future posts.

Now for the newbies. I bought several different kinds of daffodils last fall. When I planted them I took a popsicle stick and marked them all. But, bad decision on my part. Our bad weather has completed destroyed the markers, so-all I know is that these are new. Looks like 2 different kind to me.
This is the bed I planted lots of Breck bulbs in. This is a great place to let them naturalize. You can see them just starting to come up. This area is the one I was worried about due to poor drainage. Guess all the bulbs did not rot, but I don't see as many as I know I planted. Hopefully there are more to come.
Just starting to see these hyacinths. I planted a few new ones, but there are some from last year too and I do not remember exactly where they were planted. New, old--I am just thrilled to see them!
There are many more daffs

"spring"

ing up and I was really happy. But I knew something was missing..the tulips! Where are the tulips? I reminded myself that daffodils are early and tulips come much later. On a closer inspection this afternoon I do see this bulb just starting to peek through. I have to really look good to tell hyacinth from tulip, but I am pretty sure this is a tulip. Oh, I hope there are more...lots more! I planted so many this year. They are all planted on either side of the flagstone path leading from the house to the flagstone patio. Last year I had several and the view from the house was just beautiful. I knew I needed to plant lots in fall, which I did, but not sure how our weather is going to affect them. I read that it is not uncommon for bulbs to rot in years that are really rainy, and well...that has been us this year!

I know Phil the Groundhog predicted 6 more weeks of winter, but coming out everyday to check the progress of bulbs is one sure sign spring is looming around the corner!

What to do on a cool, windy Monday

2010-01-25T17:50:00.000-08:00

What do you do on a cool, windy Monday in late January? Why, you order roses!
That is exactly what I did today! I haven't had roses in ages, but have been bitten by the rose bug. Not just any rose though..I decided I really wanted to try antique roses. Something like my Grandmother may have had. I have always wanted to go to Brenham (Texas) to The Antique Rose Emporium, but that is several hours from Dallas. And, some day I will go for a visit; however for today I looked at their website and saw that I could order online. The roses are kind of expensive ($18.95) so I only ordered 2. I had no idea which kind I wanted, but the website helps you decide by giving you options to choose from: shrub, climbing, fragrance, color, etc. I knew I wanted a repeat bloomer that was fragrant. That narrowed my search a little. Then I just browsed through the available section, picked ones of interest to read about, and made my decision.
I chose this yellow
"Nacog-
doches" first. As you all know, I LOVE yellow. This is the description the Rose Emporium gives about this rose:

"Nacog-
doches” or
“Grandma’s Yellow” as it is known in some circles, is a real eye catcher! The bright yellow roses appear throughout the growing season on an upright shrub and are excellent for cutting. We feel this rose is a modern Floribunda, but unlike its modern rose cousins, it has proven to be disease resistant.

I knew I wanted a pink rose, but had no clue what to select. Reading about this rose named
"Odee Pink", made it an easy decision:

"Easy to grow and always in bloom, this unknown old Tea is what one might term "gardener friendly". The double, loosely-formed pale pink flowers seem the sort that Grandmother might have pinned to her shawl so she could enjoy the perfume as she went about her daily chores."

How sweet is that?

I have been excited all afternoon about ordering these plants. They should arrive the second week of February. Guess I need to get the bed ready pretty soon. I have some great dirt just waiting for a new home!
Sure was a great January Monday!

The "No Complaining Rule"

2010-01-19T16:10:00.000-08:00

Our pastor has been doing a sermon series based on the book by Jon Gordon "The No Complaining Rule." Oh dear, my thoughts that first Sunday, I am the Queen of complaining. This isn't good! So, I decided to take a look at just exactly what it is that makes me complain the most.

It certainly is not my family. I have the best husband in the whole wide world. My kids are amazing..my in-law kids are wonderful..my grand dog is the sweetest thing in the world..and my grandson, well he is without a doubt the cutest little thing you have ever seen. No complaining here. What else could it be?

I love my home, I love my job, I love my friends. I am blessed to have fished the Kenai River in Alaska; seen the sun shine on the Grand Canyon; and climbed a mountain in the Colorado Rockies. Hum....well it's not a travel complaint. What is it that I complain about the most?
Oh yeah..there is that weather thing. I do complain about that..a lot!!

What else do I complain about...let me think..I'll walk outside to clear my mind to see if I can remember what I complain about so much..
Ugh, look at all that standing water..why can't it dry up..I wish this yard was bigger..and why did that tree have to fall over..and why can't I get more flowers to grow back here..and why do I have so many snakes...
Oh, no.. can it be..surely it's not...yes, it is! It's the garden. One of the things I enjoy most, is what I complain about the most!

I will admit, I have a love/hate relationship with my backyard. I don't mean to complain about it, but I do-all the time! The fact is, the area is small, and difficult, but usually I get some good results because I love to work with it so much.
I decided to sit on the flagstone patio and think about all this. And I see this pot of beautiful pansies. The pastor gave us an assignment for the week-make a gratitude list. I am so grateful for these pretty fragrant flowers..I am so grateful I have a garden to sit in and can even be outside on a January afternoon.
I need to change my way of thinking. Every time I think of something wrong, I need to think of 2 things that are right. I need to stop complaining about the weather--I can't do anything about it anyway!

I see another pot of pansies with a cute little bunny stretched out in front of it. And, as I look over the patio to a now empty bed, I think I see-yes, I see tiny tops of the daffodils I planted last fall starting to appear. Lady Bird Johnson always said, "where flowers bloom, there is hope."
I can't promise I will never complain again, but I am going to try really hard to look at the garden

"issues"

as problems that need solutions. Not all will have solutions, but I imagine lots will.
It is not hard to find things to put on my gratitude list, and please know blogging friends, you all have a special place on that list!

"Gardening is an exercise in optimism. Sometimes, it is the triumph of hope over experience."

Marina Schinz

Paperwhites are blooming!

2010-01-14T15:06:00.000-08:00

In the rush of Christmas and planting outside bulbs, I almost forgot to buy my Narcissus Paperwhite bulbs to force inside! I ran into Home Depot hoping to find some, and sure enough, they did have a few left on display. They came in a pack of 4, which was enough for me so I just bought 1 package. These are so easy to force. You just position them in potting soil, water some, put them in good light or by a window..and just wait.

It wasn't anytime before they started to shoot up. I kept them in the kitchen at first, but they starting growing so tall, I had to move them to the family room. It's funny though, every year it seems like there is always one that grows much taller than the others. Why is that??
And now, I have pretty blooms starting to open. See the red ribbon? Once the paperwhites start to bloom, they have a tendency to fall over. Top heavy I guess. I picked up a ribbon I had and tied the stem to a green stake which solved the problem.
I don't have many house plants, but I think this little group adds a nice touch of "garden" to my home. Just what I need on these dreary winter days! (One note: Paperwhites have a rather "unusual" scent which does bother some.) If you have never forced bulbs, you need to try it. It will brighten any one's day!

"A flower touches everyone's heart!"

Georgia O'Keefe

Weather in Texas!!

2010-01-10T14:20:00.000-08:00

I am such a wimp when it comes to winter! I have always been so thankful I live in Texas where winters are mild. I can tolerate the summer heat just fine, but I don't like to be cold. I kept hearing we would have an unusually cold and wet winter..but in Texas? I was not a believer--until Christmas Eve. This is what my yard looked like on December 24th. And then, this past week..the Arctic front hit.
The garden section in the paper said to cover all you could, even pansies, violas and kale. I found all the sheets I could and started covering.
Depending on where you lived, the lows were between 8 and 12 with wind chills close to zero.

We have not had a winter with temps this low in about 11 or 12 years. The highs did not get out of the 20's for about 3 days. You can see the ice on the pond. It was about 2 inches thick! Luckily it did not stop the water from flowing from the old pump so part of the surface remained unfrozen. If you look, you can see one of the goldfish. They stay down at the bottom in a type of hibernation and seem to be fine.
This is the bed around the new tree. Under all those sheets are bluebonnets I called the Wildseed Farm in Fredericks-

burg and asked them what to do about my bluebonnet rosettes. They told me they normally tell people just to leave them alone as bluebonnets are pretty cold tolerant, but with this cold they are recommending covering them if you can. Not a problem for me to cover as I just grow them in a flower bed. I worked so hard to get these flowers going, I sure would be sad to lose them.
I get so depressed in winter. It's too cold, not enough sun, and nothing blooms. But today, the sun came out and it was above freezing. And today, I found my promise for better things to come..look what I see..
Through the leaves, even after the coldest weather, there is my hope!

How exciting it was to see some bulbs peeking through. I have no idea if all the bulbs I planted will make it, but I see that a few have.

I will never be a "winter person," but seeing these spring flowers coming up warmed my heart. I can take 2 more months of cold weather, right? (Hurry Spring, hurry!!)

"If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?"

Percy Bysshe Shelley

January 1, 2010

2010-01-01T10:49:00.000-08:00

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

Happy New Year everyone!!