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
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. 
We have been on our annual
The wildflowers up in the mountains have yet to
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!)
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.
You all know how I love cone-
This is my newest one: Tomato Soup. It is just starting to bloom.
This is Hot Papaya. I know the original Purple Cone-
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!
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!
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-
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.
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!
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.
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!
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