Friday, May 11, 2007

The HAPPY Plant!



I am dedicating this entire post to the HAPPIEST plant in my garden. I mean it! Not only is this French Hollyhock happy, it makes ME happy! I don't think there's anything I could do to shrink it's enthusiasm. Each day, it grows a little taller and prouder! It got so big, I cut out some of it to make room for it's neighbors. Did that dampen it's spirits??? Not one bit. We're standing @ over 5 feet tall at this very moment with beautiful varigated blooms up and down it's stalk. Do you have a happy plant? Tell me all about it!

Saturday, May 05, 2007

GTS - May 6, 2007

It's hard to believe the first week of May is almost over. I've had a busy week in the garden besides starting my new job. When I get home, I only have an hour of daylight left. So, everyone must fend for themselves if they want to eat (something I have prepared) before 9 p.m.!


Here's one of newly dug border beds. Off in the corner is the new Wax Myrtle I pIanted. It's pretty sparse right now, but it's a far cry from where it started. I'm on the hunt for cheap perennials to fill in. I know there will be good sales later in the summer.

My new fig tree (okay, so it looks more like a fig "bush") from
New Braunfels. I will keep it potted for the first year and see where we go from there.


My newly transplanted coreopsis. It's so healthy looking.



My sad, sad little "potting shed".
If I keep wishing, I just know it will turn into a fine potting establishment, right??? :)




A wheelbarrow full of lantana.




Sun porch plantings...


Last but not least...this is my daugher mowing the lawn for the first time.
She's putting the money she earns in her college fund.








Saturday, April 28, 2007

GTS - April 29, 2007

I think I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, but it's another beautiful weekend. Everything is wonderful and lush (especially the weeds!) after getting almost 4 inches of of rain this week!
We spent the day in the backyard and my birthday present arrived - two very strong, young men!!! I've gotten some funny looks when I tell people what my husband got me for my BD. Now why on earth would I need two young men except to dig some beds for me, I ask??? They finished all the border beds and planted two Wax Myrtle trees. I've been moving plants around all afternoon. I come in to download the pics only to find I didn't have a card in my camera. What is UP with that??? I will take some more tomorrow.

This beautiful miniature rose erupted in bloom all in one day last week.

A shot from one of the many garden centers I stopped in the last week.




I think this is my Mexican Bush Sage, does anyone know if I am correct?
See all that Spearmint in the picture? It is NO MORE. I dug to China to get it out.
It better be no more, I hope it is no more...




Sunday, April 22, 2007

GTS - April 22, 2007


Good Morning to all. I hope it's another beautiful Sunday for y'all...it sure is here.
We've been working hard in the backyard garden. Hopefully, those will be next Sunday's photos.
We've been having lots of fun with the neighbors and those are my favorite pics this week.


This is little Miss Peyton. She gets on top of her slide and hollers, "Katie's mom...Katie's dad...
KATIEEEEEE...Is anybody there???? Can I come play?" If she doesn't get a response, she yells, "Katie's mom, can I come GARDEN???" It always makes me laugh. She (and her brothers) has become my gardening buddy. My neighbors and I have been spending time in each other's gardens and living out "Passalong Plants", which I am currently reading.

Peyton and Andrea spent more time in the hammock (and looking for snacks!) than
pulling weeds! :)


Isn't this leaf amazing???



My new screened porch acquisition...an
Acanthus...Bears Breech. It is so beautiful.




Sunday, April 15, 2007

GTS/Bloom Day - April 15, 2007

Well, I made it! I got my GTS. Bloom Day post with minutes to spare! It has been a Field Day weekend with a quick trip to Texas Hill Country (Maldonado's Nursery was incredible!) and then a day of garden shopping and planting today. Whoo! I am tired! And, I start my new job in the morning. I'm even more tired thinking about that!
African daisies on my front porch



A garden in New Braunfels...breathtaking!



This old bike is covered in flowers and white lights that were lit up at night




Field Trip to Crump's Garden today
Couldn't miss this... 50% of all bedding plants




Crump's outside garden
This post is slow in coming since I was in the garden planting all afternoon. Will visit other GTS blogs tomorrow after work. I will write more on my garden purchases later this week. Y'all have a wonderful week!







Monday, April 09, 2007

Did you ever...?

Did you ever drive past a house (specifically a garden) and just KNOW you'd like the person
living inside??! We went on a Sunday drive yesterday and did just that. My husband was mortified when I told him to stop the car so I could take some photos. This house was oozing "garden" with garden goodies everywhere!



Wonderful old chair


Front porch

Beautifully manicured front lawn


Side yard



Prolific white roses covering the arbor


If I can find the house, I plan on going back and taking another look. My husband kept rushing me to "Come and get back in the car before they cart you away!!!" I just know I'd like someone who liked flowers this much!


Saturday, April 07, 2007

GTS...Happy Easter!

My newly planted pot on the front walk. Isn't this a wonderful type of geranium?

Climbing Rose in the back. Hope the light freeze tonight doesn't
get them.

I hope everyone has a wonderful, blessed Easter!




Sunday, April 01, 2007

The Mysterious Watering Can...


The weirdest thing happened last night. This watering can showed up on my front porch! I have been looking around for the 'perfect' watering can for the last week or two. None were just right.
The only person who knew of this hunt was my dear daughter (to my knowledge) because I drug her along on many of the excursions. I was closing down the house for the night and checking on things in the front yard. There it was, sitting on my front porch. There was no note, and though it's in excellent condition, doesn't even appear to be new. It holds two gallons of water. That waters LOTS of plants. I've checked with my gardening buddies and nobody knows anything about it. So I'll just enjoy my mysterious little (BIG!) gift!

Friday, March 30, 2007

My screened porch!



Yeah!!! My screened porch is finally completed! I have wanted one for as long as I can remember. It may not look like much, but it has changed how I feel about the backyard. Now, if I could have my druthers, it would be overlooking a pond, lake or stream with no neighbors nearby, but alas, my suburban backyard will have to do... My sweet friend, Nancy, has always told me that she loves to get up and go out back in wee hours of the morning (before everyone gets up and ruins it!). I now know what she means! Even if only for a few minutes, I go out there with a cup of tea and enjoy the sounds and scents. It IS different in the morning, even if I'm not a morning person! The next phase is to put a simple arbor in front of the porch to semi protect the grill and cover it with Sweet Autumn Clematis.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Spring has SPRUNG!





Spring has arrived in Dallas in it's full glory. It's drop dead beautiful here right now, but don't blink because it'll be 100 degrees before we know it! It's been a trying month, what with losing my job (first time in 27 years!) and health issues I've been trying to ignore. How many time have I heard, "When God closes a door, He opens a window" during this time?? When I've gotten over the shock of it all, it really has been a wonderful time to enjoy my garden. Everything is blooming and it's hard not to sense God's presence all around me. The contractor even showed up to finish my screened porch the day after I got canned. That will be another post... This rose bush looks wonderful, especially since it got butchered to the ground by the fence guys last fall. The Carolina Jasmine has just finished blooming-it was glorious. I thought the Trumpet Vine was a goner, but I've got more than I know what to do with. My butterfly weed is beautiful. Oh, I brought one plant of mint with me last year from the old house and I have now been overtaken. I fear I will have to dig it up and throw it away, but that feels like murder to me!! :) For anyone who might be reading, does anyone have a Fig Tree? I saw one at the nursery the other day and it was just beautiful. I think I might want one. Are than any down sides to these trees?

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Overheard in an Orchard...


Said the robin to the sparrow, "I should really like to know...
Why these anxious human beings rush about and worry so?!"
Said the sparrow to the robin, "Friend, I think it must be,
that they have no Heavenly Father, such as cares for you and me!"
Elizabeth Cheney

Friday, February 16, 2007

Blizzard!

Okay, so it's not EXACTLY a blizzard. It's more like a light dusting of snow. This I know for sure, it's WHITE! That's preferable to clear and the ice of weeks past. It was 17 degrees this morning; more that a girl with thin blood can tolerate. Katie heated the car for a solid 10 minutes so I could drive the carpool this morning without complaining all the way. The good news about Dallas is all you have to do is wait and things will change. It's supposed to be 50 degrees this afternoon and the upper 60's in a coouple of days. I'll keep singing "Spring is Coming" to the tune of "Just Keep Swimming"!!!

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

February "Bloom Day" 2 days early!

I received this amaryllis as a Christmas gift from a sweet friend. I think I planted it a week or so before Christmas. I have patiently watered (and talked to) it ever since. I was rewarded with the above bloom last week. I had to giggle when I read Mr. Brownthumb's blog the same topic. It stayed vibrant and beautiful for a week or so and now it's withering. But man, do those leaves look great! I guess I'll plant this puppy in my garden in a few weeks (when the threat of a freeze is over). I have learned from this experience that patience in not MY virtue.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

To Plan or Not To Plan...

I've read with interest over the past week or the virtues of having a garden plan and the question, "Do REAL gardeners PLAN?". I tried to photograph the professional garden plan done for my backyard last fall, but was unsuccessful. So I snagged this copy from BH&G. Here's the link in case you want to plan yours.
The reason I write about this is that the beautiful, well done, professional, expensive plan has left me cold and uninspired. I think I could get a little more excited had I done the plan, but I'm really not sold on this "planning" concept. I think I fall into the spontaneous, seredipitous group. To me, the thrill is in the hunt. Of course I consider the zone, light and water requirements, but when those area fall into line, most plants are fair game.
I will never have a formal garden thinking like this, I know, and that's okay with me. I think I could do the garden plan thing if I could add plants to the plan as I obtain them.
So, I ask you wonderful gardeners in blogland, do you plan and then get plants according to that plan or not?

Monday, January 22, 2007

Hollyhocks



What a beautiful day it is today! The sun is shining and a lot of things that were impacted in Great Ice Storm of 2007 are on the rebound. Yep, the ice did come, but it really wasn't a storm. We've had lots of rain this month...over 5 1/2 inches in just over 2 weeks. Last year at this time we just has a trace. Since we're still in a drought, this is a good thing and I'll refrain from griping about all the mud and dirty floors. :) I brought several of these hollyhocks over from the other house. This thing is huge!!! At the other house, it died down to the ground in the winter. Tells you a lot about microclimates, huh? That's a big wagon wheel behind it. The hollyhock was all droopy and looked like it was a goner 3 days ago. When it perked back up, it made my heart sing...Spring is Coming!!!

Friday, January 19, 2007

Your Favorite Garden Tools?


Your Favorite Tools?
If you were limited to only a few of your "tried & true" garden tools, what would they be? They say we only wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. I'm thinking this is true with all of our gardening tools, as well. What will the "well dressed" gardener be gardening with this Spring?

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

A Tree Question...


A Tree Question


I have a question for all you gardeners out there. As I have lamented in previous posts, I am in a new home with NADA in the back yard! Not one tree!!! It''s a shallow, but fairly wide back yard. The houses are on top of each other! I am looking for a multi trunked tree with character to plant in the corner in the back yard. I have a crape myrtle in front yard that's pretty, but I'm wondering if there's something else out there that I can't think of... several trunks, character, color, somewhat fast growing, but doesn't have to get huge.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Am I A Gardener???


Am I A Gardener???
These are questions brought up on the May Garden blog. I garden, therefore I am...


So, what makes a gardener? I think that a gardener someone who likes to grow something (anything) in the dirt.


Do you consider yourself a gardener? Yup!


How did you decide you were a gardener? Whenever I get near a garden center (or plants at the grocery store, for that matter!), my heart beats a little faster and I start imagining where "that plant" could find a new home in my landscape!


When is the first time you referred to yourself as a gardener? I can't remember...I've always thought of myself that way.


Where and how did you learn to be a gardener? Two people were instrumental in my garden rearing. As a very young girl, my grandpa used to let me help him in his vegetable garden. It was a honor and something he took very seriously. Aunt Doris was a huge encouragement in my young adult years. What a gracious lady!


Has anyone ever introduced you to someone else as a gardener? Always! My friend, Lynn, says, "This is my friend, the one who gardens"! :)


When someone tells you they are a gardener, what image of them does it bring to mind? Somebody like me!


What do you expect of them? I expect to hear about their newest acquisition or the latest hunt they're on...or maybe their last gardening trial.


Can a gardener live where there is no place to plant anything, and still remain a gardener? Absolutely! Gardening is a frame of mind! Is there room for a clay pot and some dirt???



What about horticulturalists? Are they a subset of “gardeners” or a whole different group? I think that the gardener is a subset to the horticulturalist. They're the "Big Kahuna"!!

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Potting Shed


After reading the "Garden Shed Hall of Fame", I was inspired to blog for the first time since November! Christmas is over and the gardening catalogs are arriving. Here in Dallas, we are bracing for the Ice Storm of the Century (grin) that isn't materializing and I am immersed in my catalogs. Wish I could've brought along my old potting shed, but I couldn't, so I guess I'll start planning my new one. This spring, I hope to get the patio screened in and a good start on the backyard. I hope to plant a multi trunked crepe myrtle and some plants I couldn't bring to the new house with me. I hope to snag another Bridal Wreath Bush (my old one is in the first photo) and a couple of Forsythia. I have a couple of wonderful gardening friends who I know will help me whip this yard in shape. C'mom Spring...you can do it!!!