Our Fine Feathered Friends

These Wood Storks, Mycteria americana, have all lined up for their picture. They are actually year-round occupants of most of Florida, and both the eastern and western coasts of northern Mexico. Although we have seen an occasional one along our resaca, never have we seen this many. I guess Hurricane Dolly blew them up to us. They are lining the banks (along with numerous white egrets - Cattle, Great, and Snowy), all looking for a meal. You may wonder why they merit inclusion in a gardening blog - simply, because they happen to be standing on my lawn. In a day or two, the waters will probably recede back into their banks. When we widened this resaca, we dug a bank that goes straight down instead of a gradual "beach"-style bank. This was a mistake - wading birds like a gradual "beach" to fish in - so the number we usually see is limited. Secondly, the waves (albiet, small ones) are eroding down-wind bank as they lap upon the shore. If we ever work on the resaca again, this will either have a beach landing or a sea wall. (Wouldn't a board walk and deck be lovely?)

Some other birds we rarely see here are seagulls. After checking out National Geographic's Field Guide to the Birds of North America, I think he's a Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla. This one is trying to gulp his fish down on the fly. (and I think eating a fast-food burger in the car is hard!). As I was shooting this picture, he dropped the fish. I would swear I heard another bird snap it up in his jaws! It sounded much like purple martins chomping on bugs at dusk - only louder.

Here Kitty, Kitty

How great is this plant that I want to write about after only having it for 10 days! Cat's Whiskers, Orthosiphon stamineus is a tender perennial shrub that grows to about 3' x 3'. The info on its plant tag promised a home run - filtered sun (my new bed is in a filtered sun, pushing shadey spot), attracts hummers and butterflies and a good cut flower. I knew I had to give it a try - and planted a 4" pot in the shade garden 5 days before Hurricane Dolly. I'm afraid ya'll are gonna get pretty be sick of me referencing Hurricane Dolly, but deal with it . . . . Two days after the storm, as we were beginning to gather up the broken tree limbs, this little gal was already blooming! With everything around her looking so crummy, this little Cat's Whiskers brings a smile to my face!

It really does look like Cat's Whiskers! Orthosiphon stamineus can also be found with light blue or a lavender blooms. My only fear is that Dave's Garden says it needs to stay consistently moist. We'll see how adaptable it is . . . .

What a Crazy Canna!

I have a bougainvillea that blooms hot pink and salmon on the same branch - and I've seen blooms change colors as they age - but I have never seen anything like this before. My mother-in-law cut this canna last week. You can see that some petals are coral and some are yellow and, still yet, some are yellow with coral spots. But the petal that caught our attention is the one that is 1/2 coral and 1/2 yellow (okay - it's really 2/3s coral and a 1/3 yellow). In the close-up below, you can see a distinct line that separates the two colors. This particular plant has been in her yard for many years and we have never noticed it doing this before. I just love this crazy coloration - it's like the canna can't decide what it wants to be! Any thoughts?

Hello, Dolly

Although you couldn't tell it from this shot, we are in clean-up mode from Hurricane Dolly. For a Category 2 storm, she sure packed a punch! The second side of a hurricane is supposed to have less rain and lower winds - but Dolly didn't follow those rules! Back to the photo above - this is a shot of our lawn which slopes down to the resaca (a.k.a. bayou or stream). See the line that runs across the middle of the water? The right side of it is where the resaca usually begins.

We had lowered the purple martin house - and it stayed above water! In the mornings and evenings, the martins will still perch on top of their waterfront home.

Most of the damage seems to be with large Mesquites (above) and Ash trees. I'm left trying to decide the best places to trim the damaged limbs.


Through the past years, we have slowly removed the old, diseased, and poorly formed Ash trees from our yard. My removal list was down to three - all of which came through the storm with very little damage. Ironically, the tree at the left is one I would have kept forever - but now is so damaged there is no way to save it.
Two days before the storm, I spent the morning trimming up this formerly overgrown Frangipani - Man, did it look gorgeous before Dolly did her thing!




Hurricane Dolly did reinforce the watering theory of "Water deeply but infrequently". Every tree that was uprooted in my yard or at our nursery got frequent irrigation - This one was located next to commercial material that receives daily irrigation. Another was beside a leaking irrigation valve. The exposed roots were just too shallow to hold the trees in place.

In spite of the hassle, we have spent fun days with our hurricane refuges (who still lack electricity at their homes) - and exploring our deeper and larger resaca in the canoes.

GBBD - July Edition

The ten inches of rain we received over the 4th of July weekend has rejuvenated much of the landscape – and our mosquito population. So, it was at risk to life and limb (and completely soaked in insect repellant) that I ventured outside early this morning in search of blooms.

Thyrallis Galphimia glauca was blooming in my garden on January 27th - and it's still blooming on July 17th. What's not to love! This morning when I took this picture, I didn't even notice saucer full of standing water - to the left of the chiminea - no wonder I'm fighting mosquitoes!

Dwarf Royal Poinciana or Mexican Bird of Paradise, Caesalpinia pulcherrina, is filling the Shade Garden with color. The few hummingbirds who have hung around are thankful for the food source. And our climbing rose, Blaze, has decided to make an encore appearance.
The Angel Wing Begonias, Begonia coccinea, don't seem to mind the heat. Although unphotographed, the Wax Begonias, Begonia semperflorens, are also blooming in their pots.
Although it's not a flower - the bloom of Purple Fountain Grass, Penniselum sataceum 'Rubrum' is as stunning as any blossom.
It was a bit early in the day for Firebush, Hamelia patens, or Cypress Vine, Ipomoea quamoclit, to open - so imagine a noon-time explosion of red.

In the cutting beds, the Zinnias and Cosmos are in dire need of dead-heading. But it looks like there's a nice big vase-full to bring inside!
and I love Zinnias, up close and personnal. Look at that detail!
The Cosmos gives me something pretty to look at when I turn the compost - I need to remember that so maybe I will turn the compost more than once or twice a year. . . .
Blue Porterweed and Mediterranean Fan Palms make a nice combination.

Another blue favorite is Padre Island or Betony Mistflower, Eupatorium azureum. It color is almost iridescent!
I learned something new about Butterfly Weed, Asclepias tuberosa, yesterday. They bloom on new growth - so when your's gets leggy and drab, do yourself a favor and cut it back.
Also blooming for month after month is Pato de Chiva. And there are always butterflies flitting around here.
This is the best this Bougainvillea has looked all summer long. My goal is for it to climb up this sickly Mesquite Tree and hang on a large dead branch. It's pretty from afar - but check out it's close-up below. Wow!

Frangipani has just enough blossoms that we get to enjoy the wonderful fragrance each time we walk by. This plant has outgrown its place and completely overwhelms this small entrance porch - this weekend I'll get it back under control! Anyone need a frangipani start?

Dwarf Crown of Thorn, Euphorbia milii 'Mini Bell'
Wild Olive or Anacahuita, Cordia boisierri, is gracing us with another flush of blooms. I wish I could take a good picture of white flowers.

I can't believe this pot of impatience still alive! It's growing in the shade of an Angel's Trumpet.


To check out what's blooming in other places, go see Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

May Dreams Gardens: Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - July 2008

May Dreams Gardens: Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - July 2008

God Bless America

Wishing everyone a very happy 4th of July! We woke up to a Fall-like morning and a little rain shower (which was a little hard to enjoy since we are in the middle of grain harvest on the farm).

Just wanted to share our flags flying proudly in the South Texas breeze. At the base of the flags is my little patriotic bed. It contains red and (barely blooming) white pentas, 'Lady in Red' salvia, and mealycup sage 'Victoria Blue". Last week I added a red porterweed and transplanted a blue one from another bed. It would be perfect if only the white pentas had more flowers - maybe next Fourth . . . . Those of you with good eyes may have noticed the volunteer cosmos plant. She's in a bare spot so I'm letting her stay until she blooms.

July Garden Tasks

PLANT

Zinnias, marigolds, and cosmos seed. At the end of the month, you can plant tomatoes and peppers for the fall (but good luck finding the plants ). You can still plant palms and other tropicals - just be sure to water well at planting and deeply once every 5 - 7 days.

HARVEST

Tomatoes (mine have quit setting fruit, but I have a few left to ripen), green beans, okra, and figs

PRUNE

Any dead wood in your trees. Continue to pinch back your poinsettias for lots of flowers next Winter. Trim your basil (and all herbs) so they keep growing well (put basil on top of your sliced garden tomatoes - Yummy!)

DON'T BAG IT

With our high temperatures, mow no more than a 1/3 of your grass' height and then let it be. If you mow weekly, the trimmed grass won't even be noticable on your lawn - and it will drop down to the base of the grass quickly adding nutrients to your lawn.

MULCH

A nice layer of mulch will cool your plants roots and give your landscape a nice finished look. Keep it a couple of inches away from your tree trunks.

READ

Doug Welch's Texas Gardening Almanac It is a wealth of information!

ENJOY

It's getting too hot to work much later than 10 a.m. so sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor.