Cultivating Paradise

Plant Trends

2012-01-13T10:36:00.000-06:00

Yucca trucleana or Spanish Daggers

The past year, we've noticed many more calls at our nursery about plants that use very little water - such as this Spanish dagger (Yucca trucleana).

It's native to the Rio Grande Valley and west Texas - flourishing in the dry ranch country.   These are slow growers.    The one pictured was sold at our wholesale nursery, Simmons Oak Farms -  this will make an instant impact, won't it! I love the sculptural quality of these big yuccas.

In the spring, yuccas bloom with clusters of beautiful white flowers that some people harvest to eat.   Mockingbirds like to hang out in Spanish daggers - not sure if they are feeding or they just like the cover and protection.    If you want a full Yucca, do not remove the flower pods.    We have noticed that removing the pods before they are nice and dry keeps the branch from splitting into two heads.

Be careful that your yucca doesn't get too much water. To much water will cause the plant to rot.   We had a large Spanish dagger in a planting bed near a huge old ash tree.   That planting area was watered with grey water from our home and everything seemed to be pretty happy there - until Hurricane Dolly came along.   It tore up the ash so badly that we had to remove it.   That changed everything! Suddenly there was lots more water and lots more sun.   The Yucca loved the sun - but not the water.   To try to remedy the problem, we've planted a Montezuma bald cypress in the area - maybe in another year or two, the cypress will use enough water that the yucca thrives again.

Yucca trucleana would be a great addition to your water-wise garden

Cedar Elm

2011-11-20T14:50:00.001-06:00

Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia) is a Texas native that is greatly underutilized as a landscape tree. It comes to mind this time of year because it is just about the only tree in deep south Texas with any realiable Autumn color. Its small, dark green leaves turn yellow and orange with cooler temperatures. According to the Texas Forest Service, it is tollerant to salty soil, sea spray, drought, and poorly drained sites. It grows naturally in alkaline soil and is a tidy little tree

Monkeying Around with Yaupon Holly

2011-10-28T11:38:00.000-05:00

I know this is a gardening blog - but there are plant cuttings in this centerpiece . . . That is Yaupon Holly coming out of the front block. Even without berries, it's really nice to cut and bring inside this time of year. I'm trying to decide how to incorporate it into our Christmas decorations this year. I'd love to hear you use it!

Thinking Spring

2011-10-26T08:37:00.001-05:00

I have always struggled when it comes to growing plants from seed - and nasturtiums were the biggest challenge of all! I just never seem to get a very good stand. Well, a few years back, my friend, Jean Anne, let me in on the secret . . . in the Rio Grande Valley, nasturtiums need to be planted before Halloween. The next year, I followed her advice, planting seed in late October and, wolah, great stand and a gorgeous border the following spring. I know I have some pictures on my home computer and will try to post some this evening because, if I do say so myself, they were stunning!

So, here is fair warning - There are just FIVE MORE DAYS to get to the garden center, grab some packets of nasturtium seed, and get them in the ground! Nasturtium has a large hard seed. If my soil is nice and pliable, I like to scatter the seed and then just rake them in a bit. I water deeply one time and then they get what the rest of the bed gets. Because they will sort of "overwinter", I don't worry about how many sprout the first few weeks. Some will come up; some will look puny through the winter - but come springtime, they will explode! I imagine they are growing a beautiful root system through our cooler months . . . .

I have been kicking myself for not mulching my planting beds this summer - there's tons of bare soil showing - but, now that's turned out to be a good thing. I have lots of places all ready to sow next springs nasturtiums . . . If you're looking for a colorful spring border that is easy on your pocketbook, consider nasturtiums.

A Little Poinsettia Lore

2010-12-06T08:57:00.000-06:00

How Do I Take Care of This Poinsettia?

2010-12-01T08:15:00.000-06:00

The one plant that universally says "Christmas" is undoubtedly the poinsettia or Euphorbia pulcherrima. It's native to rainforests in Mexico and Central America and does pretty well as a houseplant for a month or two.

Right now I'm on the look-out for some to decorate our home and office. With proper care they should look great throughout the Christmas season and well into the New Year.

Place your poinsettia in a sunny room.   Their ideal temperature hovers between 60 and 70 degrees.

One thing to avoid is drafts!   A few years ago, I purchased large (pricey) plants for the patio and front porch. What a mistake!   The wind beat the tar out of them and I spend the holidays sweeping up dropped leaves.   Years ago I used to purchase large poinsettia hanging baskets at The Flower Pot in Harlingen.     They hung on our screened porch and just invited you outside- but that porch had great protection from the breeze.    Lesson learned.

A second thing you want to avoid is placing them near a heat source.   I may love a roaring fire on a cold winter night but they do not.

Now what about watering? I water mine heavily and let them stand in a bit of water for an hour or so. But, after that time, it is very important to remember to empty the excess water from the saucer or decorative pot. Poinsettias do not like to stand in water for very long. They are very forgiving of neglect, so you can let them dry out between watering. When their leaves begin to droop, that's your sign to give your poinsettia a little drink. If you let it dry out too much, your poinsettia will not die - it will just thank you by shedding lots of leaves for you to clean up.

Poinsettias come in many colors to match any home and Christmas decor. I adore the white ones - but this year, we're going colorful so red it is!

New Favorite Tool

2010-10-07T13:08:00.000-05:00

Who would have thought that I would stumble upon my new favorite gardening tool in Target? This nifty little gadget opens up to a nice tall container that holds tons of weeds and trimmed branches. Now, I'm not much of a shopper - so this may be a really old product that I'm just now "discovering".

It doesn't fall over and the sides don't cave in like other reusable bags I've tried. An hours worth of weeds easily fits - and it's lightweight to carry from spot to spot. No wheelbarrow needed!

If you're like me and garden away from home, this is so easy to toss in the car and go. I bought mine in July and was tempted to wait for an end-of summer sale. But at $15, I think it was a real steal!

Loving' Hearts of Palm

2010-08-27T10:52:00.001-05:00

Even though it is not considered "sustainable", I have to admit I love hearts of palm. And I've recently realized that us humans aren't the only animals that enjoy munching on this . . . .

Below is the carcas of a Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle. Some people buy them for pets but we were lucky enough to have them just show up in some palms. In fact, there's even a Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle page on Facebook - which 25 people happen to "like"! If you are a palm lover, you'll want to watch out for these guys. Google it to see the 'horn' on the live ones. It must have fallen off this carcas.

The mature female burrows down beside her selected plant. She leaves quite a large opening as shown in the photo below. Beetle hole is on the bottom left of this palm trunk.

Once underground, the beetle will lay her egg(s). The larva then begins to feed on the roots and up the heart of the palm. Last year, Leonard and I lost 5 of our 6 Windmill palms, Trachycarpus fortunii, before we clicked in to what the problem was.

The picture below shows the initial frond damage - by the time your palm is putting out brown fronds, it is probably too late to save it.

Other palms that the rhinoceros beetle likes to feed on are small Mediterranean Fan Palms, Chamerops humilis, and small Texas Sabals, Sabal texana. Once they have noticable trunk size, they don't seem to appeal to this beetle. I would imagine they also enjoy a Florida Sabal or Cabbage Palm.

Most problems with palms can be avoided with good irrigation and fertilization practices. This just happens to be an exception to that rule.

Pre-planting Planting

2010-07-17T08:09:00.001-05:00

It is still too wet to work any soil - in fact, I would probably do more harm than good if I tried to do anything in my weed-filled vegetable beds. BUT that doesn't keep us from "pre-planting" some seeds. With the assistance of a very meticulous three year old, we got alot done.

Some items we chose to plant, will benefit from the additional time - cauliflower, eggplant, tomatoes, broccoli, and I'm trying some artichokes this year. Others went into the seed trays because that what my helper wanted to plant - marigolds and a wild flower mix. We usually sow those directly into the ground but the landscape beds are all heavily mulched, and that makes sowing seed a little trickier.

I know I don't need to say this but the most important thing to do after planting in seed trays is to water daily until the seed sprouts. Give the trays a light sprinkling. There is such a small amount of potting mix in each cell that they dry out quickly. The wind is also drying so look for a protected spot for your seedlings. I'm lucky - we're able to keep them in the shadehouse at our nursery where they'll get sprinkled automatically.

We planted one morning last week. That same afternoon, my helper was already wanting to go see her plants. Keep your fingers crossed for good germination!

Fall Veggies

2010-07-12T16:41:00.000-05:00

Although it's not quite mid-summer, if you live in deep south Texas, it's time to begin thinking about your Fall vegetable garden. After many years of gardening, I've finally realized that nothing is more important than doing things in a timely manner. I must confess that last spring I didn't get one single vegetable seed planted. So I sure don't want to miss getting the fall garden in!

Down here in the Valley, our freeze dates run from December 31 through February 2. Many years, we never get down to freezing. This gives us more planting flexibility. Doug Welsh, in Texas Garden Almanac recommends that we purchase transplants (the larger the better) instead of seeds for our vegetable gardens. He says it will cut a full month from the days to harvest.

But, you can't be sure which seedlings will be available in the garden centers - so I'm going with seed this year. If, by chance, I come across seedlings that someone else has taken the time and effort to start, I can always add them later.

When to plant can be confusing, so here is my list of favorite cold weather crops, the months they can be planted (we're talking the seed - add a month on the tail end for large seedlings), and the days to harvest.

Bush Beans, August - September, 30-60
Broccoli, July - November, 60-80
Brussel sprouts, July - November, 80+
Cabbage, July - November, 80+
Carrotts, August - November, 60-80
Cauliflower, July - October, 80+

Eggplant, August, 80+
Lettuce, August - October, 30-60
Onions, September - November, 80+
Parsley, July - November,
Peas (green), September
Peppers, July - August, 60-80
Potatoes, September, 80+
Pumpkin, August, 80+
Spinach, September - December, 30-60
Squash (Acorn), August, 40-60
Tomato, July - August, 60-80

I glanced back in my garden journal to help choose varieties. Some of the ones that I made positive remarks about were Salad Bowl Lettuce, Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce, Celebrity Tomatoes, Roma Tomatoes, Longstanding Spinach, Southern Comet Broccoli, and Extra Early Blue Lake Green Beans. What varieties do well for you?

A Rare South Texas Freeze

2010-01-09T19:22:00.001-06:00

In 1989, when the majority of our home landscape had turned to mush after a deep freeze, I swore off tropical plants! But the past twenty years of temperate winters have made me a little bit lax when it comes to the cold-hardiness of plants I purchase.

Don't get me wrong, I am not swearing off tropicals, but I do hope to remember to balance my cold-tender plant material with lots of hardy material! What do you think about a 2/3 cold hardy to 1/3 tropical ratio? Too much tropical? What do you think, Meems? We're in similar zones. The variegated shell ginger, Apina, faces the north so we totally expected some damage. But it looks like we will be trimming it all the way down to the ground this spring! One cool thing is that there is a ginger aroma in the air around these plants this afternoon. But, I hope this doesn't mean that there has been damage to the ginger rizomes. I'm counting on it coming back from the roots this spring!One pleasant surprise was the cardboard palm, Zamia furfuracea. This volunteer is surrounded by mushy oyster plant and a now completely defoliated Angel's Trumpet.

Only time will tell what has been burned back and what has been killed off. Here's to spring gardening!

Alamo "Gardens"

2009-11-02T10:31:00.000-06:00

Last week-end we headed to San Antonio to watch a little Notre Dame football. Sunday morning was a beautiful day to stroll around the Alamo. It had been many years since we'd last been on the grounds and have they ever been working! Streetside of the walls are beds of palms and other tropicals. This one contains Sago Palms (really a Cycad, not a palm), Queen Palms, Mediterranean Fan Palm, and Windmill Palm. With the exception of the Queen, these are all pretty cold-hardy species. The Queen, though, is fast-growing and relatively inexpensive - so replacing them after a hard winter is not so difficult.

This young Pindo Palm, Butia capitata, is flanked by a Yucca and a Texas Mountain Laurel, Sophora secundaflora. There are Texas Mountain Laurels all over the grounds - bet they are gorgeous in March and April!

In front of one planting bed, they have used Asiatic Jasmine as a border. I have never seen it used this way - but looks really nice - They must just trim it regularly.

Some of the beds are full of desert plants and mulched with river rock.

The grounds are shaded by large Live Oaks, Pecans and the tallest Anacua tree I have ever seen. Some of the shadelovers growing beneath these canopies are split leaf philodendron and cast iron plant.

Where do you find bluebonnet seeds?

2009-10-30T10:44:00.001-05:00

As I was pulling nutgrass out the other day, I noticed a new little bluebonnet plant. That reminded me that this is the time of the year to get my bluebonnet seed planted. If you want to know how to grow bluebonnets, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has some good info. Here in Harlingen, I could always find bulk seed at Grimell's - but this year they had none and suggested I order from Wildseed Farms out of Fredericksburg. (1/4 lb is $7.45 and contains about 450 seeds). The perfect temps for germination is 55-70 degrees and that will be our temp range soon.

I stopped by Stuart Place Nursery and picked up some 6-packs. If you haven't been there since they re-opened, it's worth your visit. The staff is both knowledgable and helpful and the plants look terrific!

If anyone knows nurseries in the Rio Grande Valley that have bluebonnet seed in stock, please "comment" and let us know. Here's hoping our drought is over and we have lots of beautiful Texas wildflowers next spring!

Desert Willow 'Bubba'

2009-10-27T09:35:00.000-05:00

This is a tree I think we're going to see alot more of - Desert Willow 'Bubba' Watch for it!

Got Pumpkins?

2009-10-25T20:39:00.000-05:00

Journey Pre-school at First United Methodist Church in Harlingen does! Any size, shape or color pumpkin you could possibly want. Wonderful photo ops too!
They're located on Harrison Street between 3rd and 4th streets. The Pumpkin Patch is open the rest of the week and they've alread slashed the prices.

Mexican Mint Marigold

2009-10-23T22:18:00.000-05:00

Mexican Mint Marigold, Tagetes lucida, is quite the hardy herb. Growing in heavy clay and receiving sporatic irrigations, this yellow flowering perennial catches your eye. Planted as a 4" pot two years ago, it survived a 6 month construction project and a few winters. This spot has such poor soil that we have reverted to using potted plants. I love how it fills the area. An equally hardy Lemongrass is growing behind the Mexican Mint Marigold. Also known as Mexican Tarragon or Winter Tarragon, Tagetes lucida can be substituted for French Tarragon. Personally, I think it has a stronger flavor so I use it sparingly. Use it in soups or chicken dishes. Mexican Mint Marigold blooms in the summer and fall - attracting lots of butterflies.

If you are in the market for some herbs, drop by the Master Gardeners booth at the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. The trade show is located at the Casa de Amistad in Harlingen, Texas and runs from November 12 -15

Nasturtiums

2009-10-21T10:11:00.002-05:00

I struggled for years trying to grow nasturtiums, Tropaeolum spp. when a friend, Jean Anne shared her secret. They must be planted before Halloween. Now I can't think of fall without thinking of getting a little nasturtium seed into the ground.

I do soak my seed for an hour or more before I put them in the ground. I only plant them a 1/2 inch deep. If I'm feeling lazy (and the soil in my bed is nice and loose), the seed gets sprinkled on top and then raked into the soil.

A few things I love about nasturtiums are they are easily grown from seed (if you know when to plant them), they grow well in heavy soils, and they reseed themselves. I'll be you have a spot for some vibrant spring color.

The Value of Trees

2009-10-09T08:30:00.000-05:00

While the preferred trees and types of soils are different, Tom Spencer of Soul of the Garden says it so much better than I ever could. Click here for his thoughts on slow-growing, long lived, hardwood trees.

And remember, Fall is the perfect time to plant trees in Deep South Texas. Which tree are you adding to your landscape this year?

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - September Edition

2009-09-15T20:04:00.000-05:00

Mexican Bird of Paradise or Caesalpinia pulcherrima is the one plant is is blooming profusely this month. The hummingbirds and butterflies are enjoying it as much as us people are - maybe more.

Caesalpinia is a large shrub or small tree. It has brittle branches with vicious thorns! It's a vigorous grower that can take all the pruning one might want to do! A heavy re-seeder, you may find yourself pulling many volunteers. Caesalpinea is a great filler for bare spots of the garden - spread a few seeds and within one season y ou will have a mature plant.

It looks equally striking from a distance or up close. Just check out the detail on the bloom below!

Others things blooming in Deep South Texas right now are:

Kapok Trees (but not mine - must still be too young)

Fire Bush, Hamelia patens

Bougainvillea

Porterweed

Liriope, Giant Monkey Grass Liriope muscari

Frangipani, Plumeria rubra

Night Blooming Cactus or Cereus, small bloom Epiphyllum oxypetalum

Happy Garden Bloggers Bloom Day to you all! To see what's blooming in gardens all around the world, visit May Dreams Gardens.

Mixing Textures

2009-08-28T16:17:00.002-05:00

This vignette welcomes me home every afternoon. When this Royal Poinciana, Delonix regia, branch began to hang low in front of the Firebush, Hamelia patens, I finally got "mix your textures"! What the photo doesn't show well, are Live Oak branches in the top right corner. They are small and a dark green. The contrasts in texture and in color make for an appealing vignette!

Crotons - Tropical Beauties

2009-08-12T08:57:00.004-05:00

Crotons, Codiaeum variegatum, always remind me of Autumn! That's a little ironic since Crotons are tropical plants. Originating in Australia and the South Seas, they are grown as houseplants in most of the United States.

Its usually in the Fall when I purchase Crotons - I think they look as Autumnal (is that a word?) as mums do. Mix potted ones in with a few pumpkins and mums and you have a great welcome at your front door. After the season, use them, either potted or in the ground, for a tropical punch.

If you are lucky to live in a temperate climate (or if you don't mind using them as annuals), plant your Crotons in part sun. The sunlight will bring out their vibrant, varied colors. But it's been my experience that too much direct sun tends to burn them. Actually they can handle it if they've been "seasoned" a bit. When I plant one in full sun in the winter, it can usually handle the summer's full sun.

Crotons come with a variety of leaves. The first photos shows the most common broad leaf variety.

The plant on the left is a spiral leaf croton. My favorite (and the one I have the hardest time finding) is the oak leaf croton.

You can propagate Crotons from green stem cuttings or air layering. Personally I have only had success with air layering.

I'm still trying to decide exactly how I'm going to use these - but that's the fun, isn't it?

2009-07-22T15:48:00.003-05:00

Last month, I posted pictures of one of our night blooming cacti. I had listed it as Epiphyllum oxypetalom, but am now thinking that I was wrong. Carol at May Dreams Gardens grows this and you can clearly see that it has much wider petals. Click here to see her blooms - but I wish I could see her actual plant! The bloom below is more like Carol's. Big and hearty! Maybe Aiyana over at Water When Dry could guide us in this! Do night blooming cactus grow in Arizona? I am thankful that neither of these cacti have thorns. Even though they are bulky to work around and prune, they aren't dangerous!

One thing I love about both of these plants is their source. The top cactus came from my father's yard and the bottom from one my father-in-law dug from a pasture fence-line. Maybe I should just name them Tom's Cactus and LP's Cactus.

I apologize for not really having any information to share - but I hope this post serves as a reminder for me to do a little reading!

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - July Edition

2009-07-15T10:19:00.005-05:00

Stepping out the front door this morning, it smelled just like heaven! Right by the front door are a couple of potted Maid of Orleans, Jasminum sambac. Although they have been terribley neglected lately, they have already responded to the thorough watering they got last Saturday (4 days!) This is a tender tropical that most of the country grows as a houseplant or an annual. It's a climber (but has no tendrils or suckers). I think it should be given something to weave it's branches around. Some people down here grow it as a large shrub. Pruning probably keeps it bushier than mine are. One thing for sure, Maid of Orleans will bloom and bloom and bloom - and the aroma is heavenly!

This was the first bloom I saw this morning and the only one I'll post for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. My garden is pretty much like it was in June (only a little more parched and stressed). To see what's blooming all over the world today, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Impulse Purchases - Good or Bad

2009-07-01T19:51:00.007-05:00

Less than three years ago, this palm was an impulse purchase of mine - actually 200 of these in 1 gallon pots were. and I regretted it almost immediately. It was the first year that we were going to grow (or try to grow) palms for the nursery industry - and we did everything wrong. Some died in our Christmas Eve snow; some we killed with herbicide; some got nibbled on by the deer. But today my impulse purchase has changed from bad to good! I am absolutely lusting after this Clustering Fishtail Palm, Caryota mitis. The leaves on these palms are triangular shaped (much like a fishtail - surprise?) They are easily beaten and shredded by the wind. But even growing out in an open field, you gotta admit this is gorgeous! I do have to admit that it's a bit of a prima dona - it doesn't like the wind; it doesn't like the cold; and when I move it to my house, I'll probably find out that it doesn't like clay soil.

In zone 9B, we can grow Fishtail Palms if we give them a bit of protection from the north wind. They do well in pots as patio plants or in a Courtyard Garden. Farther north, given enough light, they are used as house plants. They are very fast growing. But once an individual stem blooms, it will die. The books say that's no big deal since the other stems just fill in that area. Clustering Fishtail Palms grow to about 20 feet tall by 15 feet wide.
I've been planning on putting a Clustering Fishtail to the right of this window. This spot is protected from our 30+ mph Spring winds. It does faces the North - but out of camera sight is a very large clump of Yucca and three Chinese Fan Palms - hopefully they will divert the North wind.

Personally, this bad impulse purchase has become a good impulse purchase. I don't know if we'll be able to sell all the ones that have survived our abuse, but at least I'll get to enjoy a beautiful specimen.

Especially for Night Owls

2009-06-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

Gardening has something for everyone, even night owls! Here's a plant that doesn't bloom until after the sun sets.
I think this is a Epiphyllum oxypetalom - more commonly known as Night Blooming Cereus, Dutchman's Pipe, or Queen of the Night. Most of the pictures of Epiphyllum oxypetalom that I see show a flower with wider petals. I would be happy for anyone to correct my identification of this plant.

My dad has this plant climbing up some of his mesquite trees. They aren't actually climbing as they don't attach themselves to a support; they are just supported by the branches and tied to the tree. It's quite a floppy plant. Anyhoo, Dad gave me a cutting years ago. You can tell from the actual plant that I abuse it terribley. It's rarely watered and grows in heavy, heavy clay. Wikipedia says that it needs rich compost with lots of humus and lots of water in the summer. What do they know?

These blooms are only open at night and for a few hours in the morning (that's when I see them) - then the bloom dies. It usually has blooms that open for 5 or 6 days in a row. Then a few weeks later, we get another evening show.

So, if you are a night owl, this Night Blooming Cereus might be a plant to consider.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - June Edition

2009-06-15T21:01:00.007-05:00

Shrimp Plant - I thought I was buying the traditional color and seem to have picked up the maroon ones - I guess it's good for me to get away from oranges and reds a little bit.

Flame of the Woods, Ixora coccinea

Firebush, Hamelia patens

Wild Olive, Cordia boissieri

Variegated Shell Ginger, Alpina vittata

Pato de Chiva (Goat's Hoof),

Penta, Penta lanceolata

Lantana

Frangipani, Plumeria rubra

Bougainvillea

Rosa 'Adam'

Daylily
Marigolds

Milkweed
Mexican Bird of Paradise, Caesalpinia pulcherrina

Visit May Dreams Gardens to see what's blooming today in gardens all over the world!

The Mistakes I Have Made

2009-06-15T09:08:00.012-05:00

So often, I don't realize my mistakes in the garden until they have become large and difficult. Then I am faced with the delima of how to correct them! Most of my mistakes have to do with a great plant in the wrong place - like this Bougainvillea. I've shared lots of pictures of its gorgeous multi-colored blooms and it is growing well here - in fact, it's growing too well and therein lies our problem. Bougainvillea needs LOTS of space to spread and I knew that when I planted this one; left to her own devices, she would block the entire front porch and the sidewalk leading up to it.

The original plan was to train this bougainvillea up onto the roof - but I just let her just grow wild. That certainly didn't work so Saturday, I began limbing her up on the backside (just to see if I'd like it). I already love the openness when I walk out the front door.
My second BIG mistake is on the other side of the front porch. Same song, second verse. By the end of the summer, this Frangipani, Plumeria obtuse will have covered both the window and the sidewalk. We try to keep it trimmed up so noone gets slapped in the face when they pass by - but when it is blooming, I have the hardest time removing any branches!

I mean, how could you remove these gorgeous flowers - love those buttery yellow throats - and the fragrance is to die for.

I have a friend who spent months removing Pothos Ivy that had crept into her front yard from the next door neighbors. It's hard to remove but it's even harder to dispose of those vines. I've tried letting them lay and dry so I can compost them - only to have them put down roots!

When I planted this, the plan was to NEVER let it climb higher than I could reach . . . . the best laid plans, right? An added problem is that I have seen a rat in this tree - so no matter how tall or short the vine is, I simply don't want to reach in to pull any down . . .

So I've let a small task become a large problem. . .

This Daturea, Angel's Trumpet has two problems. Its leaves are very delicate and I have it planted in a spot that gets lots of wind - thus, all the leaves are ragged. It took many years to establish and really start growing (5 or 6 years). Since the blooms hang down, I think they are prettiest when I am looking up at them.

But now that they are blooming at eye-level, I don't like the color! When I planted this, I was into white flowers. In fact I went to great lengths to get the pales blooming one I could find . . . Now I am loving oranges and reds and anything bold - and frankly find these blooms to be a bit dull.

This little area is also full of 'mistake' plantings - it's been done and redone 3 or 4 times - but the wonderful thing about gardening is that it's not about the end result but the process. Happy Digging!

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!

2009-05-27T20:17:00.000-05:00

We picked the perfect weekend to spend in New Orleans - it was our first time back since Katrina and things in the French Quarter look better than ever. This trip, all the balcony gardens struck me as extra-beautiful - so I want to share them with you. How welcoming is this street!

I'm not sure where there is room for people to sit out on this balcony - but if there is, the Queen Palms or Cocus Plumosa, Syagrus romanzoffiana, and banana trees will certainly shield you from prying eyes.

The baskets of ferns were full and healthy - Nothing says "southern" to me like a hanging fern does. Ferns do so well here you'll see them growing out of lots of nooks and crannies in the walls. Check out the photo below. . .

. . . do you see it? In the recessed area in the very middle, ferns are growing!

and while we're on ferns, I believe this is a tree fern. Anyone out there want to share some info on it? I'm at a loss - except that it is pretty darn striking! I apologize to the foot-weary lady in the shot. My group was heading out and I couldn't wait.

Back to the balcony gardens . . . Although the ground floor appears to be boarded up and empty, the balcony is teeming with life and beauty!

Just in case you needed a closer look - now that's a riot of color!

And along Bourbon Street, beads are used at garlands on this balcony. The days were overcast so no need to open up the umbrellas - and all the better for me to enjoy their gardens.

Check out how full these baskets are! I especially like the spikey plants in the back of this one. Each basket on this balcony was a little bit different

I wondered if these flowers would have been more open if the sun was out . . .

I usually like a large sweep of the same plant(s) - but my favorite balcony gardens had more random plantings. This just makes me want to grab a book, a beer, and a chair.

I couldn't resist sharing this pittosporum - Yep, you read that right - this is a pittosporum (and the sign at the base of this "shrub" verified our identification) It's a shrub on steroids!

Agapanthus were in full bloom all over the city! These happen to be at Audobon Park

Palms are used all over New Orleans. These Windmill Palms, Trachycarpus fortunei, are in Cafe Beignet, an outdoor jazz joint on Bourbon Street.

Mediterranean Fan Palms, Chamerops humilis, dot Jackson Square. Each and every clump is as beautiful as these! Some of the most stunning specimens I've ever seen.

And along Cafe Du Monde are planted a line of Chinese Fan Palms, Livingstonia chinesis.

I got home with more pictures of plants than of people. Go figure! Laissez les bon temps rouler! Let the good times roll!

Shade Garden Updates

2009-05-21T09:48:00.005-05:00

Although the bright morning sun has washed out the detail of the these white 'Candidum' Caladiums, in person they are stunning. As a bonus, they were planted last spring and have graced us with a second year of beauty. I think this little vignette has all the layers needed for interest. The trees overhead aren't visible in this shot but their canopy offers a nice "frame" for the scene. The shrubs, Firebush, Hamelia patens, are a serene backdrop for the statuary and annual plantings in the tiny circular bed. Around the time the caladiums melt in our summer heat, the Firebush grab the attention with their red and orange blooms. They love, love, love our heat!

I am excited to see that all the Yaupon Hollies, Ilex vomitoria, have bloomed heavily this spring. Planted in 2005, they are yet to produce one single red berry! Yaupon Hollies are dioecious, which means some bloom with male flowers and some bloom with female flowers. In other words, you need a male and a female in order to get berries. However, these were labeled 'Pride of Houston', which are supposed to be self-pollinating. One nurseryman, Al, suggested that I plant more Yaupons (I already have 5) - of any variety. So just upwind of these, there is now a border of 7 or 9 Dwarf Yaupons.

In the meantime, I am checking the plants for berries- and have found a few very tiny green ones where the flowers were. I'm holding my breath, but I have hope for red berries at Christmas time!

This is my "Lasagna Garden Bed" one year later. Even though it is the middle of the "Shade Garden", there is ample afternoon sun to grow a healthy crop of Cosmos. The bed is bordered with Dusty Miller, Senecio cenerario, which was planted last August. A couple of the plants didnt' survive the winter and their replacements haven't filled back in yet. Plus, I trimmed them all back by about 1/2 in April. Don't you love their silver color? Such a nice contrast to everything else. The everything else (whether you can see it or not) includes Cat's Whiskers, Orthosiphon aristatussome, some fat-fronded Ferns, and Coleus. All the hummingbirds are hanging out on this side of the house this year. I haven't come up with a plan for this area yet - so these free and nearly free items are serving me well.

Same song, second verse

2009-05-14T14:40:00.002-05:00

Royal Poinciana, Flamboyant Tree, Flame of the Forest, Peacock Flower - exotic names for a most exotic looking tree! I know that I just posted pictures of this very tree BUT I am mesmerized - plus I've been waiting SEVEN LONG YEARS for her to bloom so humor me.

What a wonderful welcome home!

Nitrogen fixing plants

2009-05-10T13:35:00.001-05:00

I have always heard the phrase "nitrogen fixing plant" and could tell you that legumes are indeed "nitrogen fixing plants" - but I 've never given a second thought about how a plant actually sets nitrogen. Hubbie is growing soybeans (a legume) this spring and pulled this plant up to check it for nitrogen producing nodules. Check it out, close up - This little guy has three nodules inside the black circle.

I must admit I didn't think about it again until I read Zanthan Gardens' post on saving bluebonnet seeds. She tells us when we're ready to clear out a patch of spent legumes, do not pull the plants out by the roots; cut them at ground level. This keeps those nodules in the soil where they'll help enrich the soil. Nasturtiums are also legumes - Sure wish I'd read Zanthan Gardens post earlier - this morning I pulled out all the dying and drying nasturtium plants. Live and learn.

The Royal Poinciana Blooms!

2009-05-09T14:39:00.006-05:00

In February 2002, we planted this Royal Poinciana, Delonix regia, tree in our Shade Garden. Each spring, when these tropical beauties are sporting vibrant orange-red flowers, ours has let me down - until this year! I think it's already pretty beautiful - but there are LOTS more buds to open. Royal Poinciana, native to Madagascar, is deciduous. It's one of the last trees to leaf-out. A freeze and Christmas Eve snow in 2004 nipped it back some. But this is a fast growing tree - you can expect it to put on about 5 feet a year. Mature height is 30-40 feet. Many trees I notice are wider than they are tall.

The blooms are so high up, it's hard to get a good picture of the flowers - but you can see all the dark round buds on these clusters.

I never realized how large each individual flower is - about 3 inches in length. This tree is grown from seed - and the seed pods are quite impressive too - it's a hard dark seed pod that I would guess measures at least nine inches. If you look close you can see some pods on this picture. Our Royal Poinciana is putting on such a beautiful show that I've forgiven her for making us wait seven long years for our first flower.

GBBD - Tax Day Edition

2009-04-15T22:09:00.000-05:00

Carol of May Dreams Gardens has encouraged us to share what's blooming in our gardens on the 15th of each month. Visit her blog for links to gardens around the world.

This month my biggest concerns have been removing the grass from the planting beds and encouraging it to grow and spread in the lawn area. Never-the-less, in spite of me, there is an explosion of flowers here in Paradise.

At the front door you are greeted by this pink and orange bougainvillea. I know it needs a trimming but I can't bring myself to cut a single branch!

Up close, you can see the tiny white flowers, surrounded by the colorful bracts.

This Angel's Trumpet has more blooms on it this evening than I have ever seen - it must like its new home. They open during the night and close a bit during the day.

The delicate bloom of Angel's Trumpets. I moved this one to a protected spot of the garden - one where the wind can't shred the blossoms.

Mexican Mint Marigold - this carefree perennial comes back year after year.

Pato de Chiva or Goat's Hoof is just beginning to bloom. Soon it will be covered in white.

Blaze Rose - this is a climbing rose that I thought was supposed to be vigorous - but I've been disappointed and am considering replacing it next year. First I may add a vine or two around its iron support.

Although it's not a native, I love this Thyrallis (or yellow plumbago) that's growing in the Native Bed - maybe I should rename it the Mainly Native Bed. The plants are a bit leggy but they bloom on new wood so can be pruned at any time of the year.

Remember my "Lasagna Garden Bed"? Here it is one year later! I haven't planted the back section yet. It sits in front of a line of Ixora. I know a taller plant would have been a better choice for this spot than the Ixora - but I can't bring myself to move them. What pretty orange blooms they have! The cosmos in this mixed bed are all volunteers from last year.

Cat's Whiskers, Orthosiphon aristatus, up-close

Wild Olive, Cordia boissieri is also known around here as Anacahuita.

Soft-tip Yucca, Yucca gloriosa

I picked this colorful basket up at one of the big box stores. It wasn't identified - just had a generic plant tag. But this mystery plant looks nearly irridescent. It's the first thing I notice when I step into this area.

White trailing lantana. It seems to shine in the moonlight.

The amaryllis seem to like their new home. They are so tough they'll grow anywhere! In a few years, they will have filled this entire area.

All of the Crown of Thorns are blooming - This is
the large flowering variety, Euphorbia splendens var. milii. We also grow the dwarf variety, 'Mini Bell'.

This Bottlebrush, Callistemon cirtinus is the hummingbird hangout. This is the protected side of the hedge; the wind has already blown many of the blooms off the other side. I hope to find some 'Little John' Bottlebrush in Austin this weekend. Even though it grows well here, no one seems to carry it.

Our spineless cactus has these delicate flowers. They never open but I think they are so beautiful!

Here's a close-up. They are only and inch or two long but chocked full of detail.

And yet another bloom from the spineless cactus - this one is fresher - it's pistal is still attached.

Buttercups are everywhere. I think they're so pretty - but feel compelled to pull many of them out so they don't take over.

Other things blooming in Paradise are Vinca, Nasturtiums, Night Blooming Cactus, Shrimp Plants, Kalanchoe, and Firebush has some buds.

Enough said . . .

2009-04-14T23:11:00.001-05:00

Gotta love annuals

2009-04-13T22:00:00.001-05:00

This little clump of three volunteer nasturtiums have elicited more interest and questions than anything in my garden. Until recently, I had never had any success with this little annual. I've always planted them from seed but would get a weak stand - and often the few seedlings I had would die before they had a chance to really grow and bloom. Although nasturtiums bloom in the spring, you need to plant them in the Fall - and now I always follow my friend Jean Anne's rule: Plant your seed before Halloween or forget about it until next year. The seed is extra hard, so a good overnight soaking is my second nasturtium rule.

I do wish I had gotten around to fertilizing things this spring - the pretty round leaves would look much nicer if they were greener . . . without intending to I seem to have an EarthKind garden. . . .

2009-04-11T22:26:00.001-05:00

Hope the Easter Bunny's good to you!

April's Garden Chores in Deep South Texas

2009-04-04T15:23:00.007-05:00

FLOWERS (ANNUALS): Marigold, zinnias, cosmos & snapdragon from seed. Many more from bedding plants but beware when you buy from the Big Box Stores. They were selling impatience and pansies this week - after May it's so hot here they just melt.

VEGETABLES: Most of your planting should have been done by March 15th. But if you still have a little room, you may want to plant okra, southern or black-eyed peas. Zucchini and summer squash should be close to harvest. We are currently harvesting asparagus, tomatoes, and eggplant. The tomatoes were planted last fall and the eggplants are a full year old now.

HERBS: Dill can be planted from seed and the warm weather herbs can be planted from seedlings. Most of the garden centers currently have a nice selection of herbs in 3" pots but I'm still looking for Sweet Basil. Last summer we lived on pesto and I want to make sure we have enough. One of my friends who grows LOTS of herbs told me that Sweet Basil is only good a year and then you need to replace it. I added another Mint (Mojito season will be upon us soon) If you haven't grown herbs, you need to try a few. They are so much fun - huge benefit in the kitchen (or bar) - many are catepillar host plants -

CALADIUMS - Caladiums are just beginning to peak up out of the ground. April is your last month to plant them - and if you want your fancy caladiums to last further into the summer, look for a spot that gets afternoon shade. I like to put some in pots that can help disguise a struggling spot.

PRUNE - Most of your annual pruning should be done but I just today finished pruning the Firebush (Hamelia patens). Since Firebush blooms year around on new growth, it can be pruned at any time. But I like to give mine a big spring haircut and then take a little nip here and there as needed. If your roses are spring bloomers, you can cut them back now. Pinch the growing tips out of poinsettias, coleus, copper plants, and mums.

WATER - Top of my list is to add some drip irrigation to a number of beds. The price of the battery powered timers have dropped drastically and I've been told the batteries will last an entire year. Now all I need is a water source to automate much of the irrigation chores.

COMPOST - If your compost bin is like mine, it is now chocked full of brown (carbon) material - cut or shred your trimmings to add to the pile. I still notice bags and bags of leaves and twigs around over Harlingen. Maybe it's time for some leaf rustling!

MULCH - I think this is the most important thing you can do for plant health. It cools the roots and keeps weeds from sprouting and competing for water and nutrients. Around my house, we have some new planting beds so we've already spread over 100 bags this spring. To save money, some of the beds in the back of the house are going to get a base mulching with hay. Give your plants a nice 3 inches of mulch. Once you get all your beds done, topping them off each spring is a piece of cake! Remember to keep it a couple of inches away from your tree trunks.

PEST CONTROL - Be on the look out for aphids and scale. Honeydew is a sign of an aphid infestation. Horticultural soap can handle most small to moderate infestations.

Mystery Solved!

2009-04-04T14:42:00.002-05:00

Well, the identity of the Mystery Tree has been solved, I think. My friend, Gordon, called right after I posted to say it's a Shaving Brush Tree, Pachira fastuosa (according to Successful Gardening in The Magic Valley of Texas) or Bombax ellipticum (according to just about every other website).

Native to Mexico, this deciduous tree will grow to about 30 feet. I would have guessed that it is very tender but one website claims it is hardy to 18 degrees. Although it is coveted for it's flashy pink brush-like flowers, the leaves are also very ornamental. I will be watching for them this spring. It is said that the new leaves are a bright red turning light green as they age. Another bonus is that Shaving Brush Tree needs little water.

SamiG did suggest that it could be a Pink Powder Puff, Calliandra surinaemensis. I couldn't find much info on Pink Powder Puff but the Forest Service has a good fact sheet. They mention that Pink Powder Puff blooms throughout the year - and I don't think this one does. But I'll keep an eye on it and let you know if I've changed my mind.

Mystery Tree

2009-04-03T09:09:00.002-05:00

I've been admiring this tree for the past month - and each time I pass, I wonder what in the world it is - but promptly forget to do the research - so I thought I would "research" the easy way by tossing it out to the cyber-world. What is this tree???It bloomed all of March and its puff-ball blossoms are about 4 inches in diameter. The trunk is smooth and currently the tree has not got a single leaf.

We picked up a fairly fresh bloom that the tree had shed. It had a bit of a rubbery feel. What I think may be the sepal felt a bit like chenile twine (if that makes any sense to you).

Okay now, be a friend and share your knowledge - or even your best guess.

Addendum to Chihuly: The Nature of Glass

2009-03-25T03:18:00.002-05:00

I have been enthralled by what everyone is saying and writing about Dale Chihuly and his amazing work, "The Nature of Glass". Until May 30th, you can catch it at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix Arizona - or bits and pieces of it in the comfort of your own home at the following links. Enjoy!

My original post - in case you missed it . . .

Water When Dry

Designing in the Desert

Pudgeduck's World

Goldwater State

Lake Mary Musings

Where the Streets Have No Name

Rock Rose

Come Walk With Me

2009-03-24T10:25:00.002-05:00

My favorite way to begin the day is in the garden - wandering along pathways and sidewalks that lead from one garden area to another.

At the left is the first path I laid - simple round stepping stones that meander through the shade garden. The left path is strictly utilitarian - it leads to a hose bib and has no bench or other resting place along its short length. The path to the right connects the front parking area to the back garage area - a sitting area is connected to this path so we can stop and enjoy.

The brick path below is my "free" path - when we built an open patio, these pavers were the left-overs! It leads the wanderer through the Native Garden - a large planting bed full of trees native to the Lower Rio Grande Valley. It's a bit narrow - only wide enough for one person at a time - but when the trees are trimmed up, it's a smooth path for the wheelbarrow and me.

Although the planting beds on both sides still need TONS of work, this is definitely my favorite garden path. Maybe because it's the only one at my home that was professionally laid? Carrying the stone didn't suck the moisture from my hands or throw my back out of wack - so what's not to love! This is where you'll find me sipping my morning cup of tea - or strolling in the moonlight to see if the night-blooming Angel's Trumpet has blossoms.

I laid this simple flagstone path the other day - it goes from our "professional" sideway back to the potting bench. No more mud sticking to my shoes when I go back there. I know a nice layer of mulch will take care of our mud issue (and that will happen soon) - but with the flagstones, I can wander around barefoot.

. . . the bed dividers in our vegetable garden also serve as sidewalks. We placed two 2 x 12s side by side for enough width to walk comfortably.

Whatever the material, whatever the style, paths are a part of the bones of your garden. They are utilitarian, aesthetic, and entice you to wander through the plantings. Before my garden is done, I hope to have paths that wander past each and every planting bed.

GBBD - Roses of a Different Sort

2009-03-15T10:04:00.004-05:00

Glancing down the resaca yesterday, it was hard to miss these Roseate Spoonbills, Ajaia ajaja. These mature adults are in breeding plumage. According to John Tveten in The Birds of Texas, many of these birds were slaughtered in the late 19th century for their feathers, which were sought after for ladies hats.

Spoonbills are related to Ibis. When feeding, they sweep their spoon-shaped bills back and forth in shallow waters, grasping small fish, shrimp and other aquatic life.

Is this fluffed up bird doing some sort of mating dance? Or maybe s/he's just trying to keep warm! They seem happy to hang out with the hundreds of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks that have taken up residence on this resaca.

According to John Tveten, the nest is a "crude platform of sticks in a bush or tree". I love that both the male and female help with the nest and take turns sitting on the eggs. A clutch tends to have two or three eggs, which are chalky white with brown specks. Mr. Tveten says that "as the pair exchange places at the nest, they bow and croak to each other". How fun would that be to see!

Well, if this drizzle will go away, I'll get outside and take a few TRUE bloom pictures for a more traditional Garden Bloggers Bloom Day (GBBD) post. As always, thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for GBBD.

Texas Mountain Laurel (Mescal Bean)

2009-03-14T17:20:00.001-05:00

During much of the year, Texas Mountain Laurel, Sophora secundaflora, is easily overlooked. But in March, this small accent tree is a show stopper. That's when you will find them covered with huge clusters of purple flowers.

Native to Central Texas, this member of the Pea family tends to be a multi trunked, somewhat slow growing plant. Although I've seen some larger, most Texas Mountain Laurels will grow to about 12 -15 feet. It has dark green, glossy leaves.

Native to the alkaline hills of Central Texas, this is a drought tolerant plant. It will tolerate the heavy clays of the lower Rio Grande Valley but make sure that you plant it in an area that drains well. It doesn't like wet feet. It's root structure is very sparce - with very few fibrous roots. (guess that's why it grows well in the Hill Country) This makes transplanting a little bit difficult. If you break the root ball while planting, you may lose your tree.

Oh, but what a reward this tree gives in March! The wisteria-like blooms smell like grape soda and attract bees and butterflies alike!

But beware. Most parts of this plant are poisonous - especially the claret red seeds in the seed pods. Another common name for Sophora secundaflora is Mescal Bean. Indians used the seeds as hallucinogenics - and I have read of deaths from this practice.

You can see why this tree is often overlooked when not in bloom. This one looks a little starved for nitrogen - the leaves tend to be much darker green.

Mountain Laurel is deer resistant - but the webworms love the one in my yard. My hubbie is pretty good about checking it a few times a week and squishing all the little worms that are munching on it. We have never needed to apply any chemical, but if squishing the worms is not your cup of tea, a BT product to take care of the worms.

This tree is just beginning to bloom. Mountain Laurel will produce its bloom stem many months before it's time to bloom. Some people mistakenly think they are from last years blossoms and remove them - then they wonder why their tree didn't flower!

Chihuly: The Nature of Glass

2009-03-07T13:03:00.001-06:00

Bamboo Reeds, 2008
Through the end of May, the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona is home to Chihuly: The Nature of Glass. These amazing glass scultures are the creation of Dale Chihuly. His exhibits have been installed in other botanical gardens in the past - but I can't imagine them being showcased any better than they are in this desert setting.

Many of the cacti and succulents are full of buds. I can only imagine how gloriously colorful this garden will be in a couple of weeks.

This piece is entitled Float Boat. . . . and I think it would look mah-va-lous in my shade garden . . . .

Blue Reeds, Marlins, and Floats, 2008.

In the center, spot the Marlin. Isn't that amazing?

In keeping with the blue theme, the Texas Mountain Laurel were in full bloom - and smelling heavenly (well, heavenly if you are a lover of Grape Pop). Bees and butterflies enjoyed these flowers as much as us mammalian garden visitors.

Chihuly also installed a few pieces in this pond. It's entitled Blue Polyvitro Crystals. They aren't make out of glass, but a plastic material that Dale calls "polyvitro".

Tucked into the shade garden was this water feature. The water dripping from the tank to the pond made a melodious sound. It also attracted doves and quail. We took a long respit on the bench here while waiting for the sun to set and the glass displays to be lit.

If you were to arrive at the garden after dark, you would be greeted by these Desert Wildflower Towers. They were attractive in the sunlight and breathtaking after dark.

The large orb among these Ferns is The Sun.

I thought that Saffron Tower was the highlight of the nighttime display. You could see it from almost anywhere in the garden - and the roads surrounding the Desert Botanical Garden.

This is only a taste of Chihuly's display - His chandeliers are incredible (but my photos of them were not)

Time for Planting

2009-02-28T18:16:00.001-06:00

Late February through early March is time to plant a summer vegetable garden in the deep south Texas. We have a few carry-overs in our garden - like the tomatoes that went in last October. In spite of the neglect they received, there are some plum-sized fruits on a couple of plants. Asparagus is being harvested every other day - and hopefully we'll continue this for a couple of months. The asparagus roots were planted in March of 2006. Maintenance consists of spreading an inch or so of compost over the bed each spring, keeping the bed free of weeds, and watering.

My little assistant took over this year's planting. Here are Kentucky Wonder pole beans - after she puts the seed in she gives the dirt a nice pat to help make good contact between the seed and the dirt. She also planted mounds of squash - both yellow crookneck and zucchini. But she'll tell you they're all "blue" squash - since that was the color of the seeds.

Finally, a nice drink of water for everything in the garden. Once the seeds have sprouted, we'll "mulch" the bare dirt with hay. That'll help keep weed seeds from sprouting and tills nicely into the soil at the end of the growing season.

If you have herbs hanging on from last year, you may want to give them a nice haircut. My basils, tarragon, parsleys, and mints have responded well to heavy trimming. Cilantro is trying to go to seed - and the dill has self-seeded in all the empty garden beds. The dill can stay for a little while longer - just until we're ready to plant the black-eyed peas and okra.

This is the first year that we made enough compost for a generous application in all the vegetable beds! I hope you're composting, too!

Better Late Than Never - GBBD February 09 Edition

2009-02-18T15:56:00.001-06:00

A few butterflies have been attracted to the red blooms of the Kalanchoe, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana. This member of the Sedum family blooms from January through late spring.

It looks like the Bougainvillea are going to be show-stoppers this year. Although we've decided to trim and train this one up onto the roof, I can't bear to begin the process until after the flowers are fading. Blaze, a climbing rose, has begun blooming. One of these years, I'm going to learn how and when to prune this baby.

Spicy Jatropha buds - Buds today, blooms tomorrow . . .

Spineless Cactus

We once had a prickly pear cactus - beautiful blooms, but oh, how treacherous to work around!

A close-up of its red and yellow blooms is below.

Surely hummingbirds will arrive soon to feast on the bottlebrush! It must be awfully sweet stuff.

This Mealycup Sage, Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue' , has especially vibranty blossoms right now - sometimes later blooms seem to be paler in color.

Trailing white lantana is exploding with blossoms. I love the contrast of the white flower next to the dark green leaf.

Look at how delicate and perfect each individual flower is!

But I don't know who I'm trying to kid - because in reality, this thistle is what is REALLY blooming in my garden right now! My Book Club met at my home last night - how embarrassed was I when one of my friends told me I should remove that weed near the front door . . . . Just look at all the seeds . . . . I'll really have a problem next year if I don't get out there - and quickly!

To see more of what is blooming in gardens around the world, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

First Signs of Spring

2009-01-31T14:00:00.001-06:00

When I see Texas Huisache trees beginning to bloom, I know Spring is right around the corner. Not only is the golden pom-pom pleasing to the eye, the aroma is sweet, sweet, sweet. This small-leafed tree is a member of the mimosa family. It's considered a large shrub or medium tree but my experience leads me to give it lots of room to spread. A word of warning - this is a thorned tree and around my yard the saw bugs LOVE it - thus I feel like I am forever dragging those thorny branches to the brush pile. Huisache is very drought tolerant making it beloved addition to an arid spot in my yard.

Up close, I think the buds are every bit as pretty as the blooms.

Huisache is a Valley native. If you observe a field that has been left fallow for a few years, it seems to be one of the first trees to sprout.

It is an important nesting site for white-wing - guess there's a reason for those thorns. We almost always have a nest in one of our Huisache trees. The day I took these pictures there was a Goldenfinch (American or Lesser, who knows) flitting from blossom to blossom. We've put out two thistle feeders for them - and have not seen a single one feeding there. Guess they're well fed by nature. According to the Native Plant Project, bees are attracted to the pollen of the Huisache tree, not the nectar. I wonder if it's the same for that Goldenfinch.

A Welcomed Intruder

2009-01-28T17:02:00.000-06:00

I love to watch hawks hunt over the brushlines, pastures, and fields. Below is what I think is a juvenile Harris hawk. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Whatever he is, he spent a morning doing fly-bys of our back porch and patio. What a sight!. . . . and then we realized that he seemed to be "hunting" Red, our little cocker-weinie (cocker spaniel - daschund mix). The hawk perched in a mesquite tree watching Red, who was industriously working the bed of aloe vera below (she's quite the lizard hunter).

When Red tired of lizards and headed to the pasture, the Hawk took flight - at one point swooping down and hovering over Red for a closer look. Thankfully Hubby was right and Red was way too big for this hawk to mess with (thanks Aunt Coco and Grandma Dodie for all the treats).

It was a beautiful day for flying!

What's Old is New Again

2009-01-25T19:40:00.000-06:00

Some of my favorite gardening activities are transplanting and re-potting. The succulent basket below had outgrown its pot and was looking pretty pathetic. What a difference a $3 basket and a little bit of potting soil can make! Before repotting, a little bit of thinning and trimming was in order. With the extras, I was able to put together some small pots for FREE! The plant below performs better in full sun. If you can only give it 1/2 day of sun, make it afternoon sun. Full sun help the rosettes stay compact and puts more red on the leaf edges

I'm not keeping anything in small pots anymore - they have to be watered too often. So these will be going to our church's bazaar, Treasures at FUMC, on February 7th.

It's been so warm the plants think it's springtime - lots of fresh new growth and bloom stems.

In a small pot, one plant shows better than a number of different plants. But when you've got a nice sized container, go wild and put a little bit of everything in!

The most important thing to remember with succulents is not to overwater! Maybe that's what I love most about them - very low maintanence. . . .

Pegging 'Adam'

2009-01-18T17:46:00.001-06:00

An added benefit from some recent remodeling has been expanded garden beds! Of course, larger planting areas give us the work of amending the soil and the pressure of "designing" the plantings. Yesterday, as I was doing a bit of gardening housekeeping, I saw new options for the 'Adam' rose (pictured in the back, left of the photo below). Its new canes have stretched out across the newly enlarged bed. New growth at the leaf axils just seemed to say, "peg me". Pegging is a nearly forgotten method of training roses. I doubt I would have thought of it last year - but was lucky enough to hear Jennifer Wilson of Lucy's Garden speak about old garden roses. She grows and sells antique roses in the Rio Grande Valley AND has a pegged rose in her garden. If you have the opportunity to hear her speak, don't pass it up! Her knowledge and enthusiasm are a wonderful combination.

Small climbing roses are suitable for pegging - you need one with canes that grow between 5 and 7 feet. To peg a rose, fasten the canes to the ground by pinning them with a stake or "peg". According the The Guide to Old Roses by The Antique Rose Emporium, we should let our canes harden properly before they are bent down and pegged. My 'Adam' has canes that are growing fairly perpendicular to the ground so I think I may get to bypass this step. The Antique rose Emporium peg their roses twice a year, before the onset of new growth (late January and late August). The canes are usually arranged in a perfect wheel around the center of the plant. Since my rose is planted against the garage wall, I will have a semi-circle.

Adam has double blooms that are salmon and cream colored.

GBBD, January 2009

2009-01-15T11:50:00.007-06:00

The story is that Crown of Thorn, Euphorbia splendens var. milii, blooms two times a year - at Christmas and again at Easter. Mine does bloom then - but it also blooms almost continually in deep South Texas. This succulent is related to the poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, and exudes sticky white sap from any cut surface. (Take care when working with sappy plants, as some people break out in blisters where this sap has touched their skin)The large thorns for which this plant is named is obvious on the stems. When I repot this plant, I fold a number of layers of newspaper to wrap around the stems and handle the plant with.

Not only is the white sap sticky, but the blooms on this variety are also sticky! The mottled color of the petals that you see in this close-up is not usual for this plant. Its blooms are usually a solid color. My pot of miniature Crown of Thorn, Euphorbia milii 'Mini-Bell', is also full of blooms. Unfortunately, my camera battery ran out of juice before I could get the shot.

Kalanchoe, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, is beginning to bloom. The short days of winter tell this Madagascar native to bloom. In the Valley, they are easily propogated from cuttings (even a cutting as small as a single leaf!). Be sure to let your cuttings heal over a bit before you put them in the ground. No special rooting compound or potting soil is needed. Be careful not to overwater them as this will turn them to mush!

And since, it appears that reds are what's in bloom in my garden this month, here's a shot of a Jatropha, Jatropha integerrima.

Bougainvillea and Poinsettia are other plants that love the short days (or the long nights) of winter. Their bracts are becoming quite colorful right now.

To see what is blooming this week in gardens around the world, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens

Structure in the Garden

2009-01-07T19:07:00.007-06:00

Garden designers often mention the "bones" of the garden. A garden's bones are both permanent and structural - walkways, pergolas, raised beds, fountains, statuary - Today we added some of my favorite garden bones back to our garden: trees (well, trees of a palm variety). A few months ago, a huge, old Ashe tree, Fraxinus velutina, stood here - Hurricane Dolly tore it past the point of recovery. I love the addition of these three Chinese Fan Palms, Livistonia chinesis. They add height, a focal point, and some much needed shade to the area.

The picture at the left was taken last April when we removed the Chinese Fans for a remodeling project. Like most palms, a small rootball was all that was needed. Because we were going to hang onto them for an extended period, we placed them in large pots. Don't you love how I use the term "we"? It's not like I'm in the picture doing any of the work. I do love most aspects of gardening BUT there are some projects that are best left to professionals - those who have both the knowledge and equipment to get the job done.

Nine months in pots didn't seem to harm these large palms at all. To help insure their health, we did place them on an automatic watering system.

Chinese Fan Palms are a slow growing, relatively short fan palm with very large leaves. The average mature height is listed as 25' - this makes it a nice size for single story homes. Chinese Fans are cold hardy, withstanding several degrees below freezing with no damage. They tolerate poor soils (these three have heavy Harlingen clay in their new home) but respond well to a fertility program. Give this palm plenty of room as it's canopy will measure about 12-14 feet wide.

Small Plot Farming in the City

2008-11-05T13:32:00.000-06:00

USA Today ran an interesting article about custom vegetable farming in backyards. You can check it out here. Interesting concept . . . .

Lessons from the Biltmore Greenhouses

2008-11-05T07:35:00.007-06:00

Last week, my sisters and I spent some time enjoying the Autumn colors in the mountains of North Carolina. Since we were so close to Asheville, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to check out America's largest home, The Biltmore. It was amazing but I couldn't wait to finish up the house tour and get out into the gardens! They were expansive and beautiful but nothing really wowwed me - UNTIL I STEPPED INTO THE GREENHOUSES!

This scene just invites you to sit down and enjoy! Plus the greenhouses contain all their tropicals (and tropicals do make up the majority of my garden). I think I have the perfect spot to create a vignette similar to this at my home.

All of the large pots at The Biltmore are planted to overflowing - you'll not see exposed dirt there. The effect is just so lush. I don't happen to be a fan of ficus trees - but this Prayer Plant, Maranta leuconeura var , at the base adds so much.

and I don't know what I liked better - the Tree Fern or the lushness of the Coleus! One of the first things I did when I got home was trim my Coleus and begin rooting them in water. They are such fast growers, that it will take no time to fill the base of a pot.

On the same lines, this combination is so striking. I like the contrast between the large leaves of the Elephant Ears and the tiny trailing succulent leaves. I actually have this succulent but don't know the name. My favorite place to purchase succulents is Caldwell's Jungle Nursery in Raymondville, Texas. They propogate all their own and put together the most amazing hanging baskets you ever saw!

The Biltmore has a number of greenhouses and every entrance offers a lovely scene to behold. The Christmas Cactus (right above the Poinsettias) is full of buds. I so wished they had been blooming last week. Christmas Cactus is something that I have never been successful with - mine may hang on for a year or two but rarely rebloom (and then sparcely).

And they had Poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherimma, "Trees" that took your breath away.

Love this combination!

but this is my favorite - the Spanish style fountain and the Yucca on top - It would be a perfect fit for any Texas patio at Christmas time.

Recycling Storm Debris

2008-10-23T16:19:00.002-05:00

Doesn't the word "debris" sound so much nicer than "garbage"? No matter what you call it, the amount of debris, garbage, trash, or crap laying around after a storm can be mind-boggling. And sometimes through no fault of their own, it takes months for our towns and counties to pick up the trash stacked on the side of the roads. A friend came up with a novel use for the boards from his fence that blew down in Hurrican Dolly - a compost bin! He said when he was looking at homemade bins online, the wood looked like the boards stacked in his alley. Walt turned his into a nifty 4 foot compost bin! Walt had already constructed the two sides with the slatted boards. It's pretty nifty how the angled boards keep your compost ingredients in the bin while allowing for some ventilation. If you are inexperienced with carpentry like I am, you can always make all four sides solid. Just drill a few holes in the boards. Walt connected his two pre-constructed sides with 4' fence boards. Not only did he end up with a compost bin that would look great in any yard, he kept these wooden boards out of the landfill!

Here's a close-up view of the sides. Just cut triangular pieces to set the slats an an angle.

And don't worry if your fence didn't blow down. I'll be you have a neighbor who would love for you to haul off their old boards.

I just love this: Recycling kitchen and yard waste in a container made from yard waste!

Butterflies & Blooms

2008-10-17T09:38:00.001-05:00

Took a little stroll in Ramsey Park the other day and if I didnt' know better, I would have thought it was Spring! Everything was in bloom - and the butterflies were this - Sulfers, Queens and many like the picture below. I think this butterfly is a Bordered Patch, Chlosyne lacinia. According to the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies, it is the most widespread and abundant "checkerspot" of the Americas. Its range is SE California east to Texas and south to Argentina. Habitat is subtropical thorn forests, desert hills, weedy edges of agricultural fields, river bottomlands, pinyon pine and oak woodlands, parks and gardens - in other words, just about everywhere there are plants!

I can usually find any Valley native plant I'm looking for in Trees, Shrubs, & Cacti of South Texas, by Everitt & Drawe - the not this pretty white flower. I'm a huge fan of white flowers - they don't photgraph worth a darn, but they sure are beautiful at dawn and dusk. The RGV Master Naturalists always have a booth at the RGV Birding Festival. They are certain to know this plant!
And of course, there was lots of Turks's Cap. The Turk's Cap, Malvaviscus arboreus var. Drummondii, inspired me so that we went straight to Grimsell's to pick up a few pots for my garden. I can't decide whether I was blown away by the number of blooms or the number of butterflies!

Got Dogs?

2008-10-12T14:54:00.003-05:00

If you've got dogs, then you'll want to check out beneficial nemotodes. They are a chemical free way to control fleas and ticks in your yard. Sold embedded in a small sponge, which is soaked in water to release the microscopic animals. The water is then put into a hose-end sprayer (one that has not been used for insecticides) and applied to your lawn. Our rescued dog, Red

Unable to find any beneficial nemotodes locally, I've ordered them online the past few years. Was I ever excited to find them at Veranda's Nursery in Port Isabel yesterday! They are 10 days old and safely stored in their refrigerator. In the Valley, we should apply to the lawn in Fall and Spring. There are lots of people out there better informed about them than I am, so for more information, just google "beneficial nemotodes". All I know is that when I make an early spring application, we have less flea, tick and fire ant problems.

Birding Season

2008-10-08T07:28:00.000-05:00

November 5 -9 finds Harlingen swimming with birders from all around the country - they're here to take part in the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. I'm just a backyard birder - but every two or three years I sign up for one of the festival trips. This year I have a canoe trip on the Rio Grande in my sights. I've always wanted to boat down the river - and with that ridiculous border fence being constructed, this may be the last opportunity to see the river like it is today.

Birds and butterflies are a couple of the bonuses to gardening. First, your landscape attracts them to your garden and second, you are physically out there to see and enjoy them. I do not take pictures of wildlife (would need to invest in a big lens and learn a few new tricks) - but this hummer perched on a Frangipani, Plumeria rubra was the perfect subject.
I can't say the same for this Black Bellied Whistling Duck and Ducklings below. Every evening, this mom and her mate had their ducklings out for a swim on the resaca. I don't know what we'll see from our canoes - but fall in the Valley is a great time to be outdoors.

Think Spring

2008-10-04T13:38:00.000-05:00

Although this Texas Bluebonnet, Lupinus texensis, may scream springtime, it's time to start thinking wildflowers! If you want to grow Bluebonnets from seed, they need to be in the ground in October or November. I like to scarify my seed first! Line a coffee can with rough sandpaper and put your seed into it. I leave my can in the kitchen and every time I pass it, it gets a few shakes. After a week of shaking, they're ready to go in the ground.

Why I'm a Morning Person

2008-10-01T07:06:00.003-05:00

What a shame to miss this kind of beauty . . . Autumn sunrises just makes me want to jump out of bed and enjoy the day!

Washingtonia Palms

2008-09-30T22:15:00.000-05:00

Washingtonia is a genus of two large, fan palms - one native to Southwest U.S. and the other to Northwest Mexico. Although neither are native to deep south Texas, both have naturalized here.

California or Desert Fan Palm, Washingtonia filifera is indigenous to California and western Arizona. It grows to 60 feet tall and has a stout trunk. Filifera's leaves have a white threads between the split segments.

Mexican Fan Palm, or Washingtonia robusta, is native in the Mexican state of Sonora and the southern Baja California. It is a taller, thinner palm, growing to 90 feet.

Washingtonias cross-pollinate easily so a "pure" species is hard to identify and possibley rare. Both are pretty cold-hardy, surviving temperatures in the 20s (or hardiness zone 8).

This is the most common palm in the Rio Grande Valley, lining roadways, both large and small. It's great in large commercial developments. The size of this palm makes it unsuitable for your average home or yard. But if you happen to have a 3 story home or large yard. it would be a great addition to your landscape.

Plantings of different sized Washingtonias is another attractive use. Some trunks are more self-cleaning than others. Our high humidity helps loosen the leaf's hold on the trunk. Washingtonias are drought-tolerant for short periods, but do better with regular water.

The Whole Picture

2008-09-09T07:25:00.000-05:00

My Florida sister, Betsy, reads Cultivating Paradise every now and then. She's so sweet and tells me how much she learns from it - how beautiful the pictures are - yadda, yadda, yadda. Well, today she's coming for a visit. I know she expects to see a lush and well maintained garden. A picture may be worth a thousand words - but it doesn't always tell the whole story.

I shot this Cardboard Palm, Zamia furfuracea, yesterday. (Don't you just love the seed stems - and just wait until they open up and expose the bright red seeds! - but that's another post) Back to my "disclosure" - I would expect this plant is located in a beautiful, well-kept bed - but zoom out, and here, is where she is really residing. . . . .

One of the "staging areas" for our house remodeling . . . Isn't it lovely? - complete with an above ground line to the contractor's toilet. I hope "strolling in the garden" is not on her to-do list.
Sitting on the patio won't be too relaxing either . . .

And, finally my favorite item - our newest garden accessory - the outdoor potty. We had a hurricane in July and it was one of the few items left standing . . .

Pictures don't lie - but what you see may not be what you get . . .

Seed Season

2008-09-07T09:33:00.001-05:00

I'm always looking for plants that have pretty Fall seeds - a little something to bring the feel of Autumn to our semi-tropical area. One plant group I sometimes overlook are palms - and many of them produce some striking seed stems - such as the Pygmy Date Palm, Phoenix roebellini.

This January photo shows the inflouresence of a Pygmy Date.

By March, the seeds are small but well-formed.

In May, I don't see much change in the seed - they're just a little bit bigger.

And finally, this morning, the Pygmy Date is sporting these gorgeous maroon and purple-black seeds. I think now is the time to gather a few for a seed exchange - and maybe I'll cut a stem or two for decorations inside the house.

Just a Plain Old Palm

2008-08-21T19:52:00.003-05:00

A fellow gardener was talking about a planting bed and mentioned that it contained a palm. When asked, "What kind of palm?", she replied, "Oh, just a plain old palm". Upon further prodding I was surprised at the lack of knowledge (or interest) she had in palm trees. For me, much of the charm of the Lower Rio Grande Valley is our palms. I get great pleasure driving along the Expressway and looking out over the tops of the Washingtonias that line the roadways. And it's always a thrill to come across a large Canary Island Date Palm. So many of ours died in the 80s from lethal yellowing that it's a treat to see one that survived. Needless to say, I think that every gardener in our area should have an appreciation of and at least basic knowledge of the palms that grow here. So, over the next few months, I'll be sharing a little bit about palms in general - especially those that grow well in our area.

Just look at how many different palms there are in this one picture!

Now, for our palm primer. Palms are divided into two categories: fan palms and feather palms. The fan and feather refers to the shape of the leaf.

Clearly, the palm at the right is a fan palm.

I call the form on the left an open fan (I don't think "open fan" is a real term - but I think it's pretty descriptive). This is a Rhapis excelsa or Lady Palm leaf.

Mixed planting of fan palms

Our native Texas Sabal, Sabal texana, with Mediterranean Fan Palms, Chamerops humilis, in the front. The two in the middle front look to be something different but I can't tell from my picture - possibly a Windmill Palm, Trachycarpus fortunii.

Feather palms look like a feather. They have pinnate leaf which is formed by many small individual leaflets coming off the petiole. Below is an example of a feather palm. This is a Silver Date, Phoenix sylvestris. Feather palms tend to be very billowy. I think it gives them a very exotic look. The number of fronds (or branches) on this variety sure makes it look lush! Did you notice how the leaf margins have remained on the trunk? Palm people will say, "This variety keeps its boots".
Mixed planting of feather palms.

The tall ones are Foxtails, Wodyetia bifurcata and the short ones are Pygmy Date Palms, Phoenix roebelinii. New palm enthusiast almost always prefer feather palms over fan palms. But I love to mix both leaf shapes. In the combination above, the uprightness of the Chinese Fans, Livinstonia chinesis, contrasts wonderfully with the short Pygmy Dates in the front and right and mid-sized Pindo Palm, Butia capitata in the middle.

If you hear the word, inflourescence, they are referring to the bloom stem. This green one is on a Pygmy Date.

Count up the number of different palms pictured in this short post. There are hundreds of different types with wonderfully unique characteristics. I hope that you will take a closer look at the palms around you.

What's New

2008-08-18T21:13:00.001-05:00

Last weekend, Houston played host to the annual Texas Nursery and Landscape Expo - a trade show for the nursery industry. I spent my time combing the miles and miles of displays for new plants and garden items - The trend for plants with low water needs continues to grow. - there were lots of Yuccas, succulents, grasses, and native trees. I did search for Pam's (Pam Penick of Digging fame) Whale's Tongue agave.

There were lots of grey-green Chisos Agaves, Agave havardiana - but no Whale's Tongue. Grasses of all kinds were another hot item. I'm thinking about trying some new ones in pots.

One thing I did notice that was new to me were these Henna Coleus - I'm a sucker for any lime colored leaves! But the serrated leaf edges were what originally caught my eye. I hope one of my local garden centers stocks some of these. This Henna Coleus is chartreuse and copper on top with dark burgundy undersides.

I did run across a new-to-me palm - a Teddy Bear Palm! Dypsis leptocheilos gets its name from the fuzzy feel of its crownshaft. Its hardy to zone 9a so should do fine in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

Another item that I think could be pretty ingenious are these large wire and fabric pots. I love the handles and the fact that they are very light weight, When you plant something growing in it, you just cut and tear away the fabric cover, then lower the whole thing (wire cage and all) into the planting hole. No wrestling a huge rootball out of a plastic pot - or having to cut the pot in order to release the plant. And I always end up cutting myself when I have to cut a pot in half.

Well, I'll be interested to see if any of my favorites from the trade show make to my local stores any time soon.

August Garden Tasks

2008-08-10T17:35:00.002-05:00

PLANT

Flowers: You can still plant zinnias, marigolds, and cosmos. Add to it some cool weather flowers, such as petunia, pansy (even though I've only had them do well a couple of times), delphinium, snapdragon, and stock.

Vegetables: Prepare for your fall vegetable garden. Tomatoes, peppers, squash, lima & green beans, and eggplant can go in now. Later in the month, when it's cooled down a bit, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and carrots can be put in the garden.

Herbs: I'm hoping to find some cilantro and italian parsley to add to my herb beds. They can't take our Summer temps. Note to self: Next Spring, look for a shady spot for some cilantro. Maybe it will last through the hot months.

You can still plant palms and other tropicals - just be sure to water well at planting and deeply once every 5 - 7 days.

HARVEST

I'm jealous if you have anything to harvest. I do have some eggplant that Dolly didn't shake off the stem. And the zinnias are growing and putting on flowers again.

PRUNE

This year, pruning will be my biggest August chore. We only removed the broken branches after Hurricane Dolly - and now we need to deal with a bougainvillea leaning over the sidewalk and broken limbs that are still partially attached. And, of course, there is trimming to be done where it had been too wet to get in and work safely.

Continue to pinch back your poinsettias for lots of flowers next Winter. Chrysanthemums want the same pinching treatment.

If your roses have grown leggy, you may want to do a little pruning on them. The plants feel rejuvenated and may thank you with some pretty blooms.

WATER

I don't know where the 15 inches we received on July 23rd has gone, but my grass is getting a little crispy. Even though the shrubs don't show it, I'm sure they are needing some irrigation now too. Remember, for good root growth, water deeply and infrequently.

COMPOST

All gardeners should have a compost bin or pile! I see bags and bags of leaves and twigs all over Harlingen. Time for some leaf rustling!

MULCH

How I wish I owned a chipper/mulcher right now! 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.

ENJOY THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR!

Our Fine Feathered Friends

2008-07-31T06:33:00.000-05:00

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

2008-07-30T13:53:00.005-05:00

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!

2008-07-29T15:52:00.000-05:00

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

2008-07-27T17:29:00.000-05:00

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

2008-07-17T21:28:00.002-05:00

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

2008-07-15T21:36:00.000-05:00

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

God Bless America

2008-07-04T11:47:00.000-05:00

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

2008-07-02T15:41:00.001-05:00

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.

Favorite Summertime Scene

2008-06-25T15:13:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to share a favorite summertime view - it's best taken in when just opening your eyes from an afternoon nap.

Royal Poinciana

2008-06-21T09:16:00.005-05:00

Don't the Royal Poinciana, Delix regia add to the Valley's tropical flair! Driving down the expressway, these orange beauties can be spotted throughout each town. This particular one has both this year's blooms and last year's large, dark seed pods. At least I think those seed pods are from last year. Royal Poinciana will take 5 or 6 years to bloom. Mine bloomed on ONE branch this year - I think it's taunting me!

They are beginning to lose their blossoms and I, for one, will sorely miss their beauty - but we can begin to look forward to the the next showy tree to bloom. That's the Kapok or Silk tree. Look for its pale pink flowers sometime in August.

Plant List

2008-06-20T22:30:00.004-05:00

Listed below are the plants that I am currently growing (or have grown in the past) - if you think the list looks large, divide it by two and then remove a few more. Most plants are listed by both scientific and one (or more) common names.

My goal is to create a resource for those gardening in our Deep South Texas area. Maybe one day each of these entries will have a link with some practical advice for local gardeners.

Bear with me - this will be a work in progress!

Acalypha wilkesiana Copper Plant
Acanthocerius pentagonus Barbed Wire Cactus or Night Blooming Cereus, large bloom
African Iris Iris sp.
Agave americana variegata Variegated Century Plant
Airplane Plant, variegated Chlorphytum comosum 'Vittatum'
Allium shoenoprasum Chives
Alocasia Elephant Ears
Alocasia Esculenta 'Black Magic' Black Elephant Ear
Alocasia 'Polly' Elephant Ears 'Polly'
Aloe barbadensis Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera Aloe barbadensis
Alpinia vittata or A zerumbet Variegated or Shell Ginger
Amaryllis sp.Amaryllis
Anacua Sugarberry, Knockaway, or Anacua
Anacua, Sugarberry Anacua
Anethum graveolens Dill
Angel's Trumpet Daturea spp.
Arizona Ash Fraxinus velutina
Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly Weed
Asian Jasmine Trachaelospermum asiaticum
Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri' Asparagus Fern
Asparagus Fern Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri'
Barbed Wire Cactus Acanthocerius pentagonus
Basil, Sweet Ocimum basilicum
Beaucarnea recurvata Ponytail Palm
Begonia coccinea Angel Wing Begonia
Begonia semperflorens Wax Begonia
Begonia, Angel Wing Begonia coccinea
Begonia, Wax Begonia semperflorens
Bird of Paradise Strelitzia reginae
Bleeding Heart Vine Clerodendrum thomasoniae
Bluebonnet or Texas Bluebonnet Lupinus texensis
Bottle Brush Callistemon cirtinus
Bougainvillea - Salmon Bougainvillea sp.
Bougainvillea - white Bougainvillea sp.
Bougainvillea -red Bougainvillea sp.
Bougainvillea sp
Brassaia Variegated Dwarf Schefflera
Butterfly Bush Salvia leucantha
Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
Caesalpinia pulcherrina Mexican Bird of Paradise, Dwarf/Mex Poinciana, Pride of Barbados
Caladium
Caladium bicolor
Caladium 'Gingerland'
Callistemon cirtinus Bottle Brush
Canna
Cardboard Palm Zamia furfuracea
Carya illinoinensis Pecan
Catharanthus roseus or Vinca minor
Cedar Elm Ulmus crassifolia
Century Plant, variegated Agave americana variegata
Chamerops humilis European or Mediterranean Fan Palm
Chinese Fan Palm Livistonia chinesis
Chinese Tallow Sapium sabiferum
Chives Allium shoenoprasum
Chlorphytum comosum 'Vittatum' Variegated Airplane Plant
Cilantro Coriandrum sativum
Clerodendrum thomasoniae Bleeding Heart Vine
Codiaeum variegatum pictum Croton
Coleus x hybrids
Confederate or Star Jasmine Trachaelspermum jasminoides
Copper Plant Acalypha wilkesiana
Cordyline terinalis Ti or Hawaiian Ti Plant
Coriander Coriandrum sativum
Coriandrum sativum Cilantro or Coriander
Corn Plant Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana'
Cosmos spp.
Crassula Variegated Jade Plant
Crassula argentea Jade Plant
Croton Codiaeum variegatum pictum
Crown of Thorn, dwarf Euphorbia milii 'Mini Bell'
Crown of Thorn, large flowering variety Euphorbia splendens var. milii
Cuban Oregano Plectranthus amboinicus
Cuphea hyssopifolia Mexican Heather
Cymbopogon citratus Lemongrass
Cypress Vine Ipomoea quamoclit
Daturea spp. Angel's Trumpet
Daylily Hemerocallis sp. 'Splendora Sunrise'
Delonix regia Royal Poinciana
Dill Anethum graveolen
Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' Corn Plant
Dusty Miller Senecio cineraria
Ebony Pithecellobium ebano
Elephant Ear - black Alocasia esculenta 'Black Magic'
Elephant Ears Alocasia
Elephant Ears 'Polly' Alocasia 'Polly'
Epiphyllum oxypetalum, Night Blooming Cactus or Cereus, small bloom
Epipremnum aureum (Scindapsis aureus) Pothos Ivy
Eupatorium azureum Blue Mistflower
Eupatorium betonicifolium Padre Island or Betony Mistflower
Euphorbia milii 'Mini-Bell' Dwarf Crown of Thorn
Euphorbia pulcherimma Poinsettia
Euphorbia splendens var. milii Crown of Thorn (Large flowering)
Euphorbia tirucalli Pencil Cactus
Firebush Hamelia patens
Flat-leaf Parsley Pertoselinum crispin var. neopolitanum
Frangipani Plumeria rubra
Fraxinus velutina Arizona Ash
Frog Fruit
Ginger, variegated or Shell Ginger Alpina vittata or A zerumbet
Hamelia patens Firebush
Hawaiian Ti Cordyline terinallis
Hemerocallis sp.'Splendora Sunrise' Daylily
Hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinesis
Hibiscus rosa-sinesis Hibiscus
Huisache
Hummingbird Vine Ipomoea quamoclit
Flame of the Woods Ixora coccinea
Ice Plant Mesembryanthemum
Ilex vomitoria 'Nana' Dwarf Yaupon Holly
Ilex vomitoria 'Pride of Houston' Yaupon Holly
Ipomoea quamoclit Cypress or Hummingbird Vine, Star Glory
Iris spp. African Iris
Ixora coccinea Flame of the Woods or Ixora
Jade Plant Crassula argentea
Jade Plant, variegated Crassula
Jasminum sambac 'Maid of Orleans' Maid of Orleans
Jatropha Jatropha integerrima
Jatropha integerrima Jatropha or Spicy Jatropha
Kalanchoe Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Kalanchoe
Lady Palm Rhapis humilis
Lantana
Lantana (native orange) Lantana
Lantana montevidensis Trailing Lantana
Lantana, trailing (white) Lantana montevidensis
Lemon Thyme Lthymus citirodoris
Lemongrass Cymbopogon citratus
Liriope muscari Giant Monkey Grass
Liriope, Giant Monkey Grass Liriope muscari
Live Oak Quercus virginiana
Livistonia chinesis Chinese Fan Palm
Lupinus texensis Texas Bluebonnet
Macho Fern Nephrolepis biserrata 'Macho'
Maid of Orleans Jasminum sambac 'Maid of Orleans'
Mandevilla spp.
Maranta leuconeura var. Prayer Plant
Mealycup Sage Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue'
Mediterranean Fan Palm Chamerops humilis
Mentha piperita Peppermint
Mentha viridis Spearmint
Mesembryanthemum Ice Plant
Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa
Mexican Bird of Paradise Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Mexican Bush Salvia Salvia leucantha
Mexican Heather Cuphea hyssopifolia
Mexican Mint Marigold Tagetes lucida
Mexican Petunia (short) Ruellia brittoniana
Mexican petunia, Ruelia Ruellia peninsularis
Mexican Poinciana Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Mistflower, Betony Eupatorium betonicifolium
Mistflower, Blue Eupatorium azureum
Mistflower, Padre Island Eupatorium betonicifolium
Mondo grass Ophiopagon japonicus
Mondo grass, dwarf
Monkey Grass Ophiopagon japonicus
Nasturtium Tropaeolum spp.
Nephrolepis biserrata 'Macho' Macho Fern
Night Blooming Cactus or Cereus, small bloom Epipphyllum oxypetalum
Night Blooming Cereus, large bloom Acanthocerius pentagonus
Ocimum basilicum Sweet Basil
Ophiopagon japonicus Mondo Grass or Monkey Grass
Oyster Plant Tradescantia spathacea
Parsley Petroselinum scrispim
Pato de Chiva
Pecan Carya illinoinensis
Pencil Cactus Euphorbia tirucalli
Penniselum setaceum 'Rubrum' Purple Fountain Grass
Pentas Pentas lanceolata
Pentas lanceolata
Peppermint Mentha piperita
Periwinkle or Vinca Catharanthus roseus or Vinca minor
Petroselinum crispin var. neopolitanum Flat-leaf or Italian Parsley
Petroselinum scrispim Parsley
Philodendrom bipinattifidum Split-leaf Elephant or Tree Philodendrom
Phoenix roebelinii Pygmy Date Palm
Pithecellobium ebano Ebony
Plectranthus amboinicus Cuban Oregano
Plumeria rubra Frangipani
Poinsettia Euphorbia pulcherimma
Ponytail Palm Beaucamea recurvata
Portulaca oleracea Purslane
Pothos Ivy Epipremnum aureum or Scindapsis aureus
Prayer Plant Maranta leuconeura var.
Pride of Barbados Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Prosopis glandulosa Mesquite
Purple Fountain Grass Penniselum sataceum 'Rubrum'
Purslane Portulaca oleracea
Pygmy Date Palm Phoenix reobelinii
Quercus virginiana Live Oak
Rhapis humilis Lady Palm
Rosa "Blaze' Rose
Rosa "Gruss an Aachen' Rose
Rosa 'Adam' Rose
Rosa 'Margaret Merril' Rose
Rose 'Adam'
Rose 'Blaze'
Rose 'Gruss an Aachen'
Rose 'Margaret Merril'
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis
Rosemary Rosmarinus prostrata
Rosmarinus prostrata Rosemary, trailing
Rosmarinus officinalis Rosemary, upright
Royal Poinciana, Delonix Regia
Ruellia brittoniana Mexican Petunia, short
Ruellia peninsularis Mexican Petunia, tall
Salvia coccinea 'Coral Nymph' Scarlet or Texas Sage
Salvia coccinea 'Lady in Red' Scarlet or Texas Sage
Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue' Mealycup Sage
Salvia leucantha Mexican Bush Salvia or Butterfly Bush
Sapium sabiferum Chinese Tallow
Scarlet Sage Salvia coccinea var
Scarlet Sage Salvia coccinea var
Schefflera, variegated dwarf Brassaia
Senecio cineraria Dusty Miller
Soft-tip Yucca Yucca gloriosa
Sophora secundaflora Texas Mountain Laurel
Spearmint Mentha viridis
Split-leaf Elephant Ear Philodendrom bipinattifidum
Star Glory Ipomoea quamoclit
Strelitzia reginae Bird of Paradise
Tagetes lucida Mexican Mint Marigold
Texas Mountain Laurel Sophora Secundaflora
Texas Sage Salvia coccinea var.
Thyme Thymus vulgaris
Thymus citriodoris Lemon Thyme
Thymus vulgaris Thyme
Thyrallis or Yellow Plumbago
Ti Cordyline terinallis
Trachaelospermum asiaticum Asian Jasmine
Trachaelspermum jasminoides Confederate or Star Jasmine
Tradescantia spathacea Oyster Plant
Tree Philodendrom Philodendrom bipinattifidum
Tropaeolum spp. Nasturium
Ulmus crassifolia Cedar Elm
Verbena hybrida Verbena
Wax Begonia Begonia semperflorens
Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria 'Pride of Houston'
Yaupon Holly, dwarf Ilex vomitoria 'Nana'
Yucca gloriosa Soft-Tip Yucca
Zamia furfuracea Cardboard Palm
Zinnia elegans

Remove those tight ties!

2008-06-17T21:28:00.000-05:00

Do you like to stake your trees at planting? Some say it's good and some say it's not so good. Many trees even come already staked in their pot. I don't know what the case was here but . . . . . . . these ties and stakes should have been removed long ago. This is one of three Jatropha integerrima that were planted 10 or 11 months ago. You can see the damage done by the ties.
And that's nothing compared to the damage done by being tied so close to the stake for months and months and months. I'm not saying don't stake - just be sure to check your staked trees on a regular basis!

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - June Edition

2008-06-16T16:15:00.002-05:00

Welcome to June's Garden Blogger's Bloom Day in Deep South Texas. This month's theme should be "Only the Strong Survive!" I realize that all of Texas and most of the country are suffering through this month's unseasonably high temperatures. Our plants are no different. As I uploaded this morning's photographs, I thought the blooms are looking a bit tired - this heat sure puts them under added stress too! We'll begin with the heat lovin' Bougainvillea in salmon above and red below.

Here's another heat lover, Mexican Bird of Paradise, Caesalpinia pulcherrima
And I really should take a few minutes to find out the name of this vine. I know some of you must know it! It's a self seeder that comes back every summer and decorates the Firebush with its star-shaped flowers. My sister-in-law, Martha and Chris saw it growing in Roundtop, Texas and plucked a few seeds - thus, we just call it the Roundtop Vine.
Louisiana Iris will bloom until the first cool snap next fall. One thing I've learned is to separate it every 3 or 4 years. Otherwise, it keeps growing outwardly and you will end up with more of a circle than a round plant.
Bleeding Heart Vine Clerodendrum thomasoniae is still blooming - but it sure doesn't look as vibrant as it did a month ago.
Zinnias are coming into their own in all shades of purple, pink and red. I don't know what happened to the orange and yellow seed!

And who doesn't love the orange clusters on Flame of the Woods, Ixora coccinea. There is also a yellow gold variety that I'm looking for a spot for. Lately I've noticed some lovely plantings that have mixed the orange and yellow together.
The large flowering Crown of Thorns, Euphorbia splendens var. milii is becoming a bit speckled. It and the miniature variety below are both grown in pots around here.

This small bed of Mealycup Sage, Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue' has grown and bloomed so well, I added a few more plants to it. I trimmed back the Scarlet Sages, Salvia coccinea 'Lady in Red' and 'Coral Nymph' last week - we'll see what they're doing in July.

Pentas lanceolata just keep blooming and blooming and blooming. They are paired with the blue Mealycup Sage under the flag pole for a bit of a patriotic bed.
I can't bring myself to pull out the volunteer Periwinkles, Vinca minor. Both the purple and white are staking claim among the Ixora. The Frangipani is looking a bit tattered after some high winds last week.
This Daylily, Hemerocallis sp. 'Splendora Sunrise was a Mother's Day gift last year. We had to move them for a construction project - but they don't seem to mind.

Trailing white lantana, Lantana montevidensis is growing in a pot in a transition bed. I love the how the white shines in the moonlight.
Thyrallis is attracting lots of butterflies and bees. Its bright yellow flowers show up from a distance.
and Butterfly Weed, Asclepias tuberosa has sprouted all over the "Native Beds". She shares the space below native trees with the Frogfruit, pictured below.

This Porterweed has a great blue color. I need to find a little spot for some of the red variety.

Padre Island Mistflower is also crawling around in the "Native Bed".
The yellow pistols against the red Jatropha is a pretty combination.
All the Coleus is trying to bloom - but I'm pinching out the bloom stems as soon as I see them. Of course, I think its leaf is a pretty as most blossoms.
Variegated Shell Ginger is putting on quite a show. Or maybe it's just that I've finally noticed its details after years of ignoring it. Check out the beautiful yellow shell that peeps out of the white pod.
There are some re-bloom patches in the Bottlebrush hedge.
Pam from Digging has her gecko - but I have my own garden mascot. This large one-legged frog. Sometimes I can catch her early in the morning before the sun has warmed things up - or my dog, Red, has had a chance to chase her off. She is amazingly fast.

To see what's blooming in gardens around the world, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Mediterranean Fan Palms

2008-06-11T11:16:00.003-05:00

Cold hardy to zone 8, Mediterranean Fan Palms, Chamerops humilis, are a great choice for gardeners looking to add a little tropical flair to their garden. Also known as European Fan Palm, it's a slow grower that performs well in both full sun and part shade. Its fan shaped fronds are nicely contained near the trunks. Notice I said trunks with an "s". Med Fans are a clustering palm, putting out 'pups' at the base. This gives the palm a full look and allows a gardener to use it as he would use a large shrub. You can see the multi-trunks on the palm on the left.

This family has paired it with a Magnolia Tree in this bed - kind of Southern Belle meets Mediteranean Beauty. Med Fans only grow to 15 or 20 feet.
It looks great with other tropicals, such as this Yucca and Bird of Paradise - but also looks equally at home with a traditional planting such as the hedge and oak tree above or geraniums and oleanders in the following picture.
Below is a horrible use of Med Fan Palms. Not only are they in a boring line but the gardener removes the pups regularly. I wonder if this is the look they're going for?
How much more attractive would that be if they let the pups grow and fill out the "hedge" - The photo below illustrates how lush Med Fans can be.

Med Fans are found in poor rocky soils so will do fine in dry, desert conditions. They are slow growers (growth rate of about 6 inches a year) that grow well in a variety of soil types - as long as the area is well drained. I love it as an understory tree planted under taller palms or even live oaks. Since they're small palms, you can also grow them in pots.

If you're looking to a a bit of the tropics to your garden, Mediterranean Fan Palms could be what you're looking for!

Some Kind of Cereus

2008-06-11T10:11:00.000-05:00

I'm not positive what kind of Cereus this is - but I'm pretty thrilled that it's blooming! Its blossoms measure 8 or more inches across. My father-in-law dug the parent plant from some brush land along the Arroyo Colorado so I can only assume that it's native to the Rio Grande Valley. In their booklet on Cactus, Groundcovers, and Vines, the Native Plant Project describes Acanthorereus pentagonus as an upright five ribbed cactus. I must admit mine only has three ribs and a definite triangularly shaped stem - but I still think this is it. Commonly called Night Blooming Cereus or Barbed Wire Cactus, it blooms at night from June through August. The pistols and stamens are a buttery yellow.
This bud will probably open in a day or two.

Night Blooming Cereus is a climber. We've planted it in the Rock Garden next to a Mesquite Tree. Since it should only grow to 20 feet, it won't overtake this tree. Until it was recently pruned, its vines had rambled along the the open ground, even putting down roots into some of the porous rocks.

This bloom is from a different night blooming cactus. It is growing intermixed with the larger Cereus. I got this start from my father. Maybe this bed should be called "The Paternal Bed". This Cereus has a flat stem and smaller flowers - but blooms profusely - sometimes I'll count over 20 blossoms on this planting. Too bad they only last one night.

Both of these propogate easily from stem cuttings. You will want to let the cuttings harden a bit before planting. I planted mine directly into the bed.

Bringing the Outdoors In

2008-06-09T07:04:00.000-05:00

The thermastat is hitting 100 on a regular basis and it's not fit for man or beast outside during daylight hours - and sometimes throughout the night also. I woke up one morning last week and our overnight low had been 82 degrees. Needless to say, this is the time of year when I lack the desire to venture out and work in the garden. What I do love when it's blistering hot is to bring a little of the outdoors intside - and this is when I'm glad I've given up a little space in the vegetable garden for cut flowers. My all time favorites are zinnias. They are easy to grow - they re-seed - and they are forgiving when I ignore them.

This year I planted Burpee's heirloom Exquisite and some year-old bulk seed. They are both growing well. The only zinnia I have failed at growing were Giant Purity. I had planted them for a party and, of course, I got poor germination followed by disease.

A few native sunflowers have volunteered near the woodpile and no-one's gotten around to chopping them out. They were a bonus the other morning when I was wandering the yard looking for something to cut. The best time to cut flowers and foliage to bring inside is morning. The plants are under less stress then.

Some shrubs can also have great flowers of foliage to include in an arrangement. I love to cut Ixora for both mixed arrangements and as a one item arrangement. The branch is a bit hard so I make some cuts up the branch so it will take up more water.

Just look at how delicate Ixora's flower is - and the color is like a fresh melon.

This is my first year to grow Cosmos. The plants are already shoulder-high - but we'll see how they take the heat! So far, so good.

I always like to include some greenery in my mixed arrangements. A palm frond, like this Lady Palm, Rhapis humilis, makes a nice addition. Coleus is good to cut - and the bonus is that it may well begin rooting before you toss the arrangement into the compost pile. The same goes for Sweet Potato Vine 'Margarite". And I love the lime green of it's leaves. Sometimes I have to search for some that the bugs haven't eaten - something munches on it throughout the summer, but never kills it.

A little bit of variegated dwarf schefflera,
Brassaia, is another good filler.

As an accent, I like to cut a few fronds from the Purple Fountain Grass, Penniselum setaceum 'Rubrum', and one of these days I'm going to use some of the purple grass blades.

I hope you'll give your plants a little haircut and bring the trimmings inside to enjoy!

Another Sign that Composting is Becoming A Mainstream Activity

2008-06-06T12:59:00.007-05:00

How surprised was I to come across the Nature Mill Electric Composter in the Williams-Sonoma catalog. Another sign that composting is becoming more mainstream. Personally I prefer nature's way to compost - but if I had an extra $400 laying around this would save me a trip outside to the composter - and I could get rid of my compost bucket. Although they are making those pretty attractive these days!

Obviously, this composter is for the non-gardener - or someone much neater than I. I can't imagine bringing my cutting indoors to compost! That's like backwards world!
According to the catalog, the unit consumes up to 5 lb.s of kitchen waste a day and tranforms it into compost in just two weeks. Unlike a traditional composting system, this machine will also accept dairy, fish and meat. It plugs into a regular electric outlet and uses the same amount of energy as a nightlight.

I'm all for composting our household wastes - if this gets more people doing it, then it's a wonderful product.

Try and Try Again

2008-06-03T14:22:00.001-05:00

This little vignette has turned a hum-drum area into something that gives me an inordinate amount of pleasure. When we planted this Firebush, Hamelia patens, hedge, we left an "alcove" near the garage for something special. We see this small planting bed every time we leave the house and when we drive back in, when we take out the trash and when we feed the dog - I'll bet I pass it at least 5 or 6 times each day. The last few years, I've tried a number of different plants here - a large potted Crown of Thorn, Euphorbia splendens var. milii , potted vines climbing an iron trellis, a white potted Bougainvillea, a trailing Lantana, Lantana montevidensis, draping down the pillar, and even a chimenea - What possessed me to think we would ever pull our lawn chairs onto the driveway for a bonfire? - I found I didn't drag a hose over here to water a potted plant regularly enough basis to keep the plants healthy - and that led to my non-living focal point. One year I built the small raised annual bed with one row of blocks. That didn't make much of a statement, so the next spring, a second row was added - and that was exactly what was needed. This area has been planted for year-round interest. The firebush is just coming into it's own and will bloom until our first cold snap in October or November. In front of the firebush are red Kalanchoes, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, which will bloom from December through late spring. The small raised bed hold Caladiums right now but soon they will be melting in our heat and will have to be replaced with something more heat tolerant. It's such a small area that it easy to replant and inexpensive too. This is what I love about gardening - the everchanging (and hopefully, improving) of the garden. Some people can put a plan on paper and have it come out lovely - but for me, it's try and try again. The creation of a lovely vignette or a pleasing plant combination is a process. The joy I receive from this little bed comes as much from the process of its creation as from the end result.

A Sign that Composting is Becoming Mainstream?

2008-06-02T23:55:00.000-05:00

I opened the paper this morning to read the AP story about a young man in Iowa arrested with several bags of marijuana, Cannabis sativain, in his possession. His explaination was that he was going to compost all the leaves. It was just his recycling - and I'm rooting for him to get off and get back in the garden! Frankly, I had not considered growing a crop solely for compost fodder. We grow cover crops to set nitrogen and to loosen up our heavy soils - so why not for additional folliage for the compost bin. In all seriousness, I was pretty tickled that a garden related article was included in the front section of my local newspaper. And when composting is used in a person's criminal defense, you know that composting is becoming mainstream.

How Do I Water My Trees?

2008-05-22T15:53:00.004-05:00

We're nearing summer and our temperatures are rising to Hotter than Hades levels. This time of year can really harm a landscape that is either new or in marginal to poor health. And with trees, we often don't see potential damage until it's been done.

High winds, high temperatures, and low humidity all contribute to an accelerated rate of transpiration (or the plant losing moisture through its leaves). So how best to replace that water lost? Well, it depends (don't you love that answer?)

It depends on how established your tree is and the type of soil it is planted in. Sandy soils need watering more often. Generally, you should water a newly planted tree deeply every three days - then twice a week - then weekly. Heavier clay soils will hang on to the moisture a bit longer so you'll begin by watering twice a week, then once a week then every other week as needed.

So just what is "as needed"? Dig under the tree's drip line a shovel depth. Feel the soil - if it's damp, wait to water. If it's dry, give your tree a nice long drink.

Place a slow running hose in the tree's bed and water deeply. I keep my tree beds clear of grass as far out as the drip line and form up a little border so the bed can fill with water. Turn your hose on so that the water runs at about the width of your pinky finger. Let it run for about one hour to fill the bed. This should be enough water to irrigate the tree to a depth of a foot or more.

Letting the soil dry out in between waterings is equally important! The bed will dry out from the top down. That means the roots will grow DEEP into the moist soil. Having your roots grow deep will make your tree more drought tolerant.

Many people think that their sprinkler system is going to water everything amply. If your system treats the lawn that same as the planting beds the same as the trees, your trees will need some supplemental irrigation the first couple of years.

Another wonderful thing you can do for your trees is to mulch the beds 2-4 inches deep. This will lower the ground temperature and retain moisture.

There is nothing that cleans the air or lowers the temperature as well as shade trees. You have invested alot of time and money on your landscape trees. Treat them well.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day in Paradise

2008-05-15T22:12:00.004-05:00

Flowering trees are taking center stage this month

. . . and the most stunning of all is the Royal Poinciana, Delonix regia. This deciduous tree is related to Mimosa. It begins blooming with a large flush and can continue for a number of months. The seed pods will be 1 - 2 feet in length.

This Jacaranda, Jacaranda mimosifolia, is growing at the Texas Tourist Bureau in Harlingen. It towers over the building flashing its iridescent purple blooms.

The blue flowers are really coming into their own right now.This was the first time I've planted Salvia 'Victoria Blue'. I'll definitely be looking for it again next spring.

This is Eupatoriam 'Padre Island'. I can't keep all the Eupatoriums straight - this one crawls along the ground and is very salt tolerant.

and finally, blue Porter Weed.

Pato de Chiva

One branch of my Yucca or Spanish Dagger, Yucca treculeana, waited until May to bloom.

Frangipani, Plumeria obtusa, has got to be the most fragrant plant in my garden.

Bottlebrush, Calistimon rigidus, is blooming for the second time this spring.

Angels Trumpets come out to play when it gets dark.

Louisiana Iris will bloom for months and months and months. Its a great pass-along plant.

Bougainvillea - another tropical that blooms and blooms and blooms!

This is a new Bleeding Heart, Clerodendrum Thomasoniae - I just love the contrast of the white and red.

and the vine pictured below was also labeled as a Bleeding Heart -

Oleander - a real tough cookie - but take care - its leaves are very toxic.

Coral Vine, Antigonon leptopus
An easy way to harvest seed from this vigorous growing vine is to place a sheet on the ground under the vine. In a day or two, gather seeds from the sheet.

Firecracker Bush

Ponytail Palm Blooms!

2008-05-08T21:57:00.000-05:00

Driving down West Harrison in Harlingen, I was amazed to see this sight at an old bakery! Did you know that ponytail palms bloom? Beaucarnea recurvata, a native of Mexico, is a water-wise, easy care, specimen plant. I have grown one in a pot since around 1982 when my mother decided it was too large to move to her new home. This plant is a great focal point for any low water garden.

The blooms look an awful lot like palm inflorescence - but ponytail palms are not actually in the palm family, but in the agave family.

gardening gold - and it's free!

2008-05-08T17:13:00.000-05:00

Garden blogs are filled with beautiful pictures of perfect blossoms, appealing plant combinations, and incredible wildlife. Today I want to share with you the one thing I appreciate the most in a garden - the soil! The soil I prefer to work in (light and crumbly) is also the soil my plants prefer to grow in. One of the best things you can do for your garden is to add organic matter to your beds. I recently cleaned out one of my compost bins (something I will do once or twice a year) and came up with 7 five gallon buckets of rich compost to add to some new beds. This is one of my favorite garden chores - spreading this wonderful (and free) compost that I made from yard and kitchen trash!

When I was first composting, I screened my end product - but that took too much time. I always mulch the beds so a few leaves and twigs isn't any big deal.

The first 3 or 4 years, all of my compost went into my vegetable beds. Thankfully they are in good shape now and I can share it with the ornamentals.

This is what was left from the compost bin that I cleaned out. It will become my "starter". On top of this, I'll place all my kitchen waste (no protien or oils) - I now toss in paper towels and napkins too. I don't really know why I omitted them before because I have always included my shredded papers in the bin. Shredded paper is a great dry material during the summer when dry leaves are scarce.

This is my second bin. I stirred it up and sprinkled it with water and will just let it sit and "stew" for a few months. I am a lazy composter - no turning of the pile - no taking it's temperature - no adding compost booster. With time nature will do its job. But I am considering purchasing a compost tumbler to use as a finisher.

I find that gardeners are really stewards of the land - whether it's a tiny little townhouse lot or a 7 acre garden. We can all find a spot in our garden to recycle our yard and kitchen waste into gardening gold! Let me know how you do it!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-04-30T22:08:00.000-05:00

The hummers are passing through

2008-04-27T23:25:00.003-05:00

Attracting visitors to your garden is one of the biggest benefits of gardening! There is much information out there that can guide you in specifically what to plant in order to attract a particular bird or animal. These hummingbirds have been entertaining us with their aerial acrobatics. At times, a dozen or more will be hovering on and around one individual feeder. They've been going through 2 or 3 cups of nectar each day - so I don't have to worry about the feed spoiling in the hot sun! Currently, we have two species hanging around the garden: ruby throated hummingbirds, which are just moving through, and and the much larger buff bellied hummingbird, which will nest in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Hummingbirds feed heavily on sugar water or nectar in a feeder - but you'll need some flowers to attract them to your garden in the first place. This one is feeding on Jatropha integerrima. Generally anything that the butterflies like, the hummingbirds will like. They are attracted to red flowers - which is why most feeders and some brands of nectar are red. Since I have read that the red dye is not good for these small birds, I always use a clear hummingbird feed or make a simple sugar mixture. My favorite brand of hummingbird food is "Best" - it dissolves easily in warm water and the hummers seem to love it!
A male ruby throated hummingbird feeds on an African Iris bloom.

Did you know that a hummingbird will beat his wings 80 times a minute? No wonder they need to stop and rest every so often? I do love to watch them hover, dive, and fly straight up or back. What little wonders they are!

These little guys can provide hours of entertainment!

The Mutual Admiration Club and My Picks for the Excellent Blog Award

2008-04-23T23:50:00.000-05:00

I am honored that Meems from Hoe and Shovel passed along the Excellent Blog Award to Cultivating Paradise. The fact that Hoe and Shovel is one of my absolute favorite gardening blogs makes this even bigger for me. Shortly after joining Blotanical, I began reading Meems' blog. It became an instant favorite of mine. Her pictures are stunningly beautiful and I love her layout - She includes some cool stuff on the sidebar (is that what its called?), such as info and links for places to visit in her neck of the woods and a column of pictures showing what is blooming in her garden that month.

There are rules for passing along the E award: By accepting this Excellent Blog Award, you agree to award it to 10 more people whose blogs you find Excellent Blog Award worthy. Needless to say, Hoe and Shovel would have been at the top of my list - but there is no shortage of excellent garden blogs floating around cyberspace, so here goes.

First off, I must commend Pam of Digging ; hers was the first blog I read on a regular basis and she inspired me to create Cultivating Paradise. I found her blog when I was searching for info about gardening in Austin. She's got great pictures and lots of great ideas. She is the Diva of Texas Garden Bloggers.

Next is a blog that I have only recently discovered. David Perry of A Photographers Garden Blog is a real jewel. Great writing - sometimes about gardening, sometimes about photography, sometimes about random, yet interesting or entertaining stuff - and GREAT pictures (duh!)

And now for the rest of my list (in no particular order) - these men and women make me laugh, make me cry, inspire me with what they create, educate me, and entertain me. They may be surprised that I am passing this award on to them because I am often a silent fan. (But I'm trying to find a little extra computer time to leave comments on my regular reads.)

BVDB from Playin' Outside in Central Texas
Vertie at Vert in the Austin, Texas area -
Dee at Red Dirt Ramblings in Oklahoma
Seeds, an Austin Gardening Journal
Lee at The Grackle, Austin
Jane Marie at Thyme for Herbs, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Sharon at My Chutney Garden, the Carribean
Carol at May Dreams Gardens, Indiana

Thanks for sharing your gifts with us all!

April GBBD Addendum

2008-04-20T22:12:00.002-05:00

How could I have omitted this gorgeous Frangipani, Plumeria obtusa, from my April Garden Bloggers Bloom Day post! Just look at her! The bright yellow throat fades into a creamy white petal. The blossom colors contrast nicely with the dark green of the leaves. This is the flower used to make Hawaiian leis. As a cut flower, Frangipani’s aroma fills the room. Place the flower cluster in a vase or float it in a glass bowl. I’m never sure how to handle its milky sap, but usually burn the cut end before placing it in water.

When this deciduous tropical tree is grown from seed, it will take three years or more to bloom. The seeds will cross-pollinate, so you aren’t guaranteed that the seed you collected from one specimen will bloom like it did. This is a long time to invest in a plant and not know if it will fit well in your landscape.

The dark purple-black growth that looks much like a thin eggplant is a Frangipani seedpod.

I have a few Frangipani volunteers growing in one bed right now, but had not seen the split seed pod before now. It looks more like a sculpture than seeds!

Due to the length to flower and cross-pollination of its seeds, I think this plant is best propagated from cuttings. The “cloned” plant bloom exactly like the parent. As I mentioned earlier, Frangipani has milky white sap. Allow at least a week for the cut end to dry before you plant it in dirt. Don't worry if you get busy or forget about it, the cutting will last a long, long time. Today I sent my daughter home to Austin with a couple of stems that have been scarring over since last fall.

April's Garden Blogger Bloom Day

2008-04-18T11:46:00.004-05:00

This hedge of Bottlebrush (Callistemon rigidus or is it Callistemon viminalis, the weeping variety) has really come into it's own this spring! If I was a hummingbird, this is where I'd want to hang out - and they are! One gallon pots were planted just four years ago. And since I was anxious for a hedge, I made the mistake of planting them a litte too thick - but it's working for now! I wrote this post yesterday at work and rushed home to get a shot of our stunning bottlebrush hedge - you can imagine how disappointed I was to find that our near hurricane force winds (don't know if they were - but they sure felt like it to me!) had blown the blooms out! These pictures are from the more protected side - but they still look a bit weather-weary. Happily there were buff-belly and ruby throated hummingbirds galore!

Just when I thought my Yucca or Spanish Dagger, Yucca treculeana, would never bloom, it came through! It has been a full month since I've notice the Yucca all around the Rio Grande Valley in bloom. Yucca is native to the area and not too picky about it's surroundings. It grows in full sun or partial shade and is happy in any type soil - as long as it is well drained. Mine is in a wetter area than it prefers, but it was growing there when we built our home and I'll bet it's there when we're gone . . . If you plant one in your landscape, remember that with water, it will spread into a pretty large specimen. Mine has got to be 8-10 feet from side to side. This is the mockingbirds favorite place to perch and serenade us!

I cut off one of the blooms for the picnic table. Although it looks very delicate, it each petal is pretty thick and waxy. There are very pale greens and yellows that are too pretty for words. I have always thought that the yucca bloom was edible - but upon reading a little bit more, I think maybe it's the yucca fruit that is eaten. But that's for another post. We're all about blooms today!

My small bed of daylilies have begun blooming! Since we have to transplant them in a week or two, I'm thrilled that we get to enjoy their beauty for a while.

We call this Pato de Chiva or Clavo de Chiva. The name means goat's foot or goat's hoof. For a few years now, I've tried to see a goat's hoof in this bloom. Can you see where I should have been looking? Right! The leaves! A perfect little goat's hoof.

This is a bushy tree that can be trimmed up to a more definite tree form. I've been letting mine do what it wants lately and the bees and butterflies both are glad to have the extra blooms. There is a pinkish tinge in the blooms that my picture didn't capture very well. This is not native to the Valley but is well naturalized here. It's a wonderful butterfly and hummingbird attractant.

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

2008-04-18T10:23:00.000-05:00

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

So, just what is the etiquette for picking up bags of leaves on the side of the road?

2008-04-09T17:23:00.001-05:00

I'd been noticing lots and lots of full lawn & leaf bags set by the curb in neighborhoods all over town. Now, I have a yard full of trees - but they have never produced as many leaves as I need for the vegetable garden, flower beds, and compost bin. These bagged treasures were going to be wasted, so I felt it my duty to schedule a little leaf run. Early on the designated day, I ran into one of my daughters and then a sister-in-law, both of whom inquired about my morning plans. I could hardly contain my excitement about the upcoming leaf run. Much to my surprise, they each asked, "Do they know you're coming?" To be perfectly truthful, at that time I had no idea which households I would relieve of their "garbage". I'm a bit of an impulse stop and loader. But, what a coincidence their question was! Or was it? They got me thinking, "What is the etiquette to picking up other people's discarded bags of leaves?" Do you call ahead? Do you call from the curb? Or do you just snatch and dash? My husband's funny about stopping so I can load someone else's "trash" into the back of the car. He once drove right past 4 or 5 bags of mulch just laying in the middle of a country road! By the time I dropped him off at home and returned, someone else had picked it up. Even though I don't hide the fact that I "steal" other people's garbage, I must admit that I don't really want anyone to see me doing it. Leaf runs are always scheduled for the quiet times - never on a week-end and never after school is out. As long as I'm confessing, I also never pick up bags from a busy street. Is this leaf fetish unique to me - or do some of you share it? I'll look forward to hearing from you!