verbena Archives | Page 2 of 2 | Diana's Designs Austin

And some new clothes to go with the haircuts!

We have a little drainage problem here at Nature’s Garden. Well, we have several.

Which I am sure seems odd when you consider we are living in a drought-stricken area that’s just hot and dry at best.

But when the rains do come, everything floods around here because it’s all clay and limestone (like at Gail’s!), and the water pours off instead of seeping in.

And our homebuilder didn’t anticipate the volume of water we get and how it might collect in places where you try to get into your house.

So, yesterday, after 5-1/2 years, I finally took care of the front walk. In a good rain, we got a lake on the walkway about 3+ feet wide. NOT enough to step over if you were coming to our front door.

Of course we don’t use the front door ourselves, hence my procrastination. But it’s cold out and I can’t plant yet, so I had to think of some other garden project to do!

So after removing several inches of mulch and some soil, a dry river rock stream bed now graces the front of the house.

I like it. It adds interest and texture in some big beds.

And it really will be a stream in May when the rains come (IF they come this year).
Nice, huh?
And I just couldn’t resist taking pictures of some lovely Spring color — the daffodils like this breezy weather.
And, in spite of a cool day today, this Verbena is smokin’ HOT, don’t you think?

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:44:39-05:00February 21st, 2009|Blog, daffodils, river rock bed, Sharing Nature's Garden, verbena|0 Comments

Cause and effect…

I walked all around my garden beds this morning, inspecting the cause and effect of the recent rains. So many things are just jumping up and down in the garden, saying, “look at ME, look at ME!”

So I thought I’d share my observations with you today.

Fellow Austin garden blogger Lori, of The Gardener of Good and Evil, just posted lovely photos of all her blooming Datura plants. She has six of them and I can’t imagine how huge they must be.

The recent rains have brought dozens of buds to my two plants (one planted, one volunteer), so I thought I would share the promise of blooms.

This is a Mealy Blue Sage that has been sad and pasty-colored all through this hot summer, bu today it is a vibrant blue-purple color. It clearly likes temperatures that are only in the 90s and it loves the rain.

The Verbena is always more colorful after a nice rain.
The trailing Lantana and the Blackfoot Daisy are checking out each other’s neighborhoods!
This Cape Honeysuckle that I insist on keeping in a pot for orange on the deck (which isn’t really the best way to try to grow it!) LOVES the rain and just explodes with color afterward.
This is my mutant Brugmansia – German Double Pink. I can only report that from the order I placed, since I have yet to see it bloom and some critter has been EATING the leaves all the way up the stem. I hope it survives. I haven’t seen anyone on it.

And, of course, I have lots of WEEDS who are saying “look at ME, look at ME, too.” But I’ll spare you the pictures of those!

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:53-06:00August 21st, 2008|Blog, brugmansia, cape honey suckle, datura, rain, Sharing Nature's Garden, verbena|0 Comments

A few little pretties

Today, my husband and I cleaned out the garage. No gardening and no interesting photos there, although it’s nice to have to done and all clean with room for more plants and pots and gardening tools!

I took these pictures yesterday. This lovely, delicate white flower is from my Anacacho Orchid Tree (Bauhinia congesta ), which I planted in the front bed when we had to remove all of the shrubs because of the Oleander disease. It replaces a Redbud that struggled most of the year. In the Spring, however, it always seemed happy and bloomed beautifully for me. I am so glad that this new tree also has lovely Spring blooms that everyone can enjoy. For a great photo for a full sized tree, you can check out Pam’s tree at Digging and see how much prettier the blooms get as the tree grows. (I have a little tree-envy, can you tell?!)

I had to capture a photo of this Verbena – the color is just so striking and it just thrives in this cooler Spring weather. It will melt when the heat of Summer arrives, but for now, it’s in its full glory and makes me smile every time I walk by it.

I saw Mr. Cardinal drinking from the top of my fountain and grabbed my camera, but by the time I got back, he was gone. But he invited some friends for a cocktail. Shortly thereafter, two mourning doves replaced him at the bar to wet their whistles!

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:47:51-05:00March 30th, 2008|anacacho orchid, birds, Blog, Sharing Nature's Garden, verbena|8 Comments

verbena

And some new clothes to go with the haircuts!

Cause and effect…

A few little pretties

Escape in the garden