Sharing Nature's Garden Archives | Page 59 of 124

Take my advice, I’m not using it!

Every year, I give myself advice and I say:

“I’m not going to buy a bunch of pots this year – they are too much work to water every single day. I’m going to be content with what is in the ground.”

I say it in the spring, I say it in the summer, I say it in the fall and I say it in the winter.

And then, I buy a whole bunch of little pots.
Why?
Because they’re cute.
Because I just have to have that particular plant.
Because that would look just great in this particular spot.
Because it looks a little empty over there.
Because they call to me in the store … “buy me, please, please, buy me…take me home with you”
Because I am weak.
Because I have no will power.
Heck, I don’t know why.
I don’t know why, really, but I seem to be incapable of exercising even the most limited amount of restraint.
But, they are pretty.
And they do brighten up counters and corners and tables.
And it’s nice to collect certain plants.
And they allow me to have certain tropical plants that would die in the ground if I couldn’t move them in during the winter.
And some of them were given to me as gifts – I have to put plants in those.
And some have very sentimental value like this beautiful white Duranta tree that I was given 13 years ago in honor of my sick dog.
And, well…they make me happy.

Do you have more than a few pots sitting around your garden?

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:31-06:00April 2nd, 2010|Blog, pots, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Big Burly Bur Oak

This is my big burly Bur Oak, leafing out and shedding delicate little wisps of pollen. Hardly looks like the giant that it is.

Quercus macrocarpa, also called Burr Oak, is a slow-growing, tall tree that lives a long life. It develops a massive trunk and is a great shade and windbreak tree. It is very adaptable, and its leaves turn yellow, lime green and rust in the fall. Research shows that the tree will bear acorns in the nursery in 10 years.

My Bur oak is now 10 years old, and dropped one lone but very large acorn for me two months ago.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:31-06:00March 31st, 2010|Blog, Bur Oak, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Zilker Garden Fest

I had a delightful day yesterday with my parents at the Zilker Garden Festival. It’s the plant event of the year in Austin, and my favorite thing to do. We’ve been going for at least 20 years and I never tire of it.

Vendors come from all around to sell plants and pottery and garden art and other crafts. There is a kid’s corner and music and food and it’s just the most wonderful time.

I filled my wagon this time (I usually do) and am so pleased with the interesting things I found:

Ming Fern
3 Homestead Verbena
2 sedums – 1 variegated no-name and 1 pulchellum Sea Star
1 Mock Orange Philadelphus coronarius
1 spotted Bromeliad
1 Dragon Tongue Bean
2 bags of Tulipa Clusiana bulbs (gave one to my Mom and Dad)
1 Aloifolia Yucca (pink and lime green variegated)

I like to buy unusual things at ZilkerFest, because the nursery vendors tend to bring their best or most interesting specimens to show.

Today I planted bluebonnets, 3 tomatoes, 1 pimiento pepper, horseradish, chamomile, and my Space saver cucumber seedlings. I also planted two passalong Baby Blue Eyes that Bob at Draco Gardens brought to the Design A Go Go.

I still have some Society Garlics from my friend to passalong for any Austin area gardeners who need some. Let me know if you want some!

Another beautiful day is on tap for tomorrow … wonder what trouble I can get into the garden tomorrow? Do you have garden plans for Tuesday? Or the rest of the week?

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:31-06:00March 29th, 2010|Blog, bromeliad, dragon tongue bean, ming fern, mock orange, sedum, Sharing Nature's Garden, tulipa clusiana, verbena, yucca, Zilker Gardenfest|0 Comments

Design day…

Today was the perfect day – 81 degrees and a gaggle of garden bloggers came to my house for our second monthly “DesignA Go Go” brainstorming session.

We did have one non-blogger interloper, who came to greet the guests and snag herself some lemonade. While she was doing that, her Dad was taking these great photos so I could post about our party before they headed off to the movies together.

We toured the gardens, talked about plants and compared notes about what’s still dormant and what might be dead in our gardens after our harsh winter.
After some visiting and chatting,
…and some eating and drinking,

…we set about looking at the area that I designated for my design brainstorming session. (Scroll down to my last post to see the area.)

Everyone asked great questions about what I like and what I don’t. What I’ll plant and what I won’t. And most importantly, what are the dogs gonna do with it all?!

The first component is an area along the wrought-iron fence that allows them to look out and watch the deer off into the woods behind the fence. In front of that, I had visions of a garden area — maybe a little like a secret garden — with some neat features you have to walk into to actually see and experience.

Bloggers sketched and drew and wrote and walked and looked. And I was giddy with anticipation. We all talked about lots of great ideas. And then each gardener shared with me his or her unique perspective.

And honestly, I think I am going to be taking ideas from many of the plans that were laid out – and there were so many good ideas – stock tanks, seating, fencing, plants — you name it, nothing was left off the table.

They even convinced me to try some plants and a stock tank (for plants), that I’d previously rejected. I was really trying to keep an open mind.

And then we had our plant swap and we all got loads of great new plants to try in our gardens.

It was a delightful day – a perfect Austin spring day – for relaxing and enjoying the garden instead of working in it for a chance.

THANKS to everyone who came and spent the afternoon sharing your great ideas with me.

Tomorrow I am off to the Zilker Garden Fest — our biggest garden festival of the year — where I hope to fill my wagon with more goodies to plant. Enough of this resting stuff!

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:32-06:00March 27th, 2010|Blog, Design A Go Go, garden bloggers, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Lemon tree, very pretty…hmmm hmm, hmmm…

So, today was a big garden clean-up and planting day.

I was assuming (yes, I know the old adage about people who ‘assume’) that my variegated Eureka Lemon tree was a goner. Every branch I cut or scraped was dry and brittle. They snapped with that ugly dead sound that confirms your worst fears.

So, as I was giving instructions to my ‘guy’ about digging it up, we gave it one last look. And all the branches were still dead.

But far, far down at the base of the trunk there was the tiniest sliver of green.

Amazing.

It was no bigger than the white tip of your pinky fingernail. And there — just above it, another speck of green, the size of a pin head.

Unbelieveable.

See it? Right there, next to that wound. A sign of glorious life.

Of all the plants at risk this harsh winter, I was most concerned about this tree. It is my prized possession – the lemons are amazing and I just love it. And I was very sad when I thought I’d lost it.

But, many of my garden friends encouraged me to have hope, and they were right. It was a long, slow and late winter, and recovery for established plants will also be long, slow and late this year. I know that in my head, and now I understand the reality. I guess I shouldn’t try to rush Mother Nature!

I did, however, lose my little Bottlebrush tree in the front yard to last winter’s cold temperatures. Nothing alive left anywhere on that one. I planted it late and it was small and just too tender and not established enough to survive. Today, a new (and bigger) Bottlebrush – “Hanna Ray” went into the extension of the front bed.

It will soon by joined by a large blue Agave and some deep blue-colored salvias. Not sure which salvias, but I do know I want them to be the color of the Indigo Spires – just not that tall.
My first Wine Cup bloom opened today. Lancashire Rose was here this weekend and said hers were blooming all over the place, so I am glad to see mine aren’t too far behind. I love the way they look spilling about the rock path.
These could be yours! These two photos are all of the Society Garlic that I’ll be sharing with Austin Garden Bloggers who come over this Saturday for our design/brainstorming/swap meet-up. My neighbor dug them all up and shared with our neighborhood, then let me offer them to garden bloggers. This is what’s left after 3 neighbors and 4 garden bloggers have already taken bunches of them!
And it smells delightfully like an Italian restaurant outside of my garage!

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:32-06:00March 23rd, 2010|Blog, Bottle Brush tree, eureka lemon tree, Sharing Nature's Garden, society garlic|0 Comments

Inspiration needed for Design A Go Go

This is it. My boring, inspiration-less corner. The subject of the Austin Garden Bloggers Design A Go Go this weekend to brainstorm with me about what to do in that back corner.

First rule, however, is that dogs must roam. They love to race to that back corner and watch for deer and other critters through the fence. Since I know that isn’t going to change because I put some inspiration over there, the dogs have to keep a path behind whatever I do.

I’d really like a garden room – some almost enclosed area with a focal point, but with a hidden element as well. It could cover part or most of the front of the playscape, too. I’m open. Might like a nice cedar arbor back there.

I’m just tired of competing with the dogs for the space and the bed that’s there, while nice enough when in bloom, was a put in as a filler. I’ve removed some of my original shrubs in favor of more perennials, too. Now the bed holds bi-color iris, Esperanza, Butterfly weed, Coneflowers, some pass-along bulbs, Ruellia, and an Abutilon. The fences have Crossvine and Wisteria on them. The trees in front of the area are 2 Lace Bark Elms and 1 Big Tooth Maple.

The existing corner bed gets morning and mid-day sun and late afternoon shade on the right side.

So, are you inspired when you look at these pictures? Something amazing pop into your head? Think you might have an idea to share with me? I’d love to hear it. All inspiration welcome!

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:42:33-05:00March 22nd, 2010|Blog, Design A Go Go, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Sharing Nature’s Garden

Take my advice, I’m not using it!

Big Burly Bur Oak

Zilker Garden Fest

Design day…

Lemon tree, very pretty…hmmm hmm, hmmm…

Inspiration needed for Design A Go Go

Escape in the garden