Sharing Nature's Garden Archives | Page 77 of 124

Shopping and planting and puttering…

Today I went with a friend to two Hill Country nurseries that specialize in Cacti and Agaves and Succulents.

I had a list (in my head) and wanted some things for pots and the rock path and a few other empty spots. I came home with this very interesting Agave americana var. mediopicta f. alba.

I also came home with the really big rust/burgundy glazed pot. The lovely toile-looking distressed urn-pot was a thank you gift from my shopping companion for giving her tickets to Rent last weekend. Isn’t that a nice thank you? And it came with a soy candle and sweet-smelling almond soaps, too. So I bought this adorable Flapjack Kalanchoe to put in it — with something else I don’t have yet…I also got the tiny Echeveria, and the curly-edged Rose Kalanchoe.

When I got home, I dug into the holding area by my garage, read: Diana’s nursery of stuff waiting to find a home, and found a spot of this Kangaroo Paw – Cape Amazon – that I bought a few weeks ago. Being native to Australia, I hope it likes our hot climate here. I put it in a non-irrigated area, but in a spot where I spray frequently with the hose by hand.

This little Agave and her even smaller pup went in the same area as the Kangaroo Paw, and are passalongs from Lori, of The Gardener of Good and Evil.
These are some orange daylilies that I dug up when I organized a eighborhood entryway cleanup with some of my neighbors. They were crowding other plants and in full shade, so I rescued them to my garden. How con-VEEEEN-ient for me!
So, here’s what’s left in the holding area: Two volunteer palm trees that I dug up around our giant palm. A Bulbine, A Mexican Bird of Paradise Tree, and some irises and Sprekelia bulbs.
And here we have chocolate mint, two purple Alyssum and a pot of moss along with a volunteer Crape Myrtle tree that I dug up in the front bed.
And here are some passalong irises and the Avocado tree that will make its home in that big new pot.

Those are my “to-do” lists for the near-term. Along with WEEDING every bed except the veggie garden, which I did last week. I will be so happy when some of these newer and sparse beds fill in more so I have fewer WEEDS!

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:45-06:00May 19th, 2009|Agave, avocado, Blog, bulbine, iris, Kalanchoe, Kangaroo Paw, lilies, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

We’re back!

I’m back to blogging after a few weeks of taking care of family, and what to my wondering eyes should appear?

No, not eight tiny reindeer!

But a slew of new plants and blooms popping out in the garden — back after the winter’s hiatus to show off for me.

Above, a full 3 months ahead of schedule, I have a beautiful blooming Pride of Barbados. Our incredibly mild winter kept it from dying all the way back and so it got a big jump on growth. Which is great with me, because I just love those wispy, exotic blooms.

Caladiums are popping up in the shady beds in between other things.

This tiny Lobelia is a volunteer that decided to grow in the crack on the edge of the steps to the rock bed.
This is a salmon/pink Gladiola that is growing with a cluster of others behind the greenhouse and in the cutting flower bed. It’s the first one to open and I can wait to CUT it!
Here we have a cluster of Larkspur, given to me by MSS of Zanthan Gardens. In spite of my late planting of the seeds, they have proven to be winners and are so pretty — the first seeds to bloom in the cutting garden.
Here is a new bloom on my Carefree Beauty rose, also known as a Katy Road Rose.
Another shot of the amazing and HUGE display of Winecups in the rock path. They are growing so much that they have obliterated the entire pathway! I am happy to step out of their way and into the grass, though my DH thinks it’s quite foolish.
This Sago palm is very excited that it’s spring and that summer is on its way. This male is producing its cones, which are torpedo shaped and produce pollen. In the wild, the male pollen is spread by wind or insects to the female cycads, which produce a cabbage shaped reproductive organ with seeds that receive the pollen. Cool, huh?!

The Mexican Oregano is blooming profusely. It loves our sunny climate.
The black Elephant Ears are happy right now, but they may have to be babied some in the heat of the summer.
I love the orange bloom on this purple canna that showed up this week.
And these daylilies are lining one side of the pool bed with their deep, burgundy, velvety blooms.
Some Esperanza or Yellow Bells, have already been blooming around town, and mine have caught up. But it’s still pretty early for them.
My Rock Rose is showing her pretty flowers, too — next to the Indigo Spires Salvia.
These little Veronicas are growing nicely in their second year.

So, these are all my new friends that are back in the garden this year. So nice to be able to see them while walking around.

And my Mom is home and healing nicely ~~ thanks for your kind thoughts and prayers.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:45-06:00May 18th, 2009|Bird of Paradise, Blog, caladium, cannas, carefree beauty rose, elephant ears, esperanza, gladiola, larkspur, lobelia, Mexican Oregano, Sago, Sharing Nature's Garden, veronica, winecup|0 Comments

Mystery wildflower

My neighbor has a beautiful field full of wildflowers — some that came to her with the property and some that she has lovingly sown over the last few years.

And out in the middle of the field is this one, tall plant.

I have no idea what it is, and a flip through my book of Texas wildflowers didn’t turn up anything that I thought fit quite right.

Do you know what it is?

It’s growing in rock and has little to no water since we are in a drought and the field has no irrigation of any sort.

She’d really like to know — can you help Maria name this plant?

On a side note:

My garden and my weeds are overgrowing and I’ve neglected my blogging for a while because my Mom’s been in the hospital twice in the last few weeks and I’ve been there with her. We got a good post-surgical prognosis today, so she’s going to be on the mend soon.

And I’ll be back in due time.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:45-06:00May 8th, 2009|Blog, mystery, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

A few new friends…

The rain must have made my Martha Gonzales rose happy as she is blooming a lot this week. Her open blooms are like little saucers, so I was surprised one evening to find this 1/2 closed bloom with its very different look.
The rain also made the window box happy as it erupted with various snapdragons and geraniums in front of Kallie’s window.
This is a salvia that Renee of Renee’s Roots passed along to me last weekend at our garden bloggers tour … I wish I could remember the exact name of it – Renee … help?
And this is the Engleman’s Daisy that I got from Pam, of Digging, at our gathering last weekend. It was in a BIG pot and took me 2 holes to get it into the ground — I ran into a rock when I was almost finished, and I had to start over 6 – 8 inches next to it. My tendonitis was screaming at me all week!

By Diana C. Kirby|2019-07-15T19:14:17-05:00May 1st, 2009|Blog, Engelman's daisy, Martha Gonzales, rose, salvia, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Flowers, friendship, food and fun with Austin garden bloggers

On Sunday, a growing group of Austin garden bloggers gathered to tour two gardens and socialize and swap plants. We started with a lovely tour of noted author, Jill Nokes‘, garden and she entertained us with stories of the history of her house and her garden’s evolution.

Her rock wall and archway are filled with memorabilia like fossils, bits and pieces of other things she’s collected and whimiscal items.

After the tour at Jill’s — we wandered through the neighborhood and snapped some pictures of interesting plant life along the way.

Then we ventured south for a tour of Jenny — Lancashire Rose’s garden — along with appetizers and drinks and a plant swap to top off the day.

The architecture of their angular house set against the myriad of rock formations and seeminly endless spring blooms blowing in the breeze was amazing.

I’ve read her blog for some time, but this is an instance where a camera and photos are simply no match for the personal visit and the human eye. Even the best of equipment cannot capture the breath-taking views and rooms she and her husband have created in their Hill Country oasis.

I just had to take a few pictures to remind myself how lovely and peaceful it all was.

After our tour and social hour, we had a plant swap.

What an interesting array of plants. Irises, agaves, salvias, tomatoes, trees, datura, roses, seeds, red wine vinegar mother — you name it, we had it to share.

I felt like a kid in a candy store!

A perfect spring afternoon in Austin, surrounded by friends, and sharing our love of gardening and nature.

Special thanks to Pam of Digging — our fearless leader (!) — for organizing, and to Jill and Jenny for inviting us into their gardens.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:46-06:00April 28th, 2009|Blog, garden tour, Jill Nokes, Lancashire Rose, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Oops…

Sorry folks. At today’s Garden Bloggers gathering, I gave away a bag full of plants to my garden blogging friends and mis-named it!

It is Callisia frangrans, or Basket Plant, not Dutchman’s pipe. I misspoke.

So sorry!

But it’s a fabulous plant and I hope you all enjoy it. Anyone else who didn’t get to come to the tours today can comment here and I would be happy to share more of this wonderful plant – I have plenty to share!

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:47-06:00April 26th, 2009|basket plant, Blog, Callisia fragrans, hanging basket, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Sharing Nature’s Garden

Shopping and planting and puttering…

We’re back!

Mystery wildflower

A few new friends…

Flowers, friendship, food and fun with Austin garden bloggers

Oops…

Escape in the garden