In bloom at Green Hall
‘Amethyst Flame’ irises have burst into bloom at Green Hall Garden, my old garden that is still for sale, along with our former home in central Austin.
I recently had sod installed in the back yard to replace the mulched area where the kids’ trampoline used to hulk, so I’ve been visiting my old garden every other day to water the new lawn. Spring is here. Buds open to the sunlight and green leaves unfurl before my eyes, seemingly.
Summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum ). The transition from winter to spring is more dramatic here than in my new garden, where a heavy canopy of live oaks keeps much of the yard in evergreen shade. But where I do have sun, I’ll be working on incorporating some of these sweet flowers that don’t last but that evoke spring so powerfully through ephemeral beauty…
…and unforgettable fragrance, like sweet-scented Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens ). Black swallowtail butterflies have been flitting to this evergreen vine covered in buttery yellow flowers for days, although it was too chilly this morning when I took these pictures to see any butterflies on the wing.
Sunny yellow hymenoxys (Tetraneuris scaposa ) picks up the yellow of a variegated American agave, while bluebonnets seeded out from last spring wait in the wings.
On the other side, evergreen Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa ) unfurls new fuzzy, silvered leaves outlined in white. Soon it will show off tiers of yellow flowers too.
Easy-to-grow spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis ) has greened up the woodland garden beneath the cedar elm with daylily-like foliage, and stalks of purple flowers are appearing.
Like a firecracker, ‘Little John’ bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis ‘Little John’) shows off its first red flower.
Ah, sweet signs of spring.
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Thanks for these beautiful pictures, reminding us of the possibilities of spring.
I’m sure you’re seeing spring in your Houston garden too, right, Dorothy? —Pam
Beautiful, Pam — I hope the new owners, whoever they may be, appreciate your garden. That bottlebrush colour is amazing!
It’s rich, isn’t it? One of these days, I’d like to grow a bottlebrush tree, not just a shrub. —Pam
Beautiful photos, Pam. Spring has definitely sprung at Green Hall. There’s hope for us up-northers.
Spring is surely working its way north, Grace. —Pam
What a lovely look at an old friend. I can’t help but think that your gardens will be a major selling point for your house.
Mmm, I don’t know, Nancy. Not everyone wants to take care of a garden. But when the right person comes along, I hope it will be love at first sight. —Pam
So many lovely photos; I’m hoping you find a buyer soon!
Thanks, Chookie. Me too! —Pam
Sweet signs indeed, Pam. That bottlebrush takes me right back to Australia. I love it!
I was trying to remember the name of the yellow flower that was encased in ice the first time I visited your blog, and there it is – Hymenoxys! Thanks 🙂 It seems to give you color for a long period of time.
I hope whoever ends up buying Green Hall appreciates your beautiful garden. I’m sure you do too.
That little hymenoxys just never stops, Kerri. It pulls its weight and then some. —Pam
Lovely blooms and nice to see something spring-y. Here we are supposed to get enough snow on Saturday to shovel it.
Well! I guess Old Man Winter isn’t ready to depart Indiana quite yet. Tell him to get a move on, Carol. —Pam
That Amethyst Flame Iris is just as beautiful as you described. And your Hymenoxys daisies are so full and perky. Looks like everything at Green Hall is very well-loved, in spite of your doing double-duty in the garden these days.
I brought some divisions of that iris to my new garden, Diana. When they need dividing again, I’ll give you some. They’re very dependable. Thanks again for the ginger today. —Pam
I always think I don’t like Bearded Iris – and then they bloom. There’s just nothing like them. The Jessamine is such a cheery sight, I can imagine how wonderful it looks with butterflies. Have you started thinking about a name for your new garden yet?
Ooh, I love the iris flower, and I even enjoy the sword-like, evergreen leaves. As for the jessamine, I wish I could provide smell-o-vision. I’ve thought about possibilities for my new garden’s name, but nothing has seemed right yet. It’ll take some time, I think. —Pam
Green Hall is a beautiful garden, Pam! Amethyst Flame is iridescently beautiful…such a water colored flower. I can’t wait to have the CJ bloom in my garden..then I’ll believe that spring is here!
Gail
The jessamine is a traditional spring sight and fragrance in the Southern garden. I hope yours blooms soon, Gail. —Pam
What a wonderful evocative name for your garden! We talk about naming ours but have never been able to agree on anything (though individual areas within the overall garden have names). And I particularly like your green “water” in the birdbath! I think having things blooming makes a house seem so much more attractive to buyers — a potential home, not just a “property.” To me, it’s also a sign of good caretakers!
My old garden was named, with a twist in the spelling, after an old-timey Texas dance hall, Linda. It may take a few years until the new garden’s name reveals itself to me. —Pam
I lovelovelove the hymenoxys with the American agave. I wish I had room for it in my own garden. And I can’t believe you have irises flowering already! Mine are just beginning to perk up.
Lori, if you ever want a pup of that agave, just let me know. It sets pups all the time, and I brought a big one with me, which is already producing. —Pam
Green Hall sure is looking good. I really enjoyed your old garden. There seems to be a lot flowering now.
I know your new garden will look just as fantastic.
I look forward to the day when the new garden truly feels like a garden, Lola. In time. Green Hall was the product of seven years of planting and tweaking, as I’m continually reminding myself. —Pam
The iris are beautiful, and in one of my favourite iris colours, so sweet looking around the birdbath. The little Leucojum bulbs are so pretty in spring. Pretty blooms have to be appealing when you go house hunting.
I’m counting on it, Northern Shade. Here’s hoping the stimulus package will put some money in people’s pockets and make them feel like house-hunting. —Pam
Pam, that is exciting for me to see that beautiful Iris picture, because, if I’m not mistaken, that is the same one that you kindly passed along to me last fall, isn’t it? I have no buds yet, though greenery is growing. I hope I’m lucky enough to see a bloom this year from her. It’s gorgeous! I hope you love your new garden in a different way as much as you love Green Hall. Different challenges, right?
Hi, Robin. Yes, that’s the iris I gave you last fall. I’m sure it will flower for you this year. It’s a performer. —Pam
Hi Pam, spring has sprung there, and imagining butterflies is so cheering. Your garden must look wonderful with the new sod, much larger. I hope you take some leucojum with you, those are so sweet. The iris and glass bird bath have always been favorites of mine too. I still have the photos I took when we arrived early for spring fling and no one was at your house, front only, the Financier about had a cow. I told him I knew this garden well, from your blog and wanted to remember it. So happy to have seen it in all its glory. Now I want to see the new garden too. 🙂
Frances
Frances, I’m laughing just imagining you furtively snapping a few shots while the Financier hissed at you to put the camera away. Ha! Did you take any on Saturday evening when everyone was there for the happy hour? What a fun time that was. Please do come visit again one day! —Pam
Pam,
I think it would be hard to return to something that I put so much time and energy into. Do you ever get sad when you visit your old garden?
Yes. But yesterday wasn’t one of those days. It was much too springy and happy in the garden to feel anything but happy in turn. —Pam
That iris is tadiefer, as a pal of mine says. I wish I could grow it here. Green Hall Garden is looking as lovely as ever. I hope spring will bring a new owner to appreciate it!
Me too, Cindy. I would love for a gardener to move in. —Pam
I’m glad to see the Iris moved with you. Although iris blooms are so fleeting they are one of my favorites and I’m always adding to the collection to extend the bloom time. Being deer resistant doesn’t hurt their charm around here either.
It does hurt in a way to see yours already in flower. It’s snowing here right now and a reminder that I still have a couple of months to wait.
Wiseacre, this iris is an early bird even in Austin. I have several other varieties that bloom weeks later. —Pam
Your old garden is still looking as great as ever despite your having used it is as a nursery. Everything looks just the same with so much in flower this early in the season.
Thanks. There were a LOT of plants in the old garden—more than enough to spare for the new one. —Pam
It is nice to see your Green Hall garden again. I know that soon we will be enjoying our spring too, but right now it seems like it is such a long time away. I am so ready for it!
Hopefully now that the spring flowers are blooming the right person will come along and be drawn in to the magic of your wonderful garden.
I hope so, Robin! —Pam
Wow! There is so much blooming there already. You guys are definitely weeks ahead of the SC coast. That iris is just beautiful – as for the spiderwort, I’m trying to rid my garden of that one, it is horribly invasive around here (I’m guessing there are lesser invasive varieties perhaps, but I haven’t looked into them. Because of you I’ve finally jumped into agave world…love them!
Aren’t agaves wonderful? I’m so glad that you’re giving them a try, Pam. Do you have to work hard to give them good drainage? —Pam
I love the snowflake and bottle brush flower. So pretty. I have yellow Carolina Jessamine flowering now. Love the delicate little fluted flowers.
Brenda
And they smell divine, don’t they? —Pam
You used to say Green Hall was in one of the warmest spots in Austin – the flowers of ‘Amethyst Flame’ iris agree! The divisions you gave me look fine, Pam, but they’re not in bloom yet at “Circus~Cercis”. I do see a hint of color in the Cercis/redbuds that led me to name my garden.
How can one name a garden without living through the cycle of seasons a few times? You and your garden are still becoming acquainted, just beginning to share the secrets that will make you intimate friends.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I agree, Annie. Coming up with a name without getting to know a place first seems just random. But then again, we do it with our children, so who knows. —Pam
Just beautiful Pam! It must be bittersweet going back this spring. As much as I enjoy seeing Green Hall Garden again, I hope you have a buyer soon.
From your lips to a buyer’s ear, Linda. —Pam
Gorgeous irises. Welcome to my world with your new shade!
And lots of tree roots. Argh. But then again, shade in Texas is a very good thing. —Pam
Pam, seriously, I would love a pup of your variegated agave any time. I realized yesterday that I actually do have a spot for it, if I just yank a few things out in one of the beds that’s not really working for me, and I’d love the excuse to do so! 😀
You need one, Lori. I have a pup waiting for you. —Pam
The garden looks so fresh and beautiful. I’d dig up the bottlebrush and take it to my new garden LOL. Good luck in getting your sale soon.
I’ve thought about taking the dwarf bottlebrushes with me, Nicole, but they’d leave a hole. I may plant a bottlebrush tree in the new garden instead. —Pam
How beautiful spring is for you! That Carolina jessamine is really pretty, and of course, you know I would love the agave!