November 02, 2018
Bamboo muhly or Mexican weeping bamboo? Both!
July 10, 2009 Although its stems and feathery leaves resemble bamboo, bamboo muhly (Muhlenbergia dumosa ) is a 4-to-5-ft-tall clumping grass native to Arizona. I use it lavishly in my gardens because I love the way it catches the light and the breeze, and it’s hardy in full sun or …
Filling up the stock-tank pond
July 08, 2009 The unfinished stock-tank pond was making me feel lazy. So this morning I got out a measuring tape, level, shovel, gloves, bug spray, and sun hat, and got to work. My vacationing husband helped me measure and dig the trench for the retaining wall, and then he …
Stock-tank pond inspiration
July 06, 2009 If you’ve been following my saga of the unfinished stock-tank pond with furrowed brow, wondering why I don’t get off my butt and finish it, take heart. My helpful husband went to the stoneyard with me this morning to help me haul home a trunkload of limestone …
Mexican plum in flower: Photo contest entry for GGW
July 05, 2009 Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana ), a native Texas tree with satiny gray bark, blooms in late February or early March in Austin. When in flower, it’s hugely popular with pollinators of all types, particularly bees but also tiny flies like the one visible here. This is my …
Plant This: Sparkler sedge brightens the shade
July 01, 2009 Carex phyllocephala ‘Sparkler’ brightens the shade with creamy, striped foliage and a starburst shape reminiscent of a child’s sparkler firework. I brought a large clump of sparkler sedge with me when I moved and spaded it into three divisions, which I planted under live oaks near the …
Rain brings out the rain lilies
June 30, 2009 The rain lilies ( Zephryanthes ‘Labuffarosea’) immediately responded to the rain this morning by blooming. Hand-watering the garden this morning, I ignored a continuous rumble of thunder. I’m immune to such teases after two weeks of 100+ temperatures and ongoing drought. Suddenly a flash and a loud …
Proven Winners plant trial, 3 months later
June 29, 2009 Three months ago I received a rainbow assortment of plants to trial from Proven Winners, and I posted my first update on the PW plants in early May. Since then, two very hot and dry months have taken their toll. I’ve watered by hand at least once …
Woody lilies love the heat
June 26, 2009 Queen Victoria agave ( Agave victoriae-reginae) The only Austinites not complaining about the heat and drought right now are the woody lilies, i.e., the agaves, yuccas, sotols, manfredas, and hesperaloes. Yesterday we endured a high of 107 F (41.6 C) after a long string of 100+ degree …
Succulents bloom despite record heat
June 24, 2009 Despite the record heat wave and dreadful drought that continue to take their toll on Austin’s lush green canopy, the trio of little succulents I planted this spring are blooming their flower-like heads off. Just look at ’em go! I thought these were sempervivums, which die after …
Water lily to grace my new pond
June 22, 2009 The first bud on my new ‘Colorado’ water lily opened this morning, the day after I bought it at Hill Country Water Gardens‘ “Night at the Ponds” event and sale (click here for Gardening at Draco’s post about the pond event). Isn’t it a beauty? Now you …
Garden project blues
June 18, 2009 I’ve got the blues. Not this kind. Nor this kind. This kind. The garden-project blues. Why don’t the garden-project fairies come and set up my new stock-tank pond for me? It’d be easy, really. All this project needs is a couple of trunkloads of limestone, carefully stacked …
Echeveria flowers
June 17, 2009 I adore these flower-shaped succulents for their texture, color, and form. But of course they do flower, on long-blooming, fishhook-shaped stalks, and those are interesting too. Unfortunately, sempervivums are monocarpic (they die after blooming), which I didn’t realize when I bought these mature specimens. Fortunately, they have …
Review: Troy-Bilt TB57 string trimmer
June 16, 2009 Troy-Bilt sent me a lithium ion battery-powered string trimmer to review a few months ago. My husband is the lawn-care guy at our house, so I handed it over to him and asked if he’d write the review. Here is his assessment. The Troy-Bilt TB57 12″ string …
Roy G. Biv Bloom Day
June 15, 2009 Red: ‘Apple Tart’ daylily Orange: Narrowleaf zinnia (Zinnia angustifolia ) And more narrowleaf zinnia, plus Yucca rostrata ‘Sapphire Skies’, Gaillardia ‘Goblin’, and Artemesia ‘Powis Castle’ Yellow: ‘Radsunny’ Knock Out rose And yellow strawflower (Proven Winners’ Chrysocephalum apiculatum Flambe Yellow) And Dahlberg daisy (Thymophylla tenuiloba ) Green, Blue: …
