June 06, 2006The weather feels like August already—high 90s and no rain in sight. It’s broiling out there. This kind of heat makes me glad to have a garden full of xeric perennials. But, honestly, it’s hard to feel glad about gardening when one melts into a puddle of grimy …

June 06, 2006 The first black-eyed Susan of the summer has opened under the vitex. This is Rudbeckia goldsturm. In the opposite corner of the front garden, in full sun, the orange flowers of flame acanthus contrast with silver Powis Castle artemesia. This small hedge of Mexican oregano is blooming …

June 04, 2006 Fall is berry season, but these luscious-looking morsels are the summer fruit of a Barbados cherry (Malpighia glabra L. ). Native to South Texas and points farther south, mine grows just fine with protection from blue northers (a strong, cold north wind). I’ve read that Barbados cherry …

June 03, 2006 I’ve been away for a week in Tulsa, Oklahoma, visiting my mom. We spent several pleasant (mosquito-free!) afternoons in her cottage garden brimming with hollyhocks. Crowded around her purple garden shed, towering more than 6 feet tall, with flowers as broad as salad plates, Mom’s hollyhocks bloom …

May 31, 2006You may have noticed that my blog’s tagline is slightly different than before. When it was “Diary of a Central Austin Garden,” Zanthan Gardens politely suggested that our taglines were confusingly similar. As she was here first, I conceded. No doubt I had been influenced by her blog, …

May 26, 2006 ‘Helvola’ water lily. This dwarf water lily is at home in my 4′ diameter container pond. It also tolerates a little shade, which is good since my pond receives only morning and early afternoon sun. I’m starting to feel a little pond envy. My next-door neighbor installed …

May 25, 2006 In its second year in the kids’ garden, the Lion’s Tail has really taken off this spring. Lots of orange, wheel-shaped flowers complement the xeric Texas natives planted nearby: blackfoot daisy and zexmenia. The anole lizard might as well be my garden mascot. They’re everywhere—hanging out on …

May 24, 2006 The first red, twisted Turk’s cap flowers have appeared. These hummingbird magnets are taking over under the cedar elm where the spiderwort stole the show early in the spring. This is my hot shade bed—hot referring to the predominant color (though actually the temperature is getting pretty …

May 22, 2006 Bill of Prairie Point pointed out that the sphinx moth in my previous post looks like a prop plane. Speaking of propellers, this military helicopter (a Chinook?) just buzzed our house while I was in the garden this morning. A National Guard camp is located less than …

May 19, 2006 Here’s another sphinx moth, freshly hatched but obviously having had time to dry its wings. The second one arrived around noon, and the third had come up by 4 pm. We took a good look and admired their size, then unzipped the lid and set them free …

May 19, 2006 Overnight or early this morning the first sphinx moth emerged from the soil in the butterfly enclosure. I was excited to see it there, resting quietly on one of the walls. I placed a damp paper towel and a few stalks of gaura and Indigo Spires salvia …

May 17, 2006 OK, I know I was recently complaining about the lack of trendy purple foliage that grows well in central Texas compared to gardens in Seattle and other more-temperate locales. I neglected to mention this little beauty: purple oxalis. While its petite size precludes it from making a …

May 13, 2006 Today my sister-in-law and I went on the LBJ Wildflower Center–sponsored garden tour—Gardens on Tour 2006. Two of the gardens were particularly spectacular: one that the homeowners had designed and installed themselves (photo above), and one that complemented an over-the-top, fanciful, Mayan-inspired mansion, complete with personal observatory, …

May 11, 2006 The vitex is nearly covered in purple spikes now. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds enjoy these flowers. Every year, one hummingbird in particular keeps vigil over the residual flowers for the rest of the summer. A bee’s-eye view of the vitex flowers …