Vines

February 24, 2007 Sedum mexicana ‘Angelina’ With temperatures a little cooler yesterday—in the mid-70s—I took advantage of the balmy weather to plant a few beauties I found at Natural Gardener. Above is an orange-and-chartreuse sedum I’m adding to my new pomegranate bed in the front garden. Next to the sedum ...

February 21, 2007 I was photographing the Carolina jessamine this evening, which is in full bloom on my southern fence, when I noticed a swallowtail fluttering about, dipping from one flower to the next. Early spring visitor. As I drank in the jessamine’s fragrance, the butterfly drank its nectar. Something ...

November 13, 2006 My weather wish was granted over the weekend: cool temperatures, blue skies, decidedly fall-ish weather. It was perfect for a Saturday trip to Independence, Texas, and a pilgrimage to the Antique Rose Emporium. Along with Barton Springs Nursery and Natural Gardener, it’s one of my favorite nurseries ...

November 09, 2006 A queen butterfly on blue mistflower Here in Austin you take fall color wherever you can find it. It’s slim pickings for leaf-peepers, but at ground level things are happening. Perennials rebloom after biding their time through the summer. Migrating orange monarchs and other butterflies arrive. Pecans ...

November 05, 2006 In the spirit of my recent Open Days tour, I took my camera along during an afternoon trip to Natural Gardener nursery for a pot of oxalis. It was a simple enough errand, and the cool, gray skies made a tour of the nursery’s gardens very appealing ...

October 26, 2006 A pear allee is the highlight of Hornickel’s garden Warm, accessible, personal, with striking plant choices and a Gardens-inspired feel, this Bryker Woods garden, located within walking distance of James David and Gary Peese’s famous garden shop, is Gardens on a budget. And I mean that as ...

October 25, 2006 A belvedere “modeled after the music pavilion at Versailles,” according to the Open Days Directory. We garden tourists knew this would be the most opulent garden on the Open Days Austin tour. A feature in the newspaper that tantalized with lavish photos, and mentioned that the garden ...

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 04, 2006 The first rock rose (pavonia) blossom appeared this morning. More cheerful pink! Pavonia is a great plant for central Texas. It’s tough enough to withstand our heat and scant rainfall, and it blooms all summer long. The flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, ...

March 06, 2006 The red bed: ‘Valentine’ rose bush and purple prickly pear. I like grouping tough antique roses with cacti. It’s something about the softness and lushness of the rose petals contrasting with the spiny “modern” shape of cacti. These two show off their beautiful reds. The ‘Blue Elf’ ...

March 06, 2006 The red bed: ‘Valentine’ rose bush and purple prickly pear. I like grouping tough antique roses with cacti. It’s something about the softness and lushness of the rose petals contrasting with the spiny “modern” shape of cacti. These two show off their beautiful reds. The ‘Blue Elf’ ...

August 17, 2004 Moonflower vine in bloom I’ve grown moonflower vines from seed for several years from an original plant. Every winter I collect dozens of seeds, and come spring I scarify about a dozen and plant them in little pots. I usually get a 25% return on the seeds, ...