That post-rain glow
Heuchera and ‘Toffee Twist’ sedge, also called copper sedge ( Carex flagellifora)
The new-baby garden glowed green and wet yesterday afternoon. Memorial Day weekend is typically rainy in Austin, and this year has proved no exception, despite the ongoing drought.
‘Wilson’s Yellow’ daylily
This puny rain gauge perhaps reflects my general pessimism about whether we’ll get any precipitation on any given day. I lost my large rain gauge in the move, although it may turn up yet. But lookee here—we got an inch of rain yesterday.
The big Texas persimmon (Diospyros texana ) in the raised bed along the back of the house recently replaced its leaves, as live oaks do, by holding them all winter and then dropping them in late spring as the new ones came in. Just look at how green they are. And just look at how big that stock tank/soon-to-be-container-pond is, leaning against the fence in the background. Yowsa!
The first furled flower on the Pam’s Pink Turk’s cap (Malvaviscus ‘Pam Puryear’) has appeared.
An impulse purchase—‘Black Pearl’ ornamental pepper (Capsicum annuum ). I love the lustrous, round, purple-black peppers and dark, dark leaves.
Progress on the circle garden is slow, but here is how it looks at the moment : a plain of pink, compacted gravel, with two hillocks in the middle that I’ll use to help level the stock tank. I may not get to this before I leave for the garden bloggers Spring Fling in Chicago next week. Packing must commence soon!
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Your stock tank project is so exciting. I am looking forward to seeing its completion. Is it in full sun?
I too am about to pack.
No, it’s in part-sun to dappled shade. Not so good for water lilies, as you know. If it doesn’t get enough sun, I may thin some of the live-oak branches above, but not until next winter, when the beetle that carries oak wilt isn’t active. —Pam
Pam, isn’t it about time you gave the new-baby garden a proper garden name? I think it is! Love the pics of the flowers in the rain. An inch of rain is a good thing. Here, we don’t like to see Memorial Day weekend rains because we have a lot of visitors from out of town for “the” race. “See ya soon”!
I saw David Letterman a couple of nights ago talking about going to the race. Vroom-vroom! As for the new-baby garden’s name, I’m mulling over some ideas, and maybe by its first birthday I’ll have an appropriate name picked out. —Pam
Pam, So happy for your inch of rain! That must help tremendously. No matter how much we hand water, real rain perks up plants like nothing else! The stock pond is waiting for its installation! We wait to see how it looks, too! See you! gail
Real rain is definitely best. And it illustrated for me how I need to direct rain coming off the roof—some of the mulch in my beds was washed out. Another project! —Pam
I hope you emptied that rain-gauge out before you went to bed–because we got some more rain during the night! Everything looks so lovely this morning. Your Turk’s Cap appears as pretty in pink as ever–so delicate looking, and your new pepper looks striking. The stock tank looks like a satellite dish sitting against the fence! It is going to be a great addition to the garden.
You’ve caught me out, Jenny. I’m not quite as pessimistic about rainfall as I let on. I DID empty the rain gauge after I photographed it. I’m excited to hear that Round Rock got more rain. I’m going to run out in my pjs to see if we did too. —Pam
Everything looks green and happy! Your circle is coming along so well. I do like the configuration and relationship to other features of your garden. I also got those black peppers when I saw them outside of Ace Hardware. I was in a hurry and it was before our vacation, so I’ve not been back. I do love the foliage color.
I have carex testacea (orange) and it has just sat around for three years — never changing much at all. I’ll be interested to hear about your experience with Toffee Twist.
Cameron
Hi, Cameron. One ‘Toffee Twist’ was already here when we moved in (although I moved it to a new spot), and the other one arrived with the Proven Winners trial plants. They’ve both grown since early spring. I really love the coloring. —Pam
Correction — I’m still sleepy — I almost got — not also got — those peppers.
That makes more sense. 😉 —Pam
Okay, jealousy…we got a scant 1/3″ in S. Austin. MSS says she got even less than that. I was driving in N. Austin during your rain, and it was SO lovely. A smell I haven’t smelled in what – 20 months now? Wonderful!
We were driving in South Austin (P. Terry’s, yum!) during the rain, and I kept waiting for it to really let loose, but it didn’t. So it was a happy surprise to see how much we got in North Austin when I got home. —Pam
Rain glorious rain!! I know Central Texas loves the rain!
We sure do, Janet. Sprinklers are no substitute for the real thing. —Pam
I’m following your garden renovations, almost holding my breath. I love what you’re doing, and I can’t wait to see the final result. And don’t you just love that after-rain glow?
Yes! Everything felt so fresh and clean. Rain is good, even on a holiday weekend. —Pam
We got about an inch, down here in Wimberley. We can use all we can get.
Can’t wait to see how the new stock pond comes out. Lots of work…but, I bet you make it work out great.
It’ll be great when it’s all done. 😉 I may need to bring in some more helpers to get the area perfectly level though. Little by little! —Pam
I think your inch of rain will have helped settle that granite in place. I am imagining the tank in that spot with all kinds of water plants. It’s going to look smashing! Unfortunately we only got 1/10″ but you know what, any rain at all is fine by me. Of course here come the weeds.
Yes, I saw the weeds sprouting up in my garden today, especially nutgrass. —Pam
That stock tank looks pretty big over there against the fence! I cannot wait to see it in place!
Brenda
Me too, Brenda. It may be a few more weeks though before the soil is level and perfectly settled. —Pam
I’m not wanting to sound daft, but is the black pepper an annual? The ‘annuum’ bit suggests that it is but we don’t have many ornamental peppers here in New Zealand (and nothing even as remotely impressive as this). It would go very well in my silver and black garden.
That’s how it was sold, Kerole. I don’t know what its lowest tolerated temperature is, but I am hoping that it might come back in a protected location. The more sun the better, apparently, for the leaves to remain dark. I may have too much shade for mine. We’ll see. —Pam
Wow…rain in Austin but dry in sunny in Portland, Oregon. Who’da thought? I’m loving the sun as it is still a bit of a novelty here. Glad you can use the rain!
Let’s trade more often, Loree. We still need a good deal of rain to make up for our years-long drought. —Pam
According to my rain gauge, we’ve gotten .3″ over the past two days. Oh, well. It’s better than nothing.
Yes, better than nothing, but I wish you’d gotten more, Lori. For that matter, I wish I’d gotten more. —Pam
We got .72 over the past two days. Got drenched in Saturday’s downpour that knocked out power in the places I needed to run errands, but only .14 here at the house that day — and we were just 5 miles away…but we made up for it on Sunday. That stock tank is really something — can’t wait to see what you’re putting in there.
Let’s hope for more rain in Austin and none in Chicago this week, right, Diana? —Pam
Wow, that is a huge stock tank Pam! How amazing is that going to be when you get it in place and full. I will watch with interest since I’m water gardening for the first time this year. btw, thank you very much for your great tips on keeping water plants upright. I so appreciate your experienced input. Glad you are getting rain, we are in Colorado too. The whole three days have been overcast, cool (50’s yesterday) and rainy. My rain gauge is only measuring .7 tho so it’s more drizzle than actual rain. What a beautiful bud on that pink turks cap too. Have fun at Spring Fling ~ wish I could go. One of these years….
Water gardening is a whole new dimension in the garden, and I’m still learning myself, Kathleen. I had a small, 3-ft diameter stock tank pond in my old garden. I’ll be expanding significantly with the 8-ft diameter stock tank in the new garden. —Pam
Sigh, rain, don’t you love it? I’m tempted to see you a large rain gauge as a “hope” present my friend. Love ya.~~Dee
Ah, Dee, a pessimist is never disappointed, you know. 😉 See you on Thursday in Chicago! —Pam
We got an inch of rain two – and are whoopin’ it up in celebration! Just to wash the dust off all the leaves is a good thing! Loved that you used “hillock” in your circle garden update. I rarely hear it used but my hubbie and his mother have this 35+ year argument (oops, “discussion) on the word, “hummit” – and “hillock” is always mentioned.
Mary Beth, you made me laugh over the “hillock” argument in your family. I like words too and have had etymology “discussions” before. —Pam
We have had several inches in Charleston over the last week or so. Welcome rain for a hot season ahead!
Yes, indeed! —Pam
Ah, things do look nice after the rain. But I had to laugh at your little rain gauge – pessimism indeed! That Texas Persimmon is really beautiful. I love the gray bark and how sculptural it is. And your landing pad for the stock tank looks great. That must have been a lot of labor though! Looking forward to meeting you in Chicago!
The landing pad isn’t quite done, Jean. It looks like I’m going to have to add some retaining stonework to tame the slope. That’ll be a post-Spring Fling project. See you in Chicago! —Pam
I love the black pepper. The rain gives the leaf color even more depth. I haven’t succumbed to saying yes to it at the nursery but I suspect it’ll happen. Although sold as an ornamental, I’ve read that it has very spicy pods, and I’m always on the lookout for interesting hot pepper varieties.
Give in to the dark side, James. This pepper is pretty cool—I mean hot. It’s said to be edible but extremely spicy. —Pam
I think flowers are most photogenic when they have that post rain glow. Your stock tank project is looking great!
Thanks, Robin. It’s coming along, but there’s more work to be done before I get to fill up that tank. —Pam
Pam, I’m so happy y’all got rain, too! We had a nice shower Sunday afternoon, albeit a brief one. I’m hoping it will rain while I’m in Chicago … I’m worried about my container plants surviving while I’m gone. My non-gardening spouse & child don’t inspire confidence in their ability to water!
Wasn’t the rain lovely? It’s been unseasonably cool and wet so far this spring/summer here in north Texas. We can forget the drought, at least for now. Your plants all look so happy with the raindrops clinging to their leaves and blooms!