tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291245012011-04-21T18:45:40.985-07:00All about an Austin garden whose keeper has no idea what she's doing...r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.comBlogger551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-48733695403738908762008-01-25T13:36:00.000-08:002008-01-25T13:40:55.180-08:00

It's cold, it's rainy, and I'm staying inside. I brought in my cacti and plumeria months ago. The plumeria has lost most of its leaves, but that happened last year, too. I was too lazy to go out and buy mulch this year, so I piled all of the leaves that fell off of the pecan tree onto the flower beds... and that's about it.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-58430833039565573552007-10-02T12:46:00.000-07:002007-10-02T13:07:42.351-07:00

I managed to go through the entire summer without watering. That’s right; I didn’t water my yard one single time. Our unusually rainy summer produced a number of previously unseen phenomena… mostly in the form of flowers.The Agapanthus, which we planted in our front shade bed three years ago, finally bloomed.The rose Mrs. Dudley Cross, which gave me absolutely nothing for almost a year, has been

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-36969325296276916502007-08-14T10:39:00.000-07:002007-08-14T10:47:13.062-07:00

I ran into a friend the other day who asked, somewhat earnestly, if I'm going to post any more garden blogs. Well, yes, I am. And I've got some nice pictures, too. I'm just trying to be better about not blogging at work (which I'm doing right now) and storing my pictures on my home computer instead of my work laptop. Plus, I haven't done much in the garden lately. It's hot, you know. And,

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-68960088957116205332007-06-12T13:48:00.000-07:002007-06-12T14:14:39.642-07:00

Yesterday, I got back from a wonderful week in Seattle. I'd never been there before; I'm adding it to the top of my list of favorite places. So much is different about the landscape of the Northwest, from the trees to the waterfalls to the garden flowers. I have to admit that I'm incredibly jealous. I can't identify everything pictured, but here's what I DO know: Chilean Pine or Monkey Puzzle

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-44848348954457658742007-06-01T13:28:00.000-07:002007-06-01T13:46:11.409-07:00

Pictured: Native hibiscus, gladiolus, and caladiums. It's gotten HOT again. I was really enjoying our long, relatively cool spring, but it appears to be over. I think I need to feed everything with one of those seaweed sprays, and put down another layer of mulch. This spring was unusually rainy- it seemed like we were consistently getting rain once a week. All of the local lakes are full.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-32548581559287367072007-05-30T12:47:00.000-07:002007-05-30T12:58:14.893-07:00

The session is finally over; now I'll be home before six most of the time. That, combined with the longer days, should give me a lot more time to poke around in the garden. Yesterday evening I pulled some weeds and spotted this dragonfly, which stayed put long enough to let me run in, get my camera, and take a picture. My neighbors were outside tossing a ball around while I was taking the photos

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-31306763284150229162007-05-25T12:36:00.000-07:002007-05-25T12:45:35.194-07:00

Evidently, there was quite a bit of wind during last night's storms, since I woke up this morning to find a fairly large branch in my front yard. I'm happy to report that it didn't cause much damage, and it just barely missed the nectarine tree. Other areas haven't had it so easy:http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/weather/entries/2007/05/25/rains_leave_at.htmlI,

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-5966438514638163052007-05-15T12:55:00.000-07:002007-05-15T15:24:56.371-07:00

In Bloom Today:Purple Oxalis -- Oxalis regnellii 'Atropurpurea'Dwarf Pomegranate - Punica granatum 'Nana' (Bloom period is ending.)Southern Magnolia - Magnolia Gladiflora (Started this week.)Rose: SafranoRose: Red CascadePurple Rose of Sharon/ Althea - Hibiscus syriacus (Started this week.) Confederate JasminePassion Flower vineThe temperatures are in the nineties today… Spring is over. We’ve

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-87796410208132354542007-05-03T08:51:00.000-07:002007-05-03T09:03:56.751-07:00

The early spring rush of blooms has finished, so now I'm waiting for my hot-weather plants to bloom. The magnolia seems to have buds, and my native hibiscus are leafing out. The weather we've had over the last week hasn't exactly encouraged me to get out and garden... It's either humid and hot or stormy. Since the temperatures have been higher (in the mid 80's), I probably won't do much more

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-43842442650402787652007-04-13T08:18:00.000-07:002007-04-13T08:33:38.748-07:00

These are pictures of my "mystery rose," which was already here when we bought the house. It's a once-blooming rosebush, and it's about six feet tall. It seems particularly susceptible to powdery mildew. I think I've seen the same rose in other parts of the neighborhood, but I'm not sure. Any ideas on what this might be?Meanwhile... I'm going to Dallas this weekend, and my modem at home is broken

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-13804746836464385932007-04-03T08:26:00.000-07:002007-04-03T08:30:11.606-07:00

Mrs. Dudley Cross has finally produced her first rose.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-40703648727660471032007-03-30T10:47:00.000-07:002007-03-30T14:10:56.083-07:00

We've gotten quite a bit of rain over the last two weeks, and my plants certainly appreciate it. As a matter of fact, it's raining right now. We're expecting some "severe" (really bad thunderstorms and possibly tornados) weather this afternoon and evening.Yesterday, during a short break in the showers, I got out an toured the yard. I have four rose bushes in bloom right now, and four with buds

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-13633177309604623892007-03-26T08:59:00.000-07:002007-03-26T09:38:17.099-07:00

Lots of flowers opened up in the garden this weekend... Freesia, a late-planted white hyacinth, Safrano rose, pale yellow daffodils, yellow columbine, crossvine, purple bearded iris, and late-planted paperwhites and some mystery narcissus (from the same bin as the paperwhite bulbs.)

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-78002142088684511342007-03-20T09:02:00.000-07:002007-03-20T11:08:22.994-07:00

Well, I had a nice little post all planned out, but stupid Blogger won't let me insert my text where I want it, and my pictures don't show up where I want them to when I preview my post. Ug!!!In the garden this weekend: Sparaxis, new hyacinth, a blooming crabapple, blooming cherry trees, and columbine buds.A month or so ago, my husband brought a bunch of limestone home. It sat on our front patio

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-46426956472278808712007-03-16T07:51:00.000-07:002007-03-16T07:58:25.622-07:00

This week, the hyacinths and daffodils dried out and faded, while the sparaxis, freesia and iris are starting to form their flowers. I was a little worried that my irises weren’t going to bloom for me this year, since it seems like everyone else’s are already in full bloom. Yesterday, though, I noticed that my purple bearded irises are definitely starting to form flowers. The stars of the moment

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-24017861867846405122007-03-12T11:31:00.000-07:002007-03-12T11:45:10.599-07:00

Spring seems to be here. Someone told me that you can tell that the last frost has come by observing the Pecan trees. They only start to push out new leaves after the last frost. Well, my pecan tree is still domant, but eveything else is starting to go crazy! Below: A bird nest in the back yard, Bradford Pear blossoms, some kind of flower on the Big Tooth Maple, and flowers on the Mexican Plum.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-42155911954877245522007-02-26T08:31:00.000-08:002007-02-26T09:48:10.759-08:00

This weekend, I did some pruning, watering, and other basic garden upkeep. I scattered some Purple Coneflower seeds in my front flowerbed, and planted some asparagus roots in my veggie plot. (I apolgize for the weird formatting and the short post, but I'm in a time crunch.) Pictures from this weekend:A coral miniature rose has buds that are ready to open. Paperwhites (or something that looks

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-52321951243231856332007-02-21T10:19:00.000-08:002007-02-21T10:45:31.294-08:00

Pictures from a stoll through the yard yesterday evening:New growth on the Playboy rose. Paperwhite buds. (These were open this morning when I left for work.)More Paperwhites- in the back yard. (Or are they something else? I didn't plant them; they came with the house. I've only moved them.) Limes: I don't think they're any good, since they went through the freeze.Blossoms on the Nectarine tree

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-46182632222984742462007-01-17T07:33:00.000-08:002007-01-20T08:29:51.424-08:00

During the "ice storm" we've had here in central Texas over the last few days, we've been fortunate to not have any power outages or other weather-related problems. It always amuses me when people from the north insist that we're "freaking out over nothing," etc. etc. What people forget is that a lot of us live here because this type of thing DOESN'T happen. People who live here are drawn to WARM

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-44594400187080313462007-01-11T14:28:00.000-08:002007-01-11T14:42:31.495-08:00

It's been so long since I published a post, I forgot I'd switched over to the "new" Blogger. It took me 10 minutes to figure out how to sign in!Anywho, I got a new (better) digital camera for my birthday, but there's not much going on in the garden right now. I re-structured my front flowerbed by making it smaller and neater, and I'll post pics once I'm done transplanting my perennials. It's

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-35200491888452301472006-11-14T12:43:00.000-08:002006-11-14T12:48:34.023-08:00

The rose was labeled at Shoal Creek Nursery as "Playboy," but I've seen a similar rose in catalogs called "Playgold." Its blooms are single and are edged in coral with a gold base.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-4384273024743244222006-11-14T12:27:00.000-08:002006-11-14T12:42:44.779-08:00

This is one of my Home Depot roses. Shortly after it was planted, I developed an interest in antique roses and a disdain for modern grafted varieties. I don't know the name of this rose, and I'm not even sure that the orange/yellow blooms were on the original plant. It's in a shady spot, and it doesn't get much attention from me. Every once in a while, the plant will push out a flower. I love the

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1163086928557219932006-11-09T07:32:00.000-08:002006-11-14T11:57:24.804-08:00

The fall flowering season is so uplifting after the awful summer we had. Roses seem to be blooming all over the neighborhood right now. I think I have four everblooming roses that are established, and several that were planted this spring. I'd like to get some more. Any suggestions? Right now, I have:Playboy or Playgold*Yellow Lady BanksSafrano*Cl. IcebergCl. Don JuanCl. Red FountainSwamp Rose (

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1161196331467191332006-10-18T11:28:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:24.717-08:00

I looked out of my back door this morning and noticed that one of my roses is in bloom... with absolutely no help from me! About half of my back lawn is alive again, and my firebush is pushing out a new round of flowers. Although today is rather humid and icky, fall has started to set in. Perhaps my enthusiasm will be rivived with the cooler temperatures.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1160578366289979942006-10-11T07:49:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:24.649-08:00

I'm still here, I just haven't done much over the past few weeks. I hope I'll have something to take a picture of soon... I'm sure that my plants enjoyed yesterday's rain. I'm excited about the weather forecast for the next few days: It's supposed to be hot today, but drop to the 50's by tomorrow!

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1158283559593744642006-09-14T18:16:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:24.569-08:00

We've just gotten back from a nice little 3-day trip to the Frio River. A view of the river- a short walk from our cabin.When we got back to Austin, we were told that it rained while we were gone. My plants (at least the ones that are still alive) seem refreshed by the recent showers and cooler temperatures. The firebush has started to form buds.The lime tree is blooming... again!This evening, I

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1157649079186529102006-09-07T09:58:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:24.486-08:00

My biggest challenge (besides a whole month of 100 degree-plus temperatures and no rain) in maintaining my garden is keeping the dogs out of the flowerbeds and borders. In addition to wearing paths all over the back yard and digging in freshly fertilized beds, my boys enjoy peeing on everything. I also have a female dog (who I can't ever get good pictures of.) She's killed two toads and three

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1157474403027062162006-09-05T09:36:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:24.415-08:00

First things first… I woke up this morning to the sound of RAIN! All weekend, the sky had been threatening to open up over my house, but it didn’t happen. Saturday, I was CERTAIN we were about to get a shower… there were showers just a mile South of us. I could hear thunder, the temperature dropped, wind blew though… but no rain. I had gone out to sit on my back porch, waiting for the storm to

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1156864169177393562006-08-29T08:05:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:24.333-08:00

It rained this morning! Not much- maybe a little less than 1/3 of an inch... but I'll take it! My understanding is that parts of North Austin got a nice little downpour yesterday, as well. Not my neighborhood.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1156381460986586032006-08-23T17:56:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:24.191-08:00

Although my yard is mostly brown right now, I'm getting excited. Hopefully (cross fingers now) we'll only have one more month of this horrible heat and drought.The leaves on the mimosa stay folded all day.The Oleander, planted this Spring, is doing well. A couple of the small oleander bushes died, but most of them lived. The foliage on an established rose bush is still mostly green. I'm surprised

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1154658580932121342006-08-03T19:21:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:24.119-08:00

July went out with less of a bang and more of a desperate gasp.Not much is happening around my garden right now. My dogs have been digging in the beds along the back of the house, disturbing the roots of my roses. I have no idea when the last rain was. We have finally started to water a few times a week, in a desperate attempt to keep things alive.I pulled up a lot of the annuals in the front bed

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1153412433562716282006-07-20T08:54:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:24.044-08:00

As I type, it's 79 degrees outside and 81% humidity. The high today is 99 (which is a lot better than 103, if you want to compare.)There was a light sprinkle this morning, but not enough to make any sort of a difference. The weather people are predicting that next week will be a bit cooler... Meaning the mid-90's. Oooh, what a refreshing change. One of my daylilies sent up another stalk with buds

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1153265327446381072006-07-18T16:19:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:23.976-08:00

It's hot and miserable. I can't even get my dogs to go outside. The ground is dry; the leaves on almost everything have wilted. I finally caved the other day and watered, but I'm not sure how much good it did. The only things flowering right now are purslane, cosmos, zinnia, and bat-faced cuphea. Most of the plants I tried to start from seed in containers have died, so I threw them away today.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1152890191970173152006-07-14T08:09:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:23.900-08:00

I believe that this is a "Star of Texas" hibiscus. I noticed that it had opened this morning on my way out the door, so I took a quick snapshot with my phone. I was worried that it might wither in the heat today, and I had to make sure I got a picture.I've neglected my garden for the last two weeks. It's been hot, and the mosquitoes are out. Last weekend, we had houseguests, so I didn't have any

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1151950767188720752006-07-03T11:15:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:23.757-08:00

Red Columbine in the partial shade bed on Sunday eveningThis weekend, we saw more showers and more heat. Saturday evening was cooler than things have been lately. The daytimes were muggy, though. We got a reasonable downpour on Sunday evening, and a drizzle Monday morning.My husband keeps buying me plants; while I appeciate it, I do worry about their chances for survival. New stuff this week: "

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1151679557793394802006-06-30T07:58:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:23.683-08:00

It’s mosquito time again. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but it seems like every year there are more of those nasty little insects buzzing around my yard. I don’t think they have a single redeeming quality. One website pointed out that they’re a source of food for some animals, but I’m pretty sure that frogs and birds would be just as happy munching on something else. Apparently, I’m not

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1151548442057813712006-06-28T19:31:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:23.606-08:00

Just a few weeks ago, all of the leaves on our Ginko tree had died and fallen off. I guess all of the rain we got last week (along with a little supplemental watering on my part) revived it. I noticed this evening that it's beginning to leaf out again. That's quite a relief, since I just love this tree.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1151548096311493722006-06-28T19:27:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:23.519-08:00

I know you're not supposed to keep planting during the summer... but I haven't been able to stop myself. It's like an addiction. Here are my latest purchases from Shoal Creek nursery (who are currently having a 30% off sale):Red Cascade, a cute little red rose that has been described as both a "weeping minature" and a climber. It replaces pink and white azeleas that only survived a couple of

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1151195914294967622006-06-24T17:29:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:23.434-08:00

I thought I was going to accomplish a lot today. The dogs woke me up around 7, and I figured, "Hey, I can get a lot done if I actually start working now." Then I went outside. It was HOT. At 7AM. And steamy. Gross. So, I went back in and got back in bed. So much for today. On a more inspirational note, here's a picture of the meadow outside of the Salt Lick in Driftwood. We went there yesterday

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1150907793458876592006-06-21T09:32:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:23.364-08:00

My job as an administrative assistant at a lobbying office keeps me busy for approximately four months every other year (during Texas legislative sessions). During the off-season (as I like to call it) I answer the phone, make copies, run a few errands, and try to keep my boss organized. So, I’ve got about an hour’s worth of work to do every day. Definitely putting my degree to good use. Point is

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1150686235989592622006-06-18T19:26:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:23.290-08:00

We had lunch at my in-laws' house on Saturday. I snapped a few pictures of their plants:This is an angel-wing begonia. The leaves are copper or green with white spots. The hot pink flowers with bright yellow stamens nod in bunches. This is one of the most amazing plants I've seen. Frank, my father-in-law, has it growing in a greenhouse. They cut it down yearly, but it grows back several feet (six

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1150569581388759592006-06-17T11:33:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:23.223-08:00

The Rose of Sharon (which was there when we bought the house) after a morning storm.Bougainvillea in gold-orange and salmon. They're in urns on the front patio. We were told that newer colors, like these, are harder to keep alive. They also require more water and feeding that traditional hot pink bougainvillea.Dwarf pomegranate.Butterfly flower, I believe. I just planted it midweek. The

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1150568722035703962006-06-17T11:10:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:23.153-08:00

Yes, we've been warned about bamboo. "It's invasive." "It's like a weed." "You won't be able to control it." To be honest, we really don't care.Our house backs up to a highway. That highway has a railroad running between the North and South-bound lanes. There is a wooden fence, but you can see it's falling apart. (We'll replace that eventually.) So, we needed something that would grow fast

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1150567529075601822006-06-17T10:55:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:23.069-08:00

New growth on the pencil cactus.The desert rose has been blooming for a couple of weeks now and still has buds that have yet to open. This plant almost died over the winter because I kept it inside. I re-potted it this spring and placed it in full sun, and it's doing well now. The cacti I put into a planter last week are already starting to thrive. One is blooming; the other is producing what

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1150140773183206112006-06-12T12:16:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:22.995-08:00

The Zinnia and Cosmos I planted last year have re-seeded in my front flower garden.The caladium in the front part-shade bed aren't doing as well as I'd like, but are still pretty from a distance. My husband absolutely HAD to have a big-toothed maple, but we couldn't find any in town. So, he drove all the way to Medina to buy one this spring. It's doing well right now.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1150135612754161742006-06-12T11:02:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:22.910-08:00

Our tomato plants have finally taken off, and our blackberries (in containers) are putting out a few berries.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1150130129090281842006-06-12T09:14:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:22.838-08:00

My husband loves ball cactus. I put this little planter together over the weekend. We bought the cacti quite some time ago, and they had been sitting in their little plastic nursery pots. I think I've almost killed one by overwatering it. Oops. I placed my little portable cactus garden away from all of the potted plants I water daily, so I don't drown it.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1150125265991445292006-06-12T07:33:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:22.767-08:00

The first section of our privacy fence is almost finished. The very top, which will be some type of lattice, will go up in the next couple of weeks. We also need to order a latch. Only the front-facing part will have the "fancy" wood (tigerwood, angelheart, and something else I don't know the name of). Our friend, Vic Farnsworth, built the gate, which is gorgeous in person. He also made us

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1149778399392463962006-06-08T07:37:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:22.699-08:00

Several Cannas have opened up over the last few days. These are the ones we planted this spring. One of my aunts gave me more on Easter. Those are doing well, but not blooming yet. Also thriving right now: Bat-faced cuphea, caladium, daylilies, cosmos, honeysuckle, Crape Myrtle, and Zinnia. The red Cala lily I planted this spring has healthy foliage, so I have high hopes for its survival. Mrs.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1149623881249159262006-06-06T12:52:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:22.642-08:00

My new Daylily, which appears pale yellow in this picture, is actually a bright, sunny yellow. It's very nice, but I thought I was buying an apricot-colored flower. Oops.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1149607768015940652006-06-06T08:25:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:22.579-08:00

Our lime tree, which is growing in a whiskey barrel on the back patio, has started to flower again. I don't think it's normal, since it bloomed earlier in the spring and already has limes growing. I wish this picture was better, but my real camera is still on the fritz.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1149607489653049382006-06-06T08:20:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:22.494-08:00

The Crepescule, planted this year, seems to be putting forth a nice effort to bloom. The flowers only last a day in the heat, though, before they wilt and turn brown. The high today is 100.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1149536384479454182006-06-05T12:34:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:22.375-08:00

We planted this native hibiscus in summer of 2005. It died back over the winter, but has returned in full force. It has already produced several blooms in the last week or so. Unfortunately, they only last a day. We had a second hibiscus near this one, but it died after our last hail storm. I guess it couldn't handle the battering after just coming out of dormancy.

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1149522962127457892006-06-05T08:16:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:22.298-08:00

About a month ago, I was certain that my roses were pretty much done blooming for the summer. I was pleasantly suprised when, about a week ago, they started blooming again! The blooms usually wilt and turn brown after a day or so, but hey, it's something! The Crepescule in the back yard went crazy, and the Saffrona and Playboy also pushed out a couple of flowers. Our "cheap" roses (the grafted

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29124501.post-1149192579643019882006-06-01T12:36:00.000-07:002006-11-14T11:57:22.220-08:00

Ah... the first post. Well, at the moment, I'm trying to figure out how to make everything work. Oh, but wait, you want to know about the garden. It's a work in progress. Our neighborhood is in central Austin: North of Downtown, South of the Arboretum, and as close to Mopac as you can get without standing on the tracks. One of my friends decribed the houses in the neighborhood as being "atomic

r r shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15698022616392554555noreply@blogger.com0