Monday, May 23, 2011

Monday, May 16, 2011

May Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

We had the best weather ever for the middle of May this past weekend. Highs in the mid-80s, lows in the low 60s, this is unheard of in Houston. All weekend long I just kept saying how great the weather was and how freaked out I was by how great the weather was. I spent almost the entire weekend outdoors. This may have been a once in a lifetime opportunity to enjoy Houston weather, cool and without mosquitos in the middle of May, it’s just so weird, it freaks me out writing about it.


Enough about the weather, let’s talk flowers. There are tons of flowers in bloom this Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

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‘Patrcia’ daylily
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‘Dark and Handsome’ daylily
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Sparkler cleome
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nierembergia
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Diamond Frost (Euphorbia graminea)
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portulaca
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Iochroma cyanea
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(Saururus cernuus) Lizard Tail

 

Other plants blooming are desert rose, torenia, pentas, calibrachoa, hot lips and lipstick salvias, firecracker plant, ice plant, knockouts, red & pink salvia coccinea, butterfly bush (budleia), TX rock rose (pavonia), salvia Indigo Spires, angelonia, purple porterweed, yarrow, gomphrena, butterfly weed, white topped sedge,  spiderwort, clerodendrum bungei, white turk’s cap, black & blue salvia,  batface salvia, chinese indigo (Indigofera kirilowii), gulf coast penstemon.

Just getting started are the chenille plant, Blue Mist flower (ageratum) and mexican bush sage.

Thanks for stopping by. You should wander on over to May Dreams Gardens for more Garden Blogger Bloom Days.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Westbury Garden Tour

Satruday’s garden tour in my neighborhood was a huge success. We had our largest turnout since the inception of the tour about 6 years ago. The weather was nice and the lack of rain causing our drought significantly limited the mosquito population.

IMG_2572Every garden was give a name. There was the Prairie Wildflower Project, The Lost Forest, Ka-Chink Ka-Chink, Kawilga and Friends, Shade Expectations, and my Garden of Delight.

The naming of my garden was up in the air between My Wet, Dry, Vegetable, Fruit, Rose, Natural Organic Garden or Westbury's Own All Natural, 100% Organic Vegetable, Fruit, and Flower Garden of Delight. But those were both too long for the sign.

There was definitely a pattern to what people were asking about at my garden.

IMG_2560There were many questions about the Desert Rose which is in the genus adenium, but I’m not sure which species this one is. One person asked me if it was related to a plumeria. A little bit of internet research reveals that they are in the same family, one called Apocynaceae. They are also in the same family as oleanders and mandavillas which are also common in our area.

I purchased this one about five years ago, it was much smaller then. I don’t water it much and I’ve never fertilized it. It gets taken into the garage for the winter and isn’t given any water (similar to a plumeria). It’s best grown in a pot considering how wet our ground can be at certain times of the year.

IMG_2561I also got a lot of questions about the lisianthus in the back corner of the yard. These are an experiment. I first saw these at the farmer’s market being sold as cut flowers. They have a long vase life, but I’m not sure if they’ll survive our summer heat.

 

 

IMG_2564Then there’s the clerodendrum bungei aka cashmere bouquet or mexican hydrangea. This one comes with a warning, it can be very invasive. I have mine planted in part sun and it gets very little supplemental water, maybe that’s why it hasn’t become invasive in my yard.

 

 

Aah, the rain barrels. Yes, they look great don’t they? Too bad we haven’t had any rain since they were installed a couple of months ago. I bought them from plastic-mart.com.

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This little grass in the rain garden was mis-identified. I’m not sure why I had it in my head that is was an iris cristata, other than the fact that the iris cristata was next to it. It is actually a white topped sedge. My apologies to everyone who asked me what it was and was given the wrong name.IMG_2567

For more information on the rain garden visit the My Plants page or the original Rain Garden article.

IMG_2568The tomato wall. I have had great luck with my tomatoes, but this year, things are getting a little out of hand. In February, I planted 6 tomato plants in this 4’x8’ bed. Now, they have formed a wall of tomato plants and are packed with fruit. Each year I add compost and cow manure to my veggie beds, plus this year I sprinkled on some cottonseed meal.


 

IMG_2569This is my bottle bush. It will stay a bush until I find the perfect bottle tree. The bottles are from a variety of places, but my latest one was acquired from Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill in Las Vegas. The food was delicious, and the water was served in blue bottles. The waitress was kind enough to snag one for me.

From what I have read, the bottle tree has evolved out of what was originally a tradition in Africa of hanging shiny objects or glass around your house to keep the evil sprits away. Felder Rushing has written a more detailed article on the history of bottle trees that’s worth a read.



This salvia gained a lot of attention. Many people complained that their salvia’s never get that tall. Well folks, it all depends on the variety. I’m not sure which one this is, but my guesses include indigo spires, mystic spires or blue queen. It is fairly easy to propagate from cuttings or by root divisions.

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IMG_2571The yarrow was also lookin’ good. My original clump of this came from Hazel, the Westbury Garden Club president. Now, I have three large clumps and I always have some to give away to others who also like the look.

 

 

 

IMG_2573Many people noticed the birdbaths, but this one in particular drew their attention. My sister made this one for me about 6 or 7 years ago. It is made from glass bowls and vases glued together.

 

 

 

 

 

Our garden tour was four hours long, during that time close to 150 people wandered through the yard. I had a great time talking to everyone about my garden. It is an experience I highly recommend.