A Broad View Reveals Micro-Climates

Here in zone 8 Austin, Texas it takes winter a while to arrive.   And it's not long before spring is hard on it's heels.

So in an effort to live more intentionally, I ventured out after our 2.7" of blessed cold rainfall and took a look-see.  It's a lot easier to really look hard at your surroundings when you're not so worried about stepping on a rattlesnake.

The soft, subdued winter hues were relaxing and it was so quiet ... no ac units humming, no noisy lawn equipment; just the trickle of water, bird song and the gentle breeze.

Taking my time I took note of how different everything looks after a winter's soaking rain.

I love the skeletal forms of the flame leaf sumac amongst the heavily textured grasses.  I even like the contrasting dark green background of juniper although its pollen makes me constantly clear my throat (which is mild compared to others who suffer 'cedar fever').   I love the evergreen quality that is Austin with its numerous Live Oak trees and junipers.

Coming back into the garden it was easy to see it.  Really see it.  While we've had several freezes, micro-climates throughout the garden have left pockets of tender plants to stand until the ultimate freeze comes along.

My garden is in this strange, wondrous state of in-between.  

Tender variegated flax lily (foreground),  dwarf palmetto (middle), nearly dormant Turk's cap (rear middle)

With the Turk's cap nearly dormant the flax lily is really stealing the show.  Although the lily is tender, it has escaped damage so far.  When frozen in the past, it has come back from the roots.

The palmetto is new, added last spring, and will eventually grow into the space serving as a nice textural, evergreen shrub visually softening the wood fence.  It isn't a dense shrub so the other plants will be able to grow amongst its foliage.  As it grows larger, the Turk's cap may need to be relocated but as the palmetto is a slow grower, they are fine for now. 

The shady garage bed; rear from left to right : Japanese yew, forsythia sage, cast iron, philodendron, variegated ginger, Japanese aralia, Japanese yew.  Middle from left to right:  pineapple sage (view obstructed), flax lily (struggling), yellow columbine, variegated ginger, Japanese maple, heartleaf skullcap, cast iron, sparkler sedge, oakleaf hydrangea, river fern, mondo grass.  Front left to right: yellow columbine.

Seeing this bed in partial dormancy is really unusual and it struck me the other day how pretty it is like this.  Still lush with lots of nice texture and color.  Typically the pineapple sage, philodendron and ginger would be dormant as are the forsythia sage, oakleaf hydrangea, Japanese maple and river fern.

The pineapple sage continues to draw in winter bees and butterflies on warm, sunny days.  

Tighter view of the heartleaf skullcap (just beginning to revive for it's spring show), Japanese aralia (behind the stump), sparkler sedge (right) and oakleaf hydrangea (lower right).

Cast iron (left), Japanese aralia (rear right) and sparkler sedge (lower right).  I love how the variegated foliage is brightening up this shady spot. 

The face of the coffee root sculpture watches over this part of the garden with a sage expression.  She stands out nicely against the brick wall and is more salient with the leaves of the maple (left) now scattered at her feet. 

Across the garden, the beautiful, silver bark of the native Texas persimmon grows amongst river fern (foreground of fountain), variegated ginger (behind the gate), star jasmine (trellis left) and Martha Gonzales rose.   Salvia mexicana stands tall at the back of the photo.  All the tender plants show a bit of damage but not enough to distract from the lush verdant display of the plantings.

Micro-climates are making a huge difference in my garden this winter.  It's the perfect marriage of a semi-dormant garden and no mosquitoes!  We've been finding a little bit of time here and there to relax out here and enjoy the unique view these micro-climates have offered.

What's growing in the micro-climates around your garden?

Inside Austin Gardens Tour: Get Your Inspiration!

It's often said that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery and I promise you, if you venture out to the Inside Austin Gardens Tour you'll find tons of inspiration and ideas galore worth imitation.

The 2012 Inside Austin Gardens Tour, hosted by the Travis County Master Gardeners takes place on Saturday, October 20th, from 9am-4pm.  In addition to seven beautiful gardens to explore, there will be educational presentations and plant and book sales.

These gardens have so much to offer.  If you live close enough to visit Austin next weekend, I really encourage you to take the tour.  Each garden has its own unique story and personality.  I walked away from the experience with zillions, seriously, zillions of new ideas for my own garden. {Sorry, DJ ♥}  Some are easy to implement, others will have to be on the five year plan!

The "white" garden in Renee Studebaker's charming cottage garden. 

Looking for path ideas?  There are numerous designs and materials to contemplate.  A couple that I really liked:

Concrete slabs artfully arranged in the Donnis Doyle garden.

 A nice mix of materials is used for unique pavers in the Ann and Robin Matthews' garden.

The theme of this year's tour is Edibles in the Garden.  This is an idea that is attractive and practical.

A fairly easy way to add decorative, raised vegetable beds to the garden.  Soil filled stock tanks allow 

for easy gathering of vegetables in David and Jennifer Phillips' garden.

Several plants caught my attention and have been added to my "gotta have" list:

 Malabar spinach growing in the Phillips' garden.  It. Is. Gorgeous.

Salvia mexicana in Carolyn and Michael Williams' garden.  Anyone familiar with this cultivar?
The pale, lavender flowers are so unique and unexpected compared to the
commonly grown bright purple of 'Limelight'.

 The sunshine yellow flowers of butterfly vine spill over a weathered gate in the Phillips' garden.

Close up of butterfly vine going to seed.  These are as enchanting as the floral display.

Many of us desire to have beautiful rock work in our gardens.  This recirculating stream in the Hill Country garden of the Phillips got me thinking about how I could implement something similar in my backyard where we have water rushing through after heavy rains.  

I love how the plants play along the edge of the stone work giving a very natural appearance.

A simple display of rock using a variety of materials to enhance a few xeric plants in the Phillips' garden.

And every garden needs whimsy and these gardens are abundantly whimsical!

 

A sweet tribute of love to his wife... Ask Carolyn Williams about the story behind

 this tender demonstration of affection.

The Donnis Doyle garden is one of the most whimsical I've ever toured...colorful furnishings, handmade stars and hearts adorn the eaves and walls, unique bottle trees and screening ideas...the whimsy goes on and on.  Really.  Go visit!

I adore everything about this little vignette in Renee Studebaker's garden.  The stacked stones
rest close by three dainty, weathered chairs entwined with vines and foliage at the edge
 of her white garden pictured at the top of the post.  Simple and beautiful.

This rustic arrangement of dried artichokes and juniper in the Phillips' garden is captivating. The juniper is simply adorned with the artichokes and malabar spinach grows at it's base.

I said at the top of the post that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.  Well, let me just say that Renee Studebaker can make some mean ratatouille from garden fresh ingredients and I could hardly wait to get home and make it myself! 

I made this yesterday and between myself, my girlfriend and my husband, we ate the ENTIRE pan.  It's that good.  She will be giving a presentation on appetizers prepared from garden fare during the tour.  Go.

There is so much more I could tell you.  I haven't even touched on the wealth of information about rainwater harvesting to be discovered.  Really.  You should just go ☺

An Old Spigot and SIX Water Lily Blooms!

It's a water lily palooza out there in the garden today!  Oh my, so much lily goodness going on a girl can hardly stand it!

Five hardy 'Colorado' water lily blooms and one bloom on the tropical Madame Ganna Walska beckon to us across the patio.  Come. Look. Linger. Bring the camera...

Read about the fascinating Madame Walska here and here to learn more about her gardens, Ganna Walska Lotusland.

The lovely, dainty Madame Ganna Walska

If you've ever given any consideration to adding a stock tank pond to your landscape, I would encourage you to do it.  Don't worry that it won't work out, it will.  With a little effort, the right plant choices, some sun and some fertilizer, you'll have a beautiful, low maintenance water garden.

We bought a 4' x 2' stock tank from a farmer's supply store, used sand to level the surface, then simply added water and a solution to remove chemicals and metals from the water (for the health of the fish).  Visit a reputable nursery for water plants, the solution to detoxify the water, fertilizer pellets and fish, (if you're adding them).  I went to Hill Country Water Gardens in Cedar Park, explained what I was trying to accomplish and they helped me out with plant and fish selections.  I am using mosquito fish and a couple of goldfish to keep the mosquito larvae in check.  Their website has a lot of good information about keeping your pond healthy too.

Oh, yes.  I almost forgot.  The spigot.  My husband and I discovered this old spigot in the garage of his parents a couple of weeks ago.  It belonged to my husband's grandfather and when I saw it, I knew I had just the place for it. 

The sound of gurgling water is appealing to me and it's especially welcome in the summer when Texas white noise (air conditioners)  is so prevalent and drowning out the softer sounds of the garden.

To make the fountain, we used two pieces of galvanized pipe and a galvanized elbow (to make the turn), the spigot and a small pump (you'll also need a fitting to attach the pump to the galvanized pipe) to recirculate the water.  I  absolutely love the whimsical addition to the stock tank and it means even more knowing we re-purposed a found family object into a little garden treasure.

Really.  You won't regret it for a minute!

Revisiting Espy

Each year a word is selected to inspire and guide me through the upcoming year.  You can read about the process here if you're curious.  This year's word is 'espy'.

Simply put, it's about slowing down, being purposeful and catching glimpses of moments that so typically escape our attention.  At this half-way point of the year, I thought it a good time to give an update on some moments espied in the garden recently.

There are several hummingbirds flitting about the garden and I often see them at the feeders but I consider it a special moment captured when I'm able to get a shot of them feeding at the flowers.  This photo gives a good impression of how easy it is to miss the moment and what a gift it is to catch it.

This cardinal couple regularly visits the liner of this hanging basket to supplement their nest.  It's difficult to see the pieces of fiber she is holding in her beak but she pulls several each visit and carries them back to her nest.  The male is never far from her side during these shopping expeditions.  See him in the lower right corner atop the Japanese Maple?

The drought has been so intense that even the coneflowers have shown stress.  Upon inspecting the damage to their petals I came across a couple of surprises...

I'm sometimes tempted to cut these flowers back as they are looking pretty tired already but then I see how much the insects depend on them and I'm reminded of the importance of them to the wildlife.  I know that if I let them go to seed, the birds will delight in their abundance.  I'm learning patience and realigning my priorities.

Last night as I looked out the upstairs window I noticed a small orange spot atop the bamboo trellis in the back perennial bed.  This trellis is all the way across the yard so it wasn't a clear view but I really hoped that what I was seeing was a red dragonfly.  This morning...

My friend and I slowly walked toward him.  He would fly off but then come right back.  Then to make the moment even more special, another red dragonfly came along and we were able to watch them in their companionable acrobatics.  They are so fascinating!

Did you notice the tiny bit of web in the lower right corner of the dragonfly photo?  This is the spider that lives in that web...its lower left web strand is attached to the bamboo and the rest spreads along the iron fence.   This little guy appears to be doing some repair work.

With the drought, this fountain is a hopping spot all day long.  It appears to bring out the selfishness in some users...see the female lesser goldfinch being chased away by the male?

But this little female was not to be deterred.  Not only that but she wasn't content to be so far away from the male.

She keeps moving closer without any regard for his demonstrations of superiority.

She ambles over toward him until he finally accepts that she isn't going anywhere.

These espied moments in the garden make the hard work and effort worthwhile.  The moments are dearly treasured and held close to my heart as they bring immense pleasure and comic relief as this drought lingers.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Secrets of an Awakening Garden

The Borrowers is a series of children's fantasy novels by Mary Norton about tiny people who live in the homes of big people and "borrow" things to survive while keeping their existence unknown. The central characters of the novels are a borrower family surnamed Clock: Pod, Homily and their spirited teenage daughter, Arrietty. The first novel of the series, The Borrowers, was published in 1952 and won the Carnegie Medal for that year. In 2007, it was selected by judges of the CILIP Carnegie Medal for children's literature as one of the ten most important children's novels of the past 70 years.  (source Wikipedia)

As a child these wonderful books carried me into an imaginary world where little people lived among us and borrowed from my family.  I used to create little vignettes for them with moss covered seating made from rocks, small tables made from found objects and little Barbie odds and ends that I thought they might find useful.  I would spend hours dreaming about what our encounter would be like when we finally met...

Imagine my surprise when I found evidence of Borrowers in my very own garden!   Hidden among the new plants in my fountain turned planter is a little cottage.

And the most charming little girl who lives in the cottage.  She was a bit shy at first but after some gentle coaxing, she warmed up to me and allowed me the honor of taking her picture.  She said her family doesn't usually like homes where there are large animals but that our old dog is sweet and gentle.  Although carried away with excitement, I restrained myself from asking too many questions.  I didn't want to overwhelm her. She is such a delight and we have a great rapport so I'm sure to hear more about her adventures in my garden!

I hope you find some hidden treasures in your garden as you rediscover its secrets this spring.   Have a wonderfully imaginative weekend!

2011 Garden Projects - The Back Garden

Inspired by the blog carnival hosted by My Little Garden in Japan and a beautiful, sunny day I began to seriously contemplate gardening projects for 2011.

In no particular order:
Project #1:  Apply tiles to fence posts (and grout them this time!)

You may remember the antique iron gate mounted between two posts behind my red fountain...I've intended to tile these posts for years now.  I'm embarrassed to say that I made these tiles in 2007...in my defense, I did apply them to the posts in 2009, however, I never got around to grouting the tiles in place.   You know how it is...so many projects and so little time!   You can see the results...the tiles have fallen off over time and sit in a pile on the wall next to the fence.   So project #1 is to reapply the tiles and grout them in place.

Project #2:  Trim that crazily growing branch out of the Crape Myrtle tree

Do you see it in the top right corner of the photo?  This tree is probably 20 feet tall and at the very tippy top is this crazy branch that looks like it's broken and falling over.   It may be broken, I can't tell from below.  If it isn't already broken, it will be at some point with the weight of the heavy blooms of summer pulling it down.

Project #3:  Replace this panel of fence with a gate

This piece of fence blocks access to a much needed hose bib and it would be so much more efficient if this were a pass through to the side yard and the front of the house.

With the addition of a gate, hopefully this will no longer be the norm.  This is the main path into the yard from the house and the hose is always in the way.

Project #4:  Replant this poor agapanthus

Surprisingly it still lives!  Last spring I pulled it from a bed where it received too much afternoon sun and tossed it behind the persimmon tree with the full intention of finding it a permanent home...spring turned to summer, summer to fall, fall to winter...and although it seems relatively happy the least I could do is dig it a proper hole and feed it a bit of root stimulator.

Project #5:  Add a crystal to the water spout of the fountain

This fountain is beautifully textured and shaped but the pump tends to go out frequently creating more work than it's worth.  I found a small crystal at the Round Top  antique fair last fall to place in the spout so it will look as if a drop of water is falling from it.  I'd like to then add a few plants for color and texture adding some softness to this corner of the patio.

Project #6:   Add Oklahoma stone to some of the beds

In 2009 Oklahoma stone was added to outline each of the beds throughout the back yard.  I love the texture, color and pattern that they added.  They also created nice little paths to walk along during garden excursions.   I would like to include some short stacks of this stone within the beds to create small raised places where digging is impossible because of dense oak roots and to add visual interest and varied elevations within the beds.

Project #7:  Espy and bring home a couple more bird houses for the trellis

This is a fun project allowing for some creative exploration!


Project #8:  Power wash the limestone walls and patio

This could be considered a not so fun project by some but with power tools and water on a warm, spring day my husband seems to enjoy the job!

Project #9:   Decide what to do about this window

Our garage is detached from the house and this brick wall is a nice accent in the back yard.  It is the backdrop to the Japanese Maple and I really love the texture and color it brings into the garden.

My mind has wandered for years about what to add to the window though...shutters, mosaics, etc.  This fall during my Round Top (you really need to check it out) excursion I found some Chinese bed panels.  They were salvaged from the homes that were removed to make room for the Olympic venues.

There are many things I like about the panels...the Asian influence would complement the many Asian plants in this bed...Japanese Aralia, Japanese Maple and Japanese Yew companionably live here.  The colors are warm and rich and work well with the tones of the brick and the Japanese Maple.  And most importantly, they are unexpected and unique and that really makes me love them.  They are made of wood though and need to be protected.  I'm going to have to invest some time  researching if they can be covered with some kind of marine polyurethane to keep water from penetrating the screens.  Or I could just hang them and take them down in the event of bad weather.  I could, but would I?  I don't know.  What are your thoughts on this one?  I'd love to hear if you've had any experience with a project like this.

There are many more ideas where these came from...that's the charm of a garden...there are always new projects and possibilities.  For now though, I think I better let this list rest...I don't want to overwhelm the handsome help!

What are your projects for the new year?  Head over to My Little Garden in Japan  to see what others are planning for their gardens.