MY TOP 10 FAVORITE POSTS FOR THIS FIRST YEAR OF GARDEN BLOGGING

As I count down the last 10 days before my First Blog-A-Versary, I had time to pick my 10 favorite posts for this first year of blogging.

My favorite posts might seem a bit unusual....sorta like a lizard on our hummingbird feeder.

This guy loved to drink the sugar water and eat the ants!

1. An artist garden for June: I had NOTHING much in bloom due to a drought, so I had to improvise. Necessity is the mother of invention and the stones and flowers together were much cooler than I had imagined. http://tropicaltexana.blogspot.com/2011/06/artist-garden-for-june-happy-garden.html

2. A Plea to Keep Things Wild: I still remember the morning I looked out and saw these blue flowers in my backyard. Seeing a UFO would have been less shocking. http://tropicaltexana.blogspot.com/2011/05/plea-to-keep-things-wild-happy-macro.html

3. Wildflower Beauties by the Bayou: What a surprise to see these amidst the tall grasses. We were with our friend Rita and she thought it was funny that I kept crawling around on the ground to take pictures!  http://tropicaltexana.blogspot.com/2011/03/wildflowers-beauties-by-bayou-happy.html

4. Time to Post this Cartoon: What a nightmare. Google linked this with the outside world and I suddenly had huge daily hits. A Tropical Garden Blog famous for a Blizzard cartoon? I think not. I put it in mothballs for a couple of months. http://tropicaltexana.blogspot.com/2011/02/time-to-post-this-cartoon-we-must.html

5. A Screech Owl Two Steps Away: I'm still amazed this happened....my best wildlife memory of the past year.
http://tropicaltexana.blogspot.com/2011/01/screech-owl-two-steps-away.html

6. Thoughts on Getting A Few Chickens for the Garden: It’s the best thing we’ve done in years. Chickens are so relaxing to be around…much cheaper than a therapist. Plus, you get fresh eggs and a comedy show every evening!
http://tropicaltexana.blogspot.com/2011/01/thoughts-on-getting-few-chickens-for-my.html

7. Original Haiku: Garden Muse Day: My garden friend, Carolyn, has a garden poem meme each month. I remember being so nervous when I posted this. Poetry was a stretch for me, but I took the plunge. http://tropicaltexana.blogspot.com/2010/11/garden-bloggers-muse-day-original-haiku.html

8. Tiny Satellite Dish: Oh yes! I remember the very moment I switched over to the new camera with the excellent macro feature. It took my breath away to see this photo. I thought,” Did I do that?”
http://tropicaltexana.blogspot.com/2010/10/tiny-satellite-dish-happy-macro-monday.html

9. Garden Emotions: Way Up, Way Down. I still hate this post, but I needed to do it. It was quite cathartic. This was the time I found a poor dove attacked by a hawk in my yard. It was almost dead, so I made it comfortable for its last hours in my garden.  Gardening is an emotional experience. http://tropicaltexana.blogspot.com/2010/08/garden-emotions-todayway-up-way-down.html

10. MY FIRST POST: Rain, Rain, Go Away! Oh, the irony of this post one year ago. Imagine 12 inches of rain in one month. http://tropicaltexana.blogspot.com/2010/07/rain-rain-go-away.html

Thanks for stopping by and being part of my first year of blogging! I love visitors. David/ :-)

MONKEYING AROUND WITH THE LAWN or The Grass is Greener...Where I Spilled Something

                             During the summer, I reuse water from a lot of sources. I pour it on the grass. But a couple of weeks ago I had a mystery on my hands; I had one patch of healthy, green grass amidst the sad, drought-stricken lawn.

(Comparisons...the left really turned green and healthy)

I had used water with bleach (ok), water from cleaning the chicken coop (it didn't burn the grass when used in dilute amounts), water from the bathtub, and water from the air-conditioning drain.

But none accounted for this patch. Until I remembered an injury. I had cut my foot and had to soak it in Epsom salts. Voila! Normally, I only use Epsom salts on Plumeria and Palm trees. So, did it also work on lawns?

 I tried it on all the lawn.

This is the lawn one week after sprinkling it with 3 pounds of Epsom salts. Epsom salt contains magnesium and is considered an organic soil amendment(by most). For some reason, adding Epsom salts to a lawn allows a rich uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus by root systems. I don't use any other fertilizers on my lawn. I also water sparingly and hardly mow during droughts. Longer grass is more hardy and shades the soil.

PART 2: But the drought goes on and on and on.....

This part of the lawn (by the street) will be converted to small, rounded river stones mixed with small aloes. This area is blasted with 5 hours of afternoon sun AND is on a slope.

The lawn is unsustainable without daily watering and I can't do that for three more months.

This was once unsustainable lawn and is now going to be converted to an aloe and small agave groundcover mixed with airplane plants (Chlorophytum) throughout the pebbles. All can take the xeric conditions due to the slope and the myriad of tree roots sucking up the water.

This area was also unsustainable due to tree roots taking all the water.

Its second purpose is for my son's car while back from college.

Hope this post gives you some ways to fight back during this drought.

Thanks for stopping by.

David/ Tropical Texana :-)

MONTHLY GARDEN BOUQUET: THE MIRACLE BOUQUET

I usually give my monthly garden bouquet to my wife, Melanie. She's had a year's worth thanks to Noelle's idea!
But this month, my wife and I would like to give this month's bouquet to Noelle and her family, our wonderful host over at http://www.azplantlady.com/
I just read her blog and our prayers are with her and her family as they struggle with some tough circumstances. I thought, I wish I could do something else...and thought...of course! People send flowers all the time. So....here are your flowers Noelle! Hope you like them. :-)
These are miracle flowers since I expected NONE during these months of drought. Then, after our one and only big rain, everything started blooming this week. Hope you get miracles as well. God's Blessings, David & Melanie :-)

Wisteria, Crepe Myrtle, a new Ruellia all with a touch of Lavender leaves.

The Ruellia is from my gardening friend Cindy at My Corner of Katy.



DROPWING DRAGONFLY ~ HAPPY MACRO MONDAY

I have never been able to catch up with one of these dropwing dragonflies until today. They are smaller than most other dragonflies and extremely cautious. This one was in sunshine and resting on an agave when I snapped the shot.
I love dragonflies and have 2 or 3 species hovering around our pond each summer.

(click to enlarge)

To see more macros, fly on over to our wonderful host, Lisa, at http://lisaschaos.com/

Thanks for stopping by. David/ :-)

HOW TO MAKE A BLOG HEADER WITH GARDEN FLOWERS

So, how many blog headers do you have in  a year? I have a lot of them.
Some prefer to keep continuity and enhance recognition on their header....like a brand name. It says to the person, "Yep, once again, you have landed on my blog."
I like that.
But some of us are just too antsy to leave things alone. I have finally changed my Spring header to a Summertime header.
This is the last header in my yearly rotation. I'll post all of them on a separate page sometime soon. Headers are just one of the many reasons I love to keep a garden blog.

                             I start with a title, an old map, the artwork, and a feather.

Here's the layout on the desk. I don't place the plants flat since I want a 3-D visual effect. I use an overhead lamp for shadows.



I take about 5 shots with different angles so that I can get the desired framing. Here's the final product for this season's garden header. It now gets downloaded and is treated just like any other photo.

If you use Blogger, then download as a photo from your files.

However, since your Blog Name is already in the photo, you don't need another blog title.

So..... for the PLACEMENT choice, pick the middle one as shown below.

Clicks "Save" and your done! :-)

Each season has a different theme with various leaves and flowers.

Hope you are inspired to try your own.

Thanks for stopping by! David/ :-)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: DROUGHT ~ A LIVING (DEAD) SCULPTURE GARDEN

How could this happen?

Answer: Sprinkler comes on each day and waters top inch of soil. Grass stays green.

Bushes have roots in subsoil and turn brown.

It's bizarre....and probably a bit puzzling to the homeowners.

It's  Wordless Wednesday!

Thanks for stopping by.

David/ :-)

PITTISPORUM TOBIRA: HAPPY MACRO MONDAY

Long ago, I used to hide under the giant Pittisporum bushes in our front yard during Hide and Seek games.

I 'd stare up at the intricate branches and forget I was hiding.It's an old friend.Though not a native, the local honey bees have adopted it. The fragrance is that of mild orange blossoms.

This Pittisporum came up as a volunteer and it now  blooms each Spring.

I've hardly watered this plant and it's doing quite well during the prolonged drought. These are blooms from late March.

To visit more macros, buzz on over to Lisa at http://lisaschaos.com/

Thanks for stopping by. David/ :-)

Rain? Did you say RAIN? News from the weather service

and I quote....
"LEADING EDGE OF DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE FROM THE CARIBBEAN STILL

EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE AREA MONDAY AFTERNOON STARTING A STRETCH
OF WET WEATHER (SURE HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THAT HAS PHRASE
HAS BEEN USED IN A SOUTHEAST TEXAS WEATHER DISCUSSION) MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. STARTING TO SEE A FAVORABLE PATTERN FOR
MODERATE OR POSSIBLY HEAVY RAINFALL TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY."

(My neighbor down the street has not watered this year)

Many of my neighbors have given up on watering. I don't blame them. It takes daily watering now since all layers of the subsoil are dry. Whole trees just turn brown and die. I'm hanging on with subsistance watering, but it's been since January that we've had a good rain.

This is what my grass and yard looked like last July 2010. It rained so much more last year.

I don't like La Nina years. In fact, I vote NO for having La Nina years in the future.

Starting in February, we could easily be having the rainfall of Tucson, Arizona.

These trees died just a week ago. They are Southern Red Oaks (Quercus falcata). I've seen 4 of them dead now. We must be on the very limits of their native range. Some Magnolia trees and Sweetgum trees are also rapidly declining.

I'll end on some good news. The doodle bugs (aka ant lions) are finding lots of dry soil for their pits. I've not seen them in my yard for years. Today I found 3 more. They eat ants.

Thanks for stopping by.  Here's to that hopeful news of rain for next week.

David/ :-)

JUNE FOLIAGE FOLLOW-UP: RAMBLING AROUND TO FIND SURVIVORS

During this prolonged drought, I water daily for the wildlife, the birds that visit to have drink, and for the plants that provide shelter and food.
Here are some plants adapted to drought, heat, and humidity as long as you give them a sprinkle or two of water. To see other serious foliage that will knock your socks off, visit our host, Pam, at http://www.penick.net/digging .

                              Kaempferia pulchra 'Alva' named by John Banta in Alva, Florida

Kaempferia elegans aka Kaempferia laotica

Kaempferia pulchra 'Chocolate'

Kaempferia pulchra 'Ben Lee' from Mercer arboretum

Kaempferia pulchra 'Silverspot'

A colony of Kaempferia masonii in bloom

Neoregelias seem content with daily temperatures hovering around 100 degrees. Keep them in dappled shade.

This is Neoregelia 'Happy Thoughts'

My squid agave (Agave bracteosa)  has finally started to look like its namesake.

This is part of my Agave collection.

Thanks for stopping by Tropical Texana.

David/ :-)

AN ARTIST GARDEN FOR JUNE: HAPPY GARDEN BLOGGER'S BLOOM DAY

Hi and welcome to our Houston garden.
Since the enduring drought (140+ days with very little rain) here in the South continues to challenge those of us nurturing gardens,  I felt compelled to combine two elements.

The fragility of  life is symbolized by each flower.

The continuity of time symbolized by the enduring qualities of stone.

Someday it will rain again....someday....someday....

Each of these garden stones has a story; a story I should share in the future.
Visit our host, Carol, at May Dreams Gardens at http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/  for more stories and more gardens. She's also on my sidebar favorites. :-)
For my friends in Japan visiting today:
禅庭の石の他の国

                                               Blue daze

                                  Caesalpinia pulcherrima ~ Red bird of Paradise

Blackfoot daisy ~ Melampodium leucanthum

Peacock ginger ~ Kaempferia masonii

Lantana montevidensis

                                                       Ruellia humilis

View of the back garden

Thanks for visiting Tropical Texana

David/ :-)

Skullcap

FRIENDSHIP PLANTS BRING FOND MEMORIES.

I remember my Grandmother's garden as I'm writing this. I recollect that she never bought a single plant. Can you imagine? Back then, folks would trade cuttings and pot up extras for each other. Hers was a nice garden for two reasons; the plants and the memories of her friendships with other gardeners.

It's funny, but I am always amazed when someone gives me a plant. I can't help but think of them every time I see the plant or water it. Here are a few of the latest. I call them Friendship Plants, but there's a nice little book called Pass Along Plants filled with the same sentiment.
Perhaps you have your own set of Friendship Plants in your garden.

This Yucca recurvifolia is from Sam and Nancy at our church. We usually look west to find Yuccas, but amazingly, this one is native to Alabama and Georgia. It takes the heat and dry conditions well and has blue green foliage and soft leaves.

This is from Cindy at My Corner of Katy...it's a species new to me in the Ruellia family. She said it might take over so be careful. I don't mind a bit! :-)

This is also from Cindy at My Corner of Katy. It's one of the most beautiful Agaves in my garden.

I couldn't remember what she called it, but I found some images online that seem to be a match:

Agave lophantha 'Splendida'

Thanks again, Cindy!

This giant Cycas revoluta  has a funny story. Wes and Lisa were clearing their front yard and wanted to know if I wanted a cycad. I was imagining a small plant when in fact it was 4 feet across! It's doing fine after 6 years.

This Tradescantia has outlived the friend who gave it to me. She passed away from cancer 4 years ago, but her flower still graces my garden. I call it Jenee's flower.

I take it in each winter. I dare not lose it.

Thanks for stopping by.

David/ :-)

HELLO, DEAR RUELLIA: HAPPY MACRO MONDAY

It sounds like the name of my great aunt, but I'll call anything dear that blooms in 100 degree heat here in Texas. This is Ruellia humilis and it is a Texas native (according to websites). I have 4 Reullias and I really want to get more since they seem impervious to heat and dry conditions. Most come back from rootstock or self-seeding. Anyone have a favorite Ruellia I can try? Thanks.
Visit our wonderful host, Lisa, at http://lisaschaos.com/ to see more Monday Macros. :-) David

I almost stepped on the bloom! It makes a great ground cover.

Thanks for visiting my garden.

David/ :-)

A BIT OF RAIN CHEERS THE SOUL

It rained hard for about 10 minutes and I was ready. I had all my buckets out along the roof line of the house and hopefully caught about 30 to 40 gallons of rain from our .30" event.
I'd like to invent a way to use our washing machine water on the garden since a typical large wash cycle can use 40-45 gallons! And the pump in the washer would do all the work! Right now it just goes down the drain. Imagine 5 or 6 loads of laundry. That's betwen 200 and 300 gallons of water I could reuse on the trees and bushes each week. Rain is about as precious as gold right now during our worst Texas drought (unofficially) since records started back in 1889.

You can buy these water troughs at Farm & Ranch stores. I have 4 of them.

An old piece of gutter harvests rain and sends it to a 30 gallon trash can.

We are 14 inches behind on rain. We've missed 42 rains like the one today due to the drought!

The Great Drought of 2011 is about 1,300 miles across and over 900 miles from top to bottom. The Miami area in Florida is also suffering. Here it is in April.

....and here it is in June.

Some parts of the area recieved a lot of rain this week, so maybe we'll get more this month. If we don't, I've started to see signs that native trees are starting to die.

David/ :-)