BEAUTIFUL SPRING DAY BUT I'M STUCK INSIDE DOING PAPERWORK

They'll be some time at the end of the day to garden, but this is one of those days where I could spent 12 hours with a hoe and shovel  and still yearn for more. Happy Spring!

A view out the back window as I sit and do paperwork. It's okay, I'll sneak out and then do the papers!

A view out the front window. The weather is cool, there are no swarming bugs, and...and...this is TORTURE to stay inside.

I've got to find an excuse to get out there.

 Here's an excuse.

There was a wild cat (feral cat) in the garden this morning. I've never seen it before but I guess it likes to hide here. I dare not feed it, but who knows. Maybe it's a good mouser and is finding food already.

Well, that's it. (Sigh)

Time to get back to the paperwork.

Hope you get to go outside today and garden.

Here in TAXES, oops TEXAS, it's a fine day.

(Yes, I'm doing my taxes this weekend. I wonder if garden tools are tax deductable.

I wonder if garden plants are tax deductable. It would be nice if they were.)

Thanks for stopping by.

David/:0)



WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU WANT?

We have a new visitor at Tropical Texana.

I'm thrilled to think that out of all of the gardens in this part of the city, mine was deemed wild enough.

We are going to take this one step at a time, especially since you've decided that my garden shed makes a nice home.

...for a mother raccoon and her BABIES?!?

I'm certain cute raccoon baby photos are coming in the near future.

In the meantime, I need to pick out a nice forest home for this family since I also have chickens.

Stay tuned and thanks for stopping by.

David/:0)

GARDEN HUMOR JACKPOT AT THE ANTIQUE ROSE EMPORIUM

We finally ventured out to the Antique Rose Emporium. Here's how I felt: I wanted someone to hand me a garden trowel so that I could hit myself in the head to go along with my utterances of 'Why didn't I think of that?'
I kept running around snapping photos like a kid in candy shop. Every corner held new surprises. (And it TAKES A LOT to surprise some of us) Tell me what you think!!!

"Red Garden Cat on a Lavender Fence"

(I was surprised)

"Metal Rooster in a Metal Cage"  Geez...these people are funny!

"A flower BED"  (pun intended)

We are now entering the rarefied air of serious garden humor. I'm feeling threatened.

(rarefied is correct...I checked twice)

"Thumbs up!" or "Honey, have you seen my garden gloves lately?"

"Flower pot girl pushes the fertilizer spreader already sprouting with flowers."

"Flower pot boy cools off in the bathtub"

This cemetery cracked me up.

Once you're in the garden humor mood, everything strikes you as funny. I laughed out loud at this scene.

Green hairball humor.

More cemetery humor. I'll never again look at broken pottery in quite the same way.

Shall I put graves around my own garden? Hmmm..front yard or back?

I'll leave you with a taste of their OZ garden...

"There's no place like home the anitique rose emporium, there's no place like home the anitique rose emporium." I'm clicking my ruby red slippers together

 but I really DON'T want to go home...yet.

I think we finally  bought some plants there,

 but it was almost an afterthought.

Touring acres and acres of beautiful gardens left me dizzy with new ideas.

The gardens are free to the public with absolutely NO pressure to buy antique roses. I think's that why I liked the people so much.

Well, that's a big dose of inspiration for your gardening weekend.

Hope you get outside.

David/:0)



FRONT YARD GARDENS: GROWING MORE THAN GRASS/ BOOK REVIEW

"Where did our love of  grass come from? Why are we so obsessed with lawns?"
Liz Primeau takes a fascinating journey back in time to arrive at the answer. But more importantly, she gives us over 23 examples of beautiful and creative front gardens sans lawn. A patch of lawn can be wonderful and in between my garden areas I have some lawn. But there's so much more!

With hundreds of inspiring photos, this is a book I often refer to. I also like the fact that half of the gardens are from Canada and the other half from the U.S.  It's not often we get a glimpse of those beautiful Canadian gardens, so I get very excited when we do.

A portion of my front garden ~ Summer 2010

A sampling of the chapters include:

Why we mow/ Lawn at What Cost?/ Cottage Gardens/ Small City Gardens/ Minimalist Gardens/ Natural Gardens/ Secret Gardens/and Overcoming Obstacles



View of our backyard ~ Summer 2011

Liz covers every detail including what others might think of your alternatives to a lawn. Remember, this is the FRONT yard we're talking about.

Here's a quote:

"Prepare your neighbors. Tell them you plan to take out all or some of your grass and describe the kind of garden you expect to put in. Assure them you'll clean up at every stage. This way your front yard won't look  like a construction zone instead of the beautiful garden it will eventually become."

Book title: Front Yard Gardens: Growing More than Grass

Author: Liz Primeau

A Firefly Book

2003

203 photographs of gardens ranging from Prince Edward Island cottage style to Texas minimilist.

23 garden stories with illustrations and plant lists.

I highly recommend this book to both veteran and beginner gardeners.

There are plenty of opportunities for gardening. Just be creative and break out of the mold! :0)

For more excellent garden books, visit our wonderful host, Holley at Roses and Other Gardening Joys.

She's the brains behind the roses and our book reviews.

Thanks for stopping by.

David/



DAYFLOWER CLOSEUP

All this packed into one tiny flower. The sound of all my neighbors mowing their lawns kind of spoiled the moment. I wondered what beautiful things they were shredding to pieces?

I'd at least pick a few to put in a glass in a sunny window.

I once watched a city crew mow down an entire field of wildflowers because it was on their mowing schedule. Didn't even leave them long enough to reseed.  And it included the Bluebonnet, our state flower!

Here's to the little things in the garden...and to the big things (like gardeners) that protect them.

David/:0)

FRIDAY FOLIAGE FINALE

I took everything out of the greenhouse this week and here's the view from the back window. Suffice it to say, I like tropical foliage. Happy Weekend. Hope you get some gardening time. David/:0)



MARCH, THE MAGICAL MONTH: HAPPY GBBD!

Carol, at May Dreams Gardens, invites gardeners near and far to share what's blooming on the 15th of each month. Here in Houston, March is indeed a magical month where everything goes into hyperdrive to bloom and flourish before summer's unrelenting heat. Let's take a tour:

The blooms of our little Box Elder tree shimmer and wave like a green cascade. (It's a blur because they would never STOP moving in the night breeze)

This perennial morning glory (Impomea indica) is currently on trial. The verdict is still out on whether or not to let it grow on the fence or to stop it before it takes over the garden.

The 'Pride of Mobile' Azaleas enjoyed this past week's 5.50" of rain and are just about bloomed out.

I have many volunteer native Redbud trees and they are indeed the cheeriest harbinger's of Spring.

The star of the show has to be Pittisporum tobira. The hundreds of bloom clusters fill the air with the scent of honey.

It was easy to sneak up on this Red Admiral butterfly. It hardly cared that I was there. Four of them were flitting about playing butterfly games and lapping up nectar.

St. Patrick's Day is coming and these shamrocks are in full bloom to greet the Irish holiday.

Most of my garden is always shady, so it's nice to see these horseherbs and yellow Wood Sorrel blooming between the stones before the trees leaf out.

 

Finally, I'll show you the latest on my front project. It's 90% complete. It almost looks good enough for one of those gardening magazines. Now if I could just finish pulling the last of those pesky weeds.

Well, that's it. Hope Spring has Sprung in your part of the world or the rain has turned on in Australia's Autumn season. I haven't a clue what happens in South Africa this time of year, but wish you some happy gardening as well.

Happy (Magical) GBBD!

David/:0)

GARDENER VS WILD MORNING GLORY VINE: THE CASE BEGINS

The beautiful, the talented Ocean blue morning glory on trial for...

ATTEMPTED MURDER! The trial continues...

THE COMEDY COURT CASE PART 2

3 CHARACTER WITNESSES

For the Prosecution (representing the Human Gardener who accuses this vine of attempted murder!)

Human Lawyers:

 Dear Jury, Please note the following comments against the accused.

Deposition #1. Holley, a wonderful Texas Gardener who usually likes all plants calls this one "Eeeeevil" and 'evil, evil, vine."

Deposition #2. The countries of Australia and New Zealand have published papers on its take over personality. New Zealand despises the plant and wants it eradicated.

Deposition #3. And a member of Dave's Garden says, and I quote:

  " I wanted to add that this one is not the usual morning glory. It is a plant from h***. It also does not set seed but spreads from runners. It roots every time it touches dirt.

These runners can go forever looking for soil to root in and then it sends out 5 or 6 runners from there. Over and over again until it covers a house or a canyon, choking all plant life it encounters. DO NOT BE FOOLED BY ITS PRETTY LOOKS! And do not think you can control it. I swear it has a brain. "

But...but...I'm so pretty! I'm just a vine, not a murderer! I actually LOVE trees!

For the defense (Morning Glory Lawyers)

Dear Jury,

Please note the following comments in defense of our client:

One of the finest growers in the nation says this about wild morning glory:

"Where winters are mild, this plant can completely shroud a small metal shed or outbuilding and transform it into a romantic vision popular among Victorian and cottage gardeners."

Another fine grower says this:

FREE SHIPPING Ipomoea acuminata Blue Dawn is a beautiful electric blue perennial morning glory vine. This plant is a pure joy for the gardener who wants almost instant coverage. These vines will give you a spectacular display from early Spring right on through the Fall.

And finally, my dear jurors, isn't a picture worth a thousand words?

Who could deny its beauty in a cottage garden?

image from two sources: USA & FRANCE (not sure who to credit)

The defense rests for today.

JUDGE:

Seems like the score is a tie. 3 for and 3 against

We'll have our final day for this trial tomorrow.

Court adjourned.

The beautiful morning glory that's taking over my garden's  fence and trees.

Thanks for stopping by. I'll post pictures of the scene of the crime tomorrow.

And thanks to Indie at Red House Garden for the idea. There seems to be a garden humor crime spree taking place in her garden at this very moment!

David/:-)





WHO KNOWS WHY? A RARE GARDEN RANT

Who knows why garden centers fill their shelves with plants that die in the summer's heat?

Or sell plants that take full sun but need tons of water to stay alive.

Do the companies remember that Texas just endured 2 years of drought?

My friend loved these. They might make it until June. I didn't buy a thing.

I'm waiting until late May when the companies bring out the drought tolerant plants.

Water, water, and more water. Don't we ever learn?

Oh well. Mine is not to reason why. Mine is just to not buy anything and write a garden blog...

...and wait until they stock blackfoot daisies, one of our beautiful natives.

Or better yet, my friend has blackfoot daisy seedlings and she's offered to give me some.

Things have improved since December, but water is so precious.

David/:0)

THE GARDENER VS A WILD MORNING GLORY: PICKING AN IMPARTIAL JURY

On trial: The Wild Morning Glory

Sweet & Innocent Touch of Nostalgia

or

Ruthless Bully with an Appetite for Entire Trees

THE COMEDY COURT CASE BEGINS:

In this case, a human gardener has charged a wild morning glory vine with attempted murder of a tree. The human gardener is asking the judge to declare ERADICATION. A six plant jury will watch this case. The lawyers have almost finished their jury selection questions. Let's listen in:

Picking an IMPARTIAL JURY:

Morning Glory Lawyer: Juror number 1, please state your name and answer this question; do you have anything against human gardeners?

Juror #1: I'm an Agave americana and I'm perfectly happy crammed inside this tiny pot. I hardly remember the wide open deserts of Mexico. Yes, I hardly remember being taken from my dear mother as a small pup...(Agave starts to cry)...that's all.

Human Lawyers: (turning to each other) Well, this certainly didn't get off to a good start. The next juror looks well cared for so there's hope.

Morning Glory Lawyer: Other jurors, please state your names and answer the same question. Thank you.

Juror #2: I'm a gorgeous bromeliad called Neoregelia. The humans take very good care of me. I get sunshine, rainfall, and a nice breeze. I hardly remember the day I was RIPPED from the tropical canopy, thrown into a box and shipped to some garden store. I miss my forest branch...(starts to cry)...and the sweet chirping of little frogs that used to live in my leaves. Sniff, sniff.

Human Lawyers: Boy, two for two. This is not going to be an easy case.

Juror #3: I'm a rubber tree. I have not ONE thing against the humans except when they CUT and SLASH the trunks of my rubber tree friends and collect their white sap in buckets. I'm told they BOIL our sap to make rubber. Hideous! (Shudders and grows quiet)

Human Lawyers: (Trying to hide under the table...whispering) Geez...and these are the most impartial plants in his garden? I'd hate to see the ones mad at him.

Juror #4: Hi, I'm a Victorian Parlor Palm. I'm so well liked that the humans keep me indoors. There, I collect DUST, endure SPIDER MITE invastions, and barely get WATERED. The weak sunlight insures that I stay sick and SPINDLY. (Starts to cough)

Human Lawyers: When will this be over?!? Hey, things are looking up. The next one is a vine! Surely a vine will be impartial to another vine. Vines are used to being trimmed back.

Juror #5: I'm a variegated arrowroot. I'm not sure how I feel about the humans since my memory has been altered. Wait, it's coming back to me. Something about a diabolical variegation experiment long ago. (Pauses and closes eyes) Now I remember. I was cut to pieces by the humans and stuck in glasses for some bizarre purpose. (Shudders with fear)

Human lawyers: That was a terrible turn of events. But look! Juror #6 is a native sedge. The gardener lets them grow everywhere and he goes out of his way not to step on them. Maybe there's hope.

Juror #6: I'm a native Texas sedge and I must say this gardener deeply cares about my well-being. He let's me grow everywhere and....HELP...there's a chicken on ME! GET HIM OFF! HELP!

Chicken attacks Juror #6

JUDGE: Order in the court! Will the owner of that renegade chicken kindly get it out of my courtroom. There will be no eating jurors during this trial!

Human Lawyers: Your honor, the gardener owns it and it won't happen again. (Whispering: My mother told me there would be days like this.)

JUDGE: Would the lawyers for the HUMAN gardeners like to question the jurors?

Human Lawyers: No, your honor. We can't endure a moment more. 

JUDGE: Well, in that case, we have our jury. We will start the trial immediately.

Judge for the case

JUDGE:  JUDGE SAGE has spoken. Court adjourned.

Thanks for stopping by. The garden trial...and I do mean GARDEN TRIAL will start later this week.

David/:0)











AROUND THE GARDEN TO START OFF MARCH

After making a list of 21 garden chores to do this weekend, I felt too tired to do any of them. So I took pictures instead. Seriously, I did do a few on the list. The garden is waking up and any frosts at this point would be a harsh setback. I think we will be okay.

I finished the stonework around the new pond. What do you think?

I cleaned the mud out of the birdbath and this morning noticed some redbud blooms around the edge.

I finished some more of the front wall project. The silver and gray plants are some of my favorites.

I'll tell you all the names in another post.

The Mexican feathergrass has come back to life. They were brown all winter and I thought they were dead.

The front stone wall project is about 75% complete. This is right next to the street.

Vegetables and some herbs will go on the 'not street' side of the wall. That way my neighbors won't think I'm insane for planting green beans in my front yard. Are you laughing?

The blackfoot daisies have started blooming again.

The honeybees find the Oxalis delightful. It's an annual take over weed in my garden and I've had to make peace with this plant. Only a total nuclear event would kill all of it.

The little Box Elder tree is sending out bloom tassles for the first time.

There was a 50% chance that the Camphor tree would die from the drought. About half of the limbs are bare, but the other half are budding. It's a food source for Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars, so I'm happy.

"Getting A Round to Taking Some Photos"

(bad pun)

I am 100% certain that this is Virginia Creeper NOT something NAUGHTY and ILLEGAL growing on the neighbor's fence we share. Plus, it's a vine so no ID problems here.

(Whew, that's a relief)

This is part of the flower beds I set up at our church last summer. The Lantana 'Dallas Red' has bloomed straight through the winter so I highly recommend it. It's very drought tolerant.

Finally, some panic grass in the front garden caught my eye. It's my favorite native grass because its name is how I feel most of the time! LOL

That's a look at things here to start off March.

Happy Gardening and remember....Spring is one week closer.

David/:0)