Texas Spring
Posted: March 25, 2024 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Blue Bonnets, Gulf Coast gardening, hardy, Ilex vomitoria, Southern Gardening, Yaupon Holly, Year-round gardening 25 Comments
In Texas, the first sign of spring is the annual blooming of Blue Bonnets. I try to have a few in the garden every year.
The native Yaupon Holly trees’ tiny flowers have opened with a scent that fills the air. Their botanical name Ilex vomitoria comes with a warning.
The diminutive flowers cover the ground like snow.
And with spring comes weeds. This is a sticky weed. As I have mentioned before, I don’t take up brain space learning weeds’ proper names. I wish I had counted the bushels of weeds I pulled this spring.
Pretty and Pink
Posted: March 18, 2024 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Azaleas, Chinese Fringe Tree, Formosa Azaleas, Gulf Coast gardening, Loropetalum, nature photography, Pipe-vine Swallowtail, Southern Gardening 20 Comments
I was amazed that my Azaleas were so full of flowers this year. They have not looked well most of the year and we had water restrictions over the summer. Of course, they are not as nice as my six-foot-tall ones that died.
Every flower bud opened making the shrub lush with pink flowers.
I had been watching this Pipe-Vine Swallowtail butterfly in the backyard looking for a flower(they all froze) to feed on. It took a couple of passes by the sugar feeder, but it did not know how to use it. I was happy to see it feeding on the Azales.
Many years ago I had a Loropetalum struggling in the backyard. It had some life left, so I planted it in the front with a little prayer. It ended up living and growing 10 feet tall. Normally, they are trimmed to 4 feet and kept bushy.
The Loropetalum is very graceful with fluffy pink flowers and is also known as the Chinese Fringe Flower.
Heading On Up
Posted: March 11, 2024 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Cope's Grey Frog, My Kitchen Window, nature photography 14 Comments
This Tree Frog is just so cute that I had to do another post about it. I caught it hanging on to a plant in my chiminea.
I believe it is a Cope’s Gray Frog although it could be a Gray Frog as they are both very similar. The Tree Frog can be found from Virginia to Eastern Texas and lives in woodlands.
I kept an eye on the Tree Frog and was able to photograph it making its way up the vine to the top of the pot.
The next time I went to look for it the little frog was hanging onto the brick wall.
The frog finally made it to the lower roof went on its way and disappeared.
And Just Like That
Posted: March 4, 2024 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Automatic Gardening, Ecomecon chionatha, Gulf Coast gardening, Leucojum vernum, Rose Cramoisi Superieur, Snow Poppy, Tulip Magnolia, Violets Snowflakes 16 Comments
Spring has arrived seemingly overnight. It is a pleasure to find something new blooming every day Here are the first few to open. Above is a Tulip Magnolia.
Snowflake, Leucojum vernum
Violets
Snow Poppiy, Ecomecon chioatha
The Cramoisi Superieur rose came back quickly after all its flowers had frozen. My garden usually has many more blooms, but as I posted earlier, all the plants froze back. Every day more of my frozen babies are emerging from the ground. Hopefully, the garden will be full of blooms for the hummingbird migration.
Turtle Burmation
Posted: February 26, 2024 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Backyard Critters, nature photography, Southern Gardening 15 Comments
While working on my rose bush I noticed a muddy rock. Not remembering why I put it there I went to check it out.
The rock was a box turtle that may be coming out of brumation or hibernation.
Maybe not happy that I disturbed it, the turtle moved a couple of feet to a sunny location.
As the day ended I found the sleepy turtle had crawled back under the pine needles for the night.
The weather was nice enough to fire up the grill for supper. As the cover was removed I found another sleepy creature. Of course, the little tree frog had to be removed to a safe location. The weather is warming this week, the days are lengthening and insects are hatching it’s time for my garden friends to come out of their winter sleep.
Not a Leaf
Posted: February 19, 2024 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Luna Moth, nature photography 14 Comments
It appeared the cannas made a very unusual leaf that didn’t look quite right. The odd leaf was the same color green and outlined in red.
A closer inspection revealed it was a Luna Moth.
The Luna Moth is such a beautiful creature and this one is perfect. It may have hatched recently. Sadly, mature adults won’t live long and do not eat. Their goal is to reproduce. Those golden antennae detect scent and a male can find a female from six miles away. Spotting a Luna Moth signifies new beginnings. Hmmm…
The Comeback
Posted: February 12, 2024 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Automatic Gardening, Camellia, Gulf Coast gardening, Year-round gardening 21 Comments
Most of the plants in my garden were hit by the hard freeze we had several weeks ago. It was difficult to see them frozen to mush but in almost no time, new shoots were sent up by the still-alive roots.
Happily, the camelias’ tight buds also survived and are now opening. I hate to say that after every freeze I panic a bit my plants will not return but they keep proving me wrong. Thank goodness!
The Alamo?
Posted: February 5, 2024 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: The Alamo, Yucca 21 Comments
I found this photo of my grandfather from World War I labeled the Alamo. I have been to San Antonio to visit the Alamo many times and there is not much of it in this photo. There is another photo of his buddy in the same spot. My guess is that this Pennsylvania boy had never seen a plant like this one which I believe is a Yucca. I took the photo with me on a trip to San Antonio and I was able to find the large white building in the background. He is definitely on the grounds of the Alamo.
From what I can tell from the other photos of that group, the soldiers stopped at historical sites on their way across the country. And just to show how small the world can be, we have a photo of my husband’s grandfather in San Antonio during WWI. He was from Missouri.
The Aftermath
Posted: January 29, 2024 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Gulf Coast gardening, hard freeze, Year-round gardening 10 Comments
Maybe I’m being a bit dramatic, but it is hard to see my plants and all my hard work gone.
These are the plants from the post I did before the freeze. 
I know most of them will be back, but it will take time.
And now some good news. A couple of baby plants were sheltered and are still alive.
These winter annuals sure can take the cold but will be gone when the heat starts.
Among the frozen plants, the promise of spring is emerging.
Camellias in the Winter
Posted: January 25, 2024 Filed under: Gardening | Tags: Camellia, Professor Sargent Camellia, Shi-Shi Camellia, Southern Gardening, White by the Gate Camellia, Year-round gardening 18 CommentsIt has been a struggle to write a post. We had a freeze one week and 4 or so inches of rain this week. The garden beds are so sad and it is hard to be enthusiastic about gardening. I took some photos of the camellias before the bad weather and seeing beautiful flowers that bloom in the winter should bring some cheer.
This camellia was planted long ago and I do not know its name. I have posted about it before as there was a mistake made at grafting and half of it is white and blooms earlier, then the dark pink side takes over.
Shi-Shi Camellias are the best and reliable bloomers that start flowering around Christmas.
Professor Sargent had an early bloom that was tucked in at the bottom of the shrub.
My favorite White by the Gate made one flower before the weather changed. The big question now is whether the rest of the tight camellia buds survived the freeze and drenching rain.
Automatic Gardening & Real Gluten Free Food 