I don't know why, but it seems that all the plants are bigger and more lush this year.
This is the back yard last week. I feel very blessed.
Garden Scenes Spring 2013
Cool weather. Plants ARE bigger, noticed DFW area reminded me more of Houston than of the metroplex. Humidity up, heat isnt as bad yet quite as it will be, and there are still breezes, pollen was thicker too. I love those flowers!
The yellow and purple together are stunning...with all the green around, no wonder you feel blessed! We've had cool temps this week--and RAIN!!!
Looks so lush and pretty.
Oh that's just beautiful!
That looks beautiful, Josephine.
Dale
Thank you Everyone, as i said I truly feel blessed.
You ARE very blessed!
Josephine, your garden is gorgeous! Congratulations. your hard work really shows.
Jo, really pretty. Thanks for sharing your blessings!
Beautiful photos, Josephine. The plants are really liking this cool spring, aren't they?
Carla
Absolutely stunning!
Yes in spite of the cold weather the plants have been beautiful this spring, at least that is a good thing to come out of the strange weather.
Columbine is happy at my house too. Looks wonderful with the phlox. Well done!
I think the plants have voted for the cooler spring weather. They seem to love it.
C
Thank you Anna.
It surely seems that way Cheryl, although Lantana and Turk's Cap seem very reluctant to show their faces.
Nice pictures Josephine! Something is always blooming at your house, you have the gift for sure.
Which kind of phlox is it, Josephine? Does it alwa;ys bloom at the same time as the columbine?
Yes, but sometimes better than others, thank you Sheila.
Marty, it is Prairie Phlox, Phlox pilosa, and it does bloom at the same time as the columbines as well as Mexican Primrose, such a lovely combination, it also has a lovely scent.
Do you have Phlox pilosa?, if not I will try to get you some next time we see you.
Oh Josephine, all your flowers are sooooo pretty. I planted some Phlox last year.....don't know if it is Prairie......but it's not blooming yet. Yours is stunning.
I threw down all kinds of seeds this year, but they are still tiny.
Most of our color is still on the back porch......but at least we have some color.
Frostweed--I think someone may have already asked this question, but I can't find it again. What are the flowers in your icon. I am all in to blue and purple plants in my front yard. Love that phlox pilosa too. Thanks
Thank you Morgan,, your are very pretty too.
Bezziec the plant on my icon is Lynn Lowery's Everblooming Texas Sage, a variation of Leucophylum frutescens an amazing plant.
Here is a link about it; http://today.agrilife.org/2012/06/27/lowreys-legacy-superstar/
Thanks Frostweed. I need to find some of that!!!
Absolutely beautiful, Josephine!! I always enjoy your pics; everything is always so lush at your house.
Must get more phlox..........thanks frostweed.
Do the columbine die back to the ground when it gets really hot here?
C
morganc, if you have one piece of prairie phlox you can have a yard full in a short time. It spreads and is very easy to start from small pieces.
I cut mine back to about 2 inches except for the new leaves in the center, then they make new leaves and stay green but not large as in the spring.
Ooh, thanks newton.....I need yard fulls now.
I have some spots that are literally over rock. Limestone of course. Any suggestions for what seed to plant that would be perennial?
I don't have experience with rocky soil, mine is heavy clay, is there any soil over the rock?
I know one lady in San Antonio who actually made holes in the rock to plant, I hope won't need to go to those extremes.
Maybe some prairie verbena would do well. It would look pretty against the limestone.
Morgan that's the same as I have. Sometimes there's not even any soil over the rock. The wildflowers grow on the side of the road....
There is some soil there......but lots of rock. We jack hammered to put in the plants we have.
Now I'm hoping to just lay down seed.
Let me think about this, do you water the area when needed? Also is it in sun or shade or in between?
A picture of the area would help.
We do have a dripper in the bed because we have other plants. Some is in shade....some sun. The bushes you see were put in after jack hammering 7 years ago. We put down compost periodically. We tried lavender with no luck.
That looks very nice Morgan, I see that you have shrubs and small trees there, so I guess you just want to fill in the bed, right?
I forgot to ask which way does the bed face?
frostweed/Josephine?---The bed faces west. Could be the problem......hot sun. And yes I would like to fill in with some flowering perennials. I need some COLOR! We tried the grasses as you can see. They are huge in other ares, but pretty much suck here. I f we could screen the next yard would be good too.
:-) ♥
Well, you could try some of these plants.
Zexmenia, Wedelia texana;; http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=WETE
Skeleton-leaf Goldeneye, Viguiera stenoloba;; http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=VIST
Mexican Hat, Ratibida columnifera; http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RACO3
Western Ironweed, Vernonia lindhiemeri; http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=VELI3
Winecup, Callirhoe involucrata;; http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=VELI3
Autumn Sage, Salvia greggii; http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SAGR4
Scarlet Sage, Salvia coccinea; http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SACO5
Mealy Blue Sage, Salvia farinacea; http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SAFA2
These are all perennials that can take the heat and come back faithfully every year, most of these you would be better to start with plants rather than seed.
Let me know what you think.
I would throw in flame acanthus to screen the area.
That is a very good idea Cheryl.