I read Roger your posting...it is hilarious! Do other nurseries do the same with plants? Let me know about sales like this! Wow.
June 8th Austin Nursery Tour Pics
bubbles, I have just been catching up with the posts and you are
O kay just checked back to my post and the computer did not register the whole writting. Well Shoot!
I can't remember all that I wrote so forget this post. skip this one and read on everyone.
you guys are having a lot of fun here, I like that.
calvin
This message was edited Jun 18, 2006 9:26 PM
Here's what your Rudbeckia 'Goldilocks' will do...one of my favorites this year.
Debbie
Lowe's follow-up.....after dinner, as we were exiting pkg lot....I "wonder out loud" how far the Steck Lowe's was....and DH fell right into it....and we went....it was pretty picked over at 8:45, but found a few things at 75% off....and now I'm truly grounded...no more Lowe's till I plant this stuff.....
wow Bubbles. You did good lady. I tell you, our Lowes up here at Tech Ridge (35 and Howard) always has tons of stuff on sale. I picked up tons of .25 annuals and there was so much...it was crazy. There were two of the funniest African American ladies...a mom and her grown daughter and a middle aged Chinese lady who were all going nuts over the plants. They were cracking me up. I had the best time with them. I had to get a few myself. However, I was ONLY there to get Hibiscus food for the Creeper. And I got sucked in.
I'll have to ready Bryan your post. Bruce is MUCH more tolerant of you plant buying than my DH. However, he does like when I say I got them so cheaply. He was a bit freaked by all the cuttings I brought home from your house but now that they are all in pots looking gorgeous (and some went home with Merae) he is pretty happy.
We are thinking of making a secret garden behind the enormous primrose plant. We have lots of nice dappled shade back there that would make a nice coleus/caladium/moonvine/etc garden. Maybe a bird bath and some...yes, you guessed it...contrete balls. haha. LOL!
I appreciate what you said about the maters. We have eaten several this weekend and Bryan is really into the blacks now. He is so funny. The first black I grew and had ripe, he said it looked very unappetizing...but once I put a sliced Black from Tula in his lunch, he was hooked. He dove into the Black Krim for lunch today. I picked a Porters Pride today. I have a few Brandywine Reds and about 8 hardrock that will be ready soon.
Debbie, my step mom grows the Goldilocks and they are beautiful.
Michelle
bubbles, you are cracking me up. i was just laughing and laughing while reading your post.
Michelle, after my first taste of the BFT, I am also hooked on the Blacks. I tell you that mater was delicious. :-) You will have to let me know how the Black Krim compared to the BFT. It was nice to see you and Bryan at church this morning. See you again soon.
MIchelle, I wasn't kidding..those were beautiful tomatoes. You really should consider entering the garden show. Those were great, healthy looking specimens. 'And it's a kick when some judge thinks so too! I'd encourage you to go to the mtgs for the Garden Club of Austin. Maybe you and Merae could go together. Great speakers...and great members. Always someone who has the answers..or the cuttings! Connie plans to join. And anyone in town who's interested in tropicals should try to see member, Joe Montgomery's yard Sunday, Jun 25th. He's grown huge palms from seeds for over 30 yrs. Has gorgeous bromeliads, ferns, all kinds of tropicals.
I dug about 50 or more cannas out of the front beds this morning that were taking up space and water. Put them into gallon pots/ 3 to 6 each, and stuck a sign on the curb. They're all gone. Sorry Ampy...I wanted to save you some.....I also started cutting back all the salvias so they'd get a new flush of blooms in a few weeks.
Had company this afternoon and again this evening, so didn't get that Rangoon Creeper out of it's pot....still. Where I want to plant it, the deer will stick their snouts thru and eat it! Think I'll staple netting over the lattice on the fence and plant it out the breakfast rm window. Got some of the new stuff planted. Also have a Kapok tree to plant....been in pot since the 1st of June.
I'm glad you found some bargains at Lowe's too. Will share that with Bruce...make him feel better....
Your secret garden sounds neat. I like to go down behind the pond sometimes and take a garden magazine...and plot what to do next! I swear it's 10 degrees cooler down there.
Finally....take Brian to the new HEB out in Circle C and let him see the price of those black tomatoes per lb.......holy cow!
Tomatoholic,
are the black's sweet? Can you share the experience in words? My curiousity if up. Are they warm season? I think I will try getting my hands on some seeds and see for my self, but till then share the experience.
Bruce likes them, sounds like you are changing him over to a gardener. Soon He will want to get rid of the grass and go for the GARDEN look. Keep at it time changes all things.....lol.
bubbles you are great. I am so inspired by you motivation and love of the PLANT. Thank you for offering your friendship.
Connie, are you back yet from dallas? Hope everything went well? I think I am way behind on the up and up here but trying to slowly get back into keepin up with you Ladies. Man, you guys are of and running.
got to go will write(type)later
calvin
Okay...I'm back from Dallas and thanks to Bigbubbles and her mention of the SALE!!!, (yeah...Sandi...DH says "Thanks a lot!!" ha) I stopped at 2 Lowe's, but let me tell you, their 75 off area did NOT have plants that looked like the ones you got!!! They were half dead! But their 50 off rack had better looking (and livin'!) stuff.....lots of Red Hot Sallys, and mine did well, so I got a flat of them for 10 cents a plant (in the six packs)..I compared to the next size pot, and the heights/ stems were the same!!
We also went to Blooming Color in the D/FW area (can't tell you where...somewhere near where Roger used to live in Colleyville...just drove by and pulled in) and was real disappointed. They had NOTHING on sale, and I was angry with their display of ground covers. There was a sign that said "1.49 for (they listed them) and 2.49 others". So...there were about 15 quart tubs of black mondo grass (that I've been trying to find at a good price!!)literally surrounding the sign. So the lady comes by and I tell her I'll take all 15, and she informs me they are 5.99. I told her that is deceptive advertising, but she didn't care one bit! I left without buying the things I already had selected. Has this ever happened to anyone else? I should have insisted, but that would have been a loss to the nursery, I guess, and maybe it was some worker who placed them there, .....but I sure was disappointed!!!
I also went to Callahans. Got 3 pots...2 of them at 50 off....all contemporary, but due to late season, could not fine 2 alike for the new jade plants I got here in Austin the other day. Also bought 2 "Banana Split Yuccas" and one type of grass that looks like "Pink Crystals" but the lady swore it was something else...Savannah grass??
Be glad you didn't find more plants. Now I'm forced to plant 'em and it's muggy out there. Sounds like you got some good deals in Dallas. Haven't heard of Banana Split Yucca, but it's making me hungry!
If you haven't sent Tom that pic of him at GO, you should. It's a great photo of him..and his plant. And don't forget to get on the e-mailing list so you can find out about sales.
Back to the yard again. Daughter is here this week with baby, while they get kitchen remodeled. Gonna enjoy the babe...
Meredeth from GO just called about some more planting they are doing for us...and I asked him about the dwarf Mugo Pines. He said they don't always do well here in Austin...know anything about them?
No, but the Afghan pines that everyone was using about 10 yrs ago have now all begun to crater. Seems it takes years for them to reach a marketable size, so they were left in 5-10 gal pots to sell. Landscapers then planted them without noticing that the roots were strangling the main stem by growing round and round. Took 10 yrs in the ground for the trees to finally die. When people dig them up, they discover the roots circling. Stayed in pots too long. Some thought it was a disease, but the pines just commit suicide. Watch around Austin, and if you see a Afghan pine, chances are pretty good that it's gasping it's last breath.......(Oh, ....and Calvin...I might be making this up!)
Ohhhh...what a sad story! And Afghan makes me think of Afghan hounds...even makes it more sad! :(
So....Sandi...what would you suggest that I plant instead of the Mugos as accents in that front bed? I don't want anything tall...just maybe 4 to 6 feet... I saw some--I think they said "knife-leaf acacias" at the Ladybird J. garden tour...yes? Nice and leafy...almost transparent...
Calvin, yes, sweet, juicy, hmmmmm...a little smokey maybe? I do not taste the acidic that you have in most other tomatoes. I'm saving seeds for Merae and happy to save some for you too. Let me know and I'll mail them to you. I believe they do well in the heat for the most part, but like most tomatoes, would prefer not over 72 at night and not over 88 during the day. OH..to live in California! haha. But they do seem to be doing okay. A little slow on setting fruit right now.
And Bryan (or Bruce...whatever!) will never give up his precious St. Augustine grass. But I might get him to give up the nasty ground cover so I can put pretty things. But killing and pulling that stuff will be a major ordeal.
Geesh...sometimes I wish I could curl up with the puter like a good book at night, then I could read all these!
BigBubbles, you are sooooo on my list of garden mentors...wow...what a yard!!
Wish I coulda been there!
meiyu...
We wish you could have come also. Maybe we'll all plan a trip to San Antonio, and you can go with us to some neat nurseries there. We used to live in Live Oak outside of SA years ago. 'But then I only had pansies in the winter and petunias in the spring!
I'm afraid Connie's new camera made my garden look a lot better than it does in person! But if you're going to be in Austin, please let us know and you're invited to come by and see for yourself.
Sandi
Sandi, my DH and I come to Austin to grocery shop at the Whole Foods on 6th/ then drop by the Book People. We end our trips there and usually start our trip going to nurseries. The end of May we came and went to Gardenville. He loved that place. We try to concentrate on 1 and see everything so I won't miss something. We bought a great banana tree and a bunch of tropicals. It was the Sun. after you guys had that small tornado blow thru. LOVE,LOVE,LOVE Austin. I lived there in the 70's and have kicked myself for not moving back. Now I couldn't afford the property in the area I'd want. We always drive thru neighborhoods and just stroll around. You have a wonderful garden and I love that fountain.
hilary
Hilary
Thanks for garden compliment. We don't live too far from Barton Springs Nursery if you haven't visited that one. I noticed you bought tropicals. BSN has lots of banana varieties and tropicals, as well as perennials. From Whole Foods, take 6th to Mo-Pac...stay left and enter Mo-Pac, heading west. Get off at Bee Cave Rd. BSN will be about 2 miles on the left. Lesss than 10 minutes from grocery. If you decide to come back into Austin, let me know. We'd love to have you stop by. When you wrote "Gardenville," did you mean "Natural Gardener?" Or did I miss a spot to shop?!
Sandi
Heyllo everyone,
Meiyu, Thank you for opening up your garden and showing around. I do believe that your backyard looks great, even with the pile of mulch lingering there. I wish you would take pics and show everyone else. Great views from any angle. AND thank you for the plants and bananna and fig trees. the fig leaves are withering but I expect that after being cut away from mama and now having the redevelop its own root system. and the banana tree leaves have folded but I also expected that, it is trying to conserve enegery and redirect to new roots as well. Placed both in direct sun 8-10 hrs. a day but might move so they only get about 6 hrs a day. Placed the daylily, irisis' and canna in the ground right after arriving home, I was too excited to sleep and crashed hard after tending to the new arrivals you graciously gave.
THANK you
Connie-- Meiyu also seperated some canna for you (tropicanna was one of them and another exotic but can't remember the name and some others. Need to make arrangements to delivery, Please dmail for call my cell phone. I have them in pots with no soil but will add soil today to try and get them to perk back up, they have callosed over to protect themselves.
Tomatoholic, thanks for the description of tast. I am interested in the seeds. And the started seeds of the green zebra are doing wonderfull. I thinned them out and now have 6 healthy looking plants with the first set of true leaves. I am yanking out most of my veggies to make room for them and about 14 "lemon" cucmber plants.
I planted all of my loofa vines, and moonvines. They are in shock right now because of the environment. They soon will realize it is a great place and will begin to take of, I hope.
got to go and take care of the iddos and cannas, speak to ya'll later.
calvin
Connie...just saw rest of your message. I haven't seen your front yard, so wouldn't hazard a guess as to what to plant there....will have to wait till we go out there for lunch!
However,.....whatever I should suggest...you will have already bought 64 of 'em! How do you do that? Are you using legal drugs to lull your husband into thinking you've got his best interest at heart...until he leaves again????? This no longer works for me since retirement. DH is too quick for me now. I was pretty good at it in Tucson. He'd have "missions" that would take him away for weeks...or months. Out of sheer boredom, I'd call the rock/brick guys and order something. He'd return and cluck about what I'd done, ....but....we were only there for two years.....sold the house for more than double what we paid for it. Buyer said it was because of the landscaping around the yard and pool. Now.... I sneak around in the back alleys of various Lowe's....hoping for a desiccated gallon bell flower or such...sigh...............
Okay....another report on LOWE's great sale...thanks to Bigbubbles' telling me about it....
Went to the one at Bee Cave tonight and got 3 of the 2 gallon Black Fountain grass...the tag said 14.99 and got them for 2 bucks each!!! Also got several of the cape honeysuckles for 2 bucks also...and some other plants for 50 cents for a med. pot!!! (some kind of corkscrew-looking things...need lots of water!!!)
Yippeeeee...I l
Okay...b/c of all of y'alls sales...I actually had a dream last night that I was at some nursery like Great Outdoors and all those huge and gorgeous pots that were hundreds of dollars were $2.00 each. Weird hu? I was in hog heaven. I believe all plants were .25 ea as well. Too bad it was just a dream!!!!
Michelle
Wow...let me in THAT dream!~ lol
Michelle...can you (and DH...or Merae and HD?) come for lunch on July 3? Did you see the invite over on the other thread we've been posting on? We're going to meet at Red Barn first...for those who are so inclined! ha
Connie, thank you for the invite. I'd love to see your garden.. I did mean the Natural Gardener (John D.) on Old Bee Cave Rd. I shopped w/them way back in the 70's or 80's. Just when it was beginning. Not sure of the time frame, seems like yesterday that I lived there. I was 20.. Well, that was a day or two ago, since we're the same age.. But, he's always been one of my fav. places. I always would buy the bat guano from him in 50 lb. bags. I don't think they sell it like that anymore. It used to be $20. for 50 lb. Now it's a fortune for a tiny bag. Like poop is worth more now since everyone got on the band wagon. Back then they couldn't give it away. I was the only fool paying for it.. Thanks for the directions to the other nursery. I love visiting them. We started to go to the Great Outdoors but ran out of time. We usually do a day trip. It's only a 90 min. trek, so quite doable. If you guys ever want a road trip, come up to Waco. I have an unusual "garden" in that it's on a limestone hill. We've worked very hard moving rock and digging out the planting places. My DH has built me a beautiful garden shed, a Chicken house for my exotic "girls & boys" and a guinea house for my "eaters". They keep my garden clean of the grasshoppers. We have a Roo house for the boys as they don't play nice so they have to stay isolated. Serves them right. I have been in Dallas since I left Austin in '77 and only came to the country in '03. Just love the slower pace but miss the nurseries I had there. I know all the good ones. Hope to come see your garden someday soon.
hilary
Well fine!!!!! Now that you've discovered my BC Lowe's, I had to find another spot to plant shop. Went to HEB on Bee Cave and 71. They have bat-faced cupheas in red, and another in fushia...but with "frilly" outer flowers. Does that make sense? I hadn't seen these before. I have the plain kind. Tag said from nursery in Kyle. Also found a clerodendrum I don't have. Did I mention I still haven't planted stuff from 2 wks ago? I may go back and get a Carnation of India they had. Looked like a tree and was covered in blooms. I have one, but the surprise freeze in early Dec. got it, and it's just coming back. Will probably not bloom till fall.
The Cape honeysuckle you bought Connie is the plant I bought 6 of without knowing what it was! Plant files says it'll get 8ft tall! My neighbors to the left will think we don't like them anymore!!! And I do like them!!!!! She's trying to get pregnant and doctor said, "No alcohol." So she opens bottle of wine....takes a half glass, then brings the nearly full bottles over here. Hmmmm....
Hilary...your e-mail came thru as I was posting also. I'd love to see your garden. sounds very interesting. Maybe I can get the members of my "Horticult" to ride up one day.
My SIL is from Waco! He's in charge of the class reunion for Reicher this weekend. On one of my "girl trips" with friends, we stopped at the WalMart outside Waco a couple of yrs ago. They were getting rid of some palms,etc. We stuffed plants everywhere! And I wasn't even getting a lot then. They had some good plants....that weekend. Gate's open to you anytime....stop by. and I'll try to get to Waco one day too!
Sandi
Hmmm...the tag for my CH's from Great Outdoors said 5 feet...which they could make up their minds! lol
Perhaps there are several cultivars? Well, I placed them against a rock wall that's about 3 feet tall and then the neighbor's WI fence is there, so it should look okay. I'm going to add the 2 I bought (or was it 3???) to the end where there's a cedar stump I need to hide! (Is there any reason to have to get rid of those??)
Bigbubbles...I don't think you have replied since I set the date for the lunch at my house....July 3, a Monday. Hope that works for you since you and I were the ones who stated saying we needed to go to Red Barn and then lunch.
I can easily make a couple of salads (with meat, so we have energy after all that shopping at RB!!) for about 15 people or so. And I thought I'd make my famous Key Lime Pies....yum...will have to break my diet for that!! :)
Connie...sounds like a plan. Only hitch may be if we stay over at the lake that weekend to get ready for the 4th. Will have to check with the Big Kahuna.....
BigBubbles, love to have your group. We love sharing our garden w/friends. It's where I enjoy being as it's so calming and rewarding. I really love the wildlife. This afternoon, I was coming up the gravel road and a beautiful hawk escorted me to my home. He greets me often when I come up. It's like he shows me the way up. I have a bunny family that prowls around in the early am and later in the evening. The babies are precious. Right now I have a family of Carolina wrens in my ivy planter on the front porch. It's just so wonderful to see the simplistic parts of life after the hectic, road rage, lifestyle I moved from. This is living.
hilary
Well, tell the Big Kahuna he's invited also!!! He's part of the GROUP!!! :)
Here's a pic of the beautiful Begonia you gave me...in his new home. Gets just a tiny bit of sun...but is under the eaves of my carport,
(Will send later..gotta go)
Oh phooey! I can't go July 3rd. Bryan has Monday and Tuesday off from work so we have lots of plans for both days. darn!! May I please be invited to the next lunch and RB Connie??
Hey Connie and others...I saw in today's (Saturday's) Statesman on the back page of Living section that Red Barn has an ad saying all plants 50% off thru June 30th.
Michelle
Michelle...why would you feed my addiction by pointing out that ad?
We had to run into BX yesterday. I told DH I was just going to "look" at the plants outside. I swear...and he will too....the minute I stepped out the door, the speaker blared, ".....and for our Customer Appreciation......every plant in the garden center is 50% off for the next 2 hours!" DH grabbed the door and yelled out to me, "It's a joke! Put those down!" It was too late, I already had some bananas and salvias that I was "guarding" till I could get a basket. I was able to rationalize it because I had a garden club friend here Friday morning from 9:30 to 1 scooping plants. We loaded her trunk and the back seat and floor. I think I've finally cleared out the underbrush! Was supposed to go to lake this morning, but rain has changed plan. I'm going to show Bruce what you've written, Michelle.....I'll let you know if he lets me go to Red Barn!!!!
Ladies, Ladies, Ladies..................
I had to share with the DW all the plant sales ya'll are finding and how jelious I am getting with the new additions your are adding to your gardens. I got inspired by ya'lls activity and ran myself down to the local Lowes and Home Depot and was very disappointed. There were no plant sales. :(
I was driving home after work one morning and saw a sign "today only $0.99" looked at the corner of a fuel station and a saw a truck full of plants and plants placed all around. My mouth and wallet began drooling when I saw some pink colored hibiscus, plectranthis, geraniums, banna plants and bouganvillas. I whip the car into the lot and inquired if the sign was for the plants. well, if I am telling this story you should know that happy endings are few. I sulked all the way home. The sign was for candies for sale inside the gas station not the plants. Oh well...........
You ladies have fun with the shopping and send some pics of the new family members (plants) to share with the rest of us or dmail them to me. I love seeing plants.
got to go and get new movie rentals for the kiddos, going to try and sneak over to a nursury too and get me something. DW doesn't know that yet and won't know.... unless I bring home a new family member. I feel like I have to sneak around to fill my plant pleasure, the family doesn't share the same excitement as I do.
take care everyone,
calvin
Tomato...I changed it to the next Monday for that same reason...too much going on...I forgot that Monday was the day of the July 4th weekend.... NOW can you come??? !!
Calvin...don't feel that way! Be proud of what you're doing for the family! I know they're proud of the beautiful yard!!!
About the Red Barn sale...hmmm....I just bought 4 mugo pines there for 25 off and 2 for 1/2 off (it had 2 dead branches!!) a few days ago....think they will refund me the other 25%??? I asked if a sale was coming and they said "not any more on those." Hmmmmm
Connie
Hi Connie...oh yes, I am free on the 10th and so put me down to meet y'all at RB and lunch at your place afterwards. Sounds like fun!! I'll see if Merae can get any time off on the 10th. It depends usually on whether she is under a deadline or not.
Well phooey on RB...b/c the sale goes thru June 30th. It said ALL Plants...but maybe they do not include certain bushes, trees, etc? I'm going to swing by there on my way to my sister's house on Wednesday. Now that I own a gas guzzler, I am careful to plan all my errands together on the way to or fro. :)
Merae and her DH were over yesterday for lunch after church and so of course, her DH and mine were going on and on teasing us about Merae and me and our plant obsession. But secretly, I think they both like how Merae and I have made our houses into homes with all the pretty plants. so there!
So Calvin, I feel for you...when the spouse isn't into the gardening like you are, it can be a bit difficult!!
have a great day, it was a gorgeous morning.
Michelle
It's going to be okay, Calvin, as soon as they begin to see what your inspiration creates, they will appreciate it. Remember all the gravelled paths? You don't think I did that, did you? My boys hulled it back there, one wheel barrel at a time...and didn't ask to be paid...well, not in money, but I did end up pitching in for the keg when they had a big party and invited a bunch of pretty girls to impress with all "their" hard work. I remember not sharing my mom's passion growing up, too...or not knowingly, anyway...not then. Peter calls most of the plants by their botanical name. Conor did the mosaic in the patio table, and they all helped lay the patio bricks, Katie's pulled weeds and helps pick out plants and decide where to put them. Give it time, they'll at least come to like that you like it.
Hey Calvin,
My Alba moonvine already has a bloom on it!! It isn't even in full sun. The lavendar one is in full sun but she is not blooming yet. do you recommend a plant food for it? Plain old Miracle grow? I'm so excited.
BTW, did you read what Dave wrote about the Empress Tree? This means so much to me that you and Tanya gave me this tree. You see, in China, an empress tree is planted when someone has a baby. Then when that baby is grown up and gets married, they cut the tree down to make furniture for the happy couple. Isn't that cool? Bryan and I are going to plant it where our Red Bud tree bit the dust. I need to dig out the stump...sounds like hard labor to me. yikes. Anyway, since we are getting our baby from China, it means even more to us to have the empress tree.
Michelle
Tomato...wow...what I story (as I wipe a little tear from my eye!!). That is sooo special! I have 2 of Calvin's Empress Trees, and both are growing so quickly! If yours dies, (I know it won't...but something could come along and wipe it out!) come get one of mine!
Have you decided on names for your child yet? Do you know if it's a girl or boy? How exciting!
Here is our baby blog: http://baby.omega71.com
Connie,We have requested a girl. 95% of the babies abandoned in China are girls. We started the process back in May 2005. We were originally suppose to go get her this August but alas, the Chinese governement is behind. Then we thought we would have her by Christmas. Nope, more delays. We are hoping by March next year we will travel over there to get her. The blog is long so you will need to click at the link on the bottom to view all entries from the beginning. Also, if you want to know when I update it, put your email address in at the bottom and you will receive an email letting you know that I have updated it.
We should have some news from our agency on July 5th about where our dossier is at in regards to being reviewed by the CCAA (Chinese center for adoption affairs).
So the tree means a lot to me now that I know the history behind it. I still have it in a 4" pot b/c I need to dig up the stump of the Red Bud tree that died. I hope I don't kill it, but if I do, I'll be calling you Connie and take you up on your gracious offer.
As far as a name for our baby....hmmmm....well, we have a couple we are considering but have not made a decision. I think we both want to see her picture before we name her. That will be when the CCAA picks our baby and sends the info on her to our agency and our agency translates it and sends it to us. They will include pictures of her. When we talk about her, we refer to her as Su-Lin which means in Chinese: A little bit of something special or sweet. This will either be a part of her name or her nick name. She will have an American name however.
Michelle