I took this picture yesterday. It will be next year's bloom. It stays green all winter. Could you buy a bag of dirt and add sand to create a well drained area to sow seeds?
Gardening with Texas Native Plants & Wildflowers, part 13.
Sally, I could probably do what you said since I love those plants so much, we shall see what happens.
Josephine.
Dear Sally, I received the seed of the Standing Cypress today. You are such a sweetheart to do this, and I really appreciate it. Thank you very much, I will find them a special place.
Here is a picture of one that I took at the Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas.
Josephine.
Now, would you like to have some seed of this sweet little one?
It is called Brazos Penstemon, Penstemon tenuis, it is a short lived perennial that reseeds very well, and it blooms in the spring. Here is a close up of the flower. I love this one too and it is very prolific.
And a picture of the whole plant, I just love them. Please let me know if you would like to have them.
Josephine.
Yeah...the Brazos Penstemons are nice! I've had them in my yard for years, ever since someone shared some with me. Such a special time of year when they're blooming! Oh, now winter is coming and I want spring already! But not to worry, there's still things blooming outside, so I won't go into withdrawal yet! And there's still quite a few butterflies too! These are Queens on milkweed blooms.
That is a gorgeous picture Linda!!! You really did capture the beauty of the butterfly and the flower.
We are so lucky to still have those around, aren't we?
Some people are already in deep Winter mode, but we are blessed with a much longer season.
I found about 8 catterpillars on my passin vine yesterday, it looked like they were pretty mature already, I hope they make it. Here is one of them.
I've got those also. Some will probably make it! Just now, I spotted a Monarch outside, must be lagging behind most of them, because I haven't seen one in almost a week. It's on White Mistflower, Eupatorium havanense. This plant has gotten too large and is shading out nearby plants, but as long as the butterflies love it so during bloom season, how can I take it out? I'd like to get one of those Eupatorium wrightiis also, just don't know where to get one. I understand that they stay smaller.
Speaking of things still blooming, my Chocolate Daisies that I cut back earlier decided they'd bloom again. It's probably planted too near to those Red Yuccas, but it seems happy!
My Copper Canyon Daisys are still blooming like crazy.... :) A wonderful aroma...to me anyway, in SMALL doses..lol. My Pink Skullcap is really blooming too.. :)
Melanie
Hello Melanie, good to hear from you, I have Turk's cap and Lantana still blooming too.
Today I finished cutting down the plants on the slope, that was a big job glad it is done.
Josephine.
All my lantana here is in bloom, and Dantura... a few of the salvia but on the whole they are done for the year.
hi Josephine...nice to see you too... :)
My different lantanas are still blooming alot....especially the Dallas Red....tho my black/blue salvia is done for the season...which breaks my heart...because I love it so much. I'm still waiting to see if my White Skullcap will bloom for me. I've also been collecting seeds from my Pink Fairy Duster....since the pods are popping their seeds out right now. My Woolly Butterfly Bushes are still blooming quite prettily.. :) And my Woolly Beebrush is still covered in dainty pink blooms. What solace our gardens do offer our troubled hearts. :)
Melanie
My Turk's Cap is still blooming a bit also...I call the oldest and largest plant the "mother" plant, because the rest of them are from her. I have two lantanas still blooming, the gold and the pink & yellow. And one Tropical Sage insisted it would come back and bloom. And a Fairy Duster, like Melanie's, has some blooms still. The Velvet-leaf Mallow are a big hit with the butterflies, just keeps blooming. I hear a freeze is coming up next weekend, guys! Let's all wish it away!
Yes!!! let us wish it away, but I am afraid it may not help.
Just in case I have all the plants that need protection, ready and handy on the patio. I have 13 trays full of cups with little plants, I think that adds up to 234, and about 30 gallon pots to bring in on the nights when it freezes.
I think I must be crazy, but I just can't seem to be able to waste any little plants. So as you can see we are going to have some busy evenings bringing all those into the garage. This is after I already planted in the ground many of the ones I had. Maybe I need a ( plantchyiatrist )
Josephine.
It sounds like what you need Josephine is a greenhouse! :)
You are probably right Paige, the problem is that I don't want to give up any of my garden space, and I don't know if I would like the looks of a greenhouse in the back yard. I guess I need to think about it.
lol...I know the feeling. Its suppose to be around 28 or so here on Friday morning...and I'm still looking at a few pots of plants that I have left over from the SA RU. I'm too worried to put them in the ground...lol. I sure hate to see my green babies get frosty.. :( But I reckon its Mother Nature's way of keeping things in balance. :) I noticed that my Globe Mallow is losing its leaves already too.
Melanie
I can't wait until spring to see all of my newly planted beds come alive. Sleep well my babies..
I totally understand Josephine. What about building something around your already existing shelves? (don't tell Frank I suggested it...lol) You are such a sweetheart to be mothering all those plants because I know they are all ones you plan on giving away. I have about 10 in pots still that will have to be moved in the garage. I just don't have anywhere to plant them right now.
Thank you Paige, it does appear that if I don't get my plant passion under control, we will have to do something.
Maybe next year I will be able to have less at year end, if not we will have to seriously consider it.
It would be easy to build something right over the pot shelves you have now...
I have a wonderful plan for a greenhouse from PVC with a dome roof. I plan on doing it one day! But don't tell my DH LOL!!
It was from someone on DG. I will scan it and email it to you if you are interested. Don't remember where I saw it but I printed it off. It is complete with a parts list.
Or you could just add skylights to your shed and use it in the winter.. if there is room in there.
There ya go, Mitch knows what to do SO.... :) It's kind of late now but next year I'd be more than willing to join in on a "build Josephine a greenhouse/cover" party!
Same here - I would be thrilled to help.
I really like the skylights idea, it would be the least intrusive, but we would have to do some major rearranging in there, as it is right now we can hardly get in. It would give a really good incentive to clean up, and get rid of a lot of junk we no longer need, we shall see.
Well Guys, this is what the slope looks like now after removing tons of plants, Idid leave a few that were still blooming.
Josephine, it looks rather bare from when I was there this year!! LOL!! You have done a lot of work. You can't tell from the picture how long the slope is, but I remember. Well we are ready for the freezing weather to hit tomorrow. My Frostweed hasn't turned red like your's has, so I hope it will hold on and let me see it. But if not I will sure want to take pictures of the frozen beauty of it.
Yes, I am hoping to get some pretty ice sculptures on it, we shall see. By the way, the turning red is rare, this is the first time I have seen it.
OK, then I won't feel slighted, lol! My DH is staying home today, so I told him to watch for the ice on the Frostweed. I will be excited to see the formations it makes.
I had a few red leaves on mine. I think it's from those few cold but not freezing days we had. I wonder what color they will be tomorrow?
Well Guys, I went out there this morning and found out that the Frostweed did its thing, not as pretty as last year, but very nice. Here we are.
A closer view.
Closer still, did yours do it?
Here is a picture of last years ice on it, very pretty I think.
not anything like that this year... then again they just have a low brick wall around them,
I don't think they did here. I wonder, how cold does it have to get? it was 28° here. I'm just glad it didn't get any colder. Another freeze coming tonight. If it's this cold now, what will January be like?
I hope not too bad... I hate the cold!
We got down to 25 and not all of them did it. I hate the cold too, thank Goodness it doesn't last long in Texas.