Shelia, I hate that tree topping thing too. I wonder who started that? I did notice in an old edition of The Houston Garden Book that they recommended that for crepe myrtles, so maybe that's it's start. Luckily, the loquat's form wasn't ruined by the tips freezing. Mine branched fairly low to the ground so the top was more like a shrub rather than having a few main trunks. Once the damaged parts were trimmed, it just put out more brances. They're pretty forgiving plants.
Let's see your garden!
Raggins, I *love* your Nicotiana!!! I would dearly love to grow some but (1) my yard gets way too much sun for them and (2) the last time I planted one, it was eaten immediately by a black caterpillar. Nicotiana is, I think, my nemesis plant. :-) Yours is lovely and I'll bet your patio smells heavenly because of them.
Carla
That is what I was thinking too, that patio looks great.
Wow! You have beautiful gardens and such an inspiration!
Here's a pic I took the other day of my bed at the end of my driveway.
My nicotinias have full sun and love it.
Very beautiful garden pictures, everyone! Keep them coming!!
Love the patio and plants, great bed Stephanie!
Crow, you may be right, I do top my Crepe Myrtles. They only flower from new growth, so I want it lower where I can enjoy it. Plus if I didn't keep it under control it would grow into the wires on that side of the yard.
Nicotiana in full sun?? Alright, I needed an excuse to go to the nursery this weekend, and you've just given it to me. I'll give that plant another try. :-)
Carla
Stephanietx, what are the pink and white poker shaped plants in your picture? Is it Speedwell? It's a lovely combination. If you can, tell me if it's grown from seed or purchased plants. Thanks.
Crow, they are indeed Speedwells. I got them as little 4" plants last year. They were supposed to be blue, but this year they've bloomed mostly white and pink. I did have one blue one very early in the spring. I'm wondering if it has something to do with temperature or acidity in the soil.
I've taken 2 pieces that have broken off and am trying to root them. One I just stuck out in the bed in an empty spot and it's hanging in there in spite of all the rain we've been having. The other I put in a glass of water in my kitchen window until I could get around to sticking it in a pot and it produced 2 more flower stalks (very small ones)! Then, when I finally got around to potting it, it had a very small little root on it. I've not found any information on propagating from seed. I ordered some more from BlueStone's half off sale and they should arrive next week sometime.
Here was one last year (there are 2 clumps of them)
Stephanie, those are really pretty. Where did you buy the plants from? Since I am here in FW too, thought I might ask.
Here's a picture of one of my gerbera daisy plants. I love these, I think they are such a cheerful flower.
And here is my cheerful little dwarf dahlia. something is eating at my leaves and old blooms though. :(
Here is a carnation (dianthus) I have in a pot.
Sheila, I bought them at Weston Gardens last year. The last time I was there about a month ago, they only had the blue border one, not the speedwells. I need to get back over there and see if they've gotten any in or can order it if I decide I want more. I might just try to do more cuttings.
Thanks Stephanie, they are just down I-20 from me, but I don't go there much. I will need to get by there too.
Steggars nursery is about a mile from Weston. Wish I could give directions.
Best place in Texas.
This daylily is awesome..."Alabama Jubilee" - first bloom today!
Mauna Loa
Beautiful Daylilies Steve!
Love your lily pics, Steve! All of them are so pretty!
All that color makes me jealous. I was going to plant some Mexican Heather in the front, but the deer got after it. All I can put in is Society Garlic, it seems, as they left it alone completely.
They even tried to eat the Spanish Dagger plant I put in a stump to replace the red saliva annual that they nibbled on! Drat them.
Anyway, if anyone has ideas for flowering bushes or plants that they won't eat, pleeease let me know.
I would love to have day lilies, or red fountain grass, but I'll bet they will consider that hor d'ovres.(opps, can't spell french words)
Here is my front garden today. The original home owner did not believe in landscaping at all, so this is all I've managed so far since 2004.
See?! Nibbled spanish dagger! I had Portulaca hanging down around the salivia and they went to town on that too. So I thought I'd put in the Spanish Dagger and it would be safe, but NOOOOO!
I have a tall fence in the back yard that we just installed last year, so this is my first year that I can actually grow things without watching them get destroyed. I lost a 7 year old Bouganvillea and several Hibiscus prior to this fence going in. The horror!
I am have a container garden this year, since we are going to put in a deck and then landscape the yard. Finally, a little color!
I will try to post pictures of those pretties in a bit.
container garden with Salvia, Celosia, Hibiscus, blooming Twisted Yucca, Zennia, Marigolds, Verbena, and Petunias.
The Bouganvillia was a flea market purchase in south Texas for $4.50. JOY!
Great shots of your new efforts in the Austin house. (What a pretty house, too.)
The Twisted Yucca is a weed that I need to remove, but since it is blooming, it bought itself more time.
Here are two of our gardens this late afternoon -- the rose garden has a new rose installed: Gypsy Carnival, and just beyond that, Misty the Pomeranian sits and supervises us. Just beyond her, the butterfly garden is kicking into high gear.
And sitting beneath the birdfeeders in the little Zen circle, Mr. Sprits'l sits at the edge of the chapel garden. Beyond him is the weather garden. These two are new installations a-building this weekend, just beginning to establish.
That is lovely...what a wonderful job you did.
I can only hope I get there one day.
The Hibiscus bloomed. At least something is flourishing on this hot day.
The Petunia is diggin' this hot day too.
Oh that's a beautiful hibiscus -- and perfectly partnered by that pot! (Say that five times fast. :-D)
Beautiful colors Cocoa_Lulu! Tangled mess or not, I like it.
Susannah_C ~ can you tell me which Creeping Speedwell you grow? http://davesgarden.com/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=creeping+speedwell&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search
I am curious if a specific variation does better in the heat... Most listed in PF are being grown in cooler climates.
This one, Georgia Blue!
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/76872/index.html
It is very pretty, thanks for the link. pod
Steve, daylilies finally blooming. These are the ones I inherited from my mother and I don't one from another. They are just common daylilies as far as I know. She was not a particular gardener, just as long as it bloomed.
Can you ID?
another...closer
