Oh, yes they do close by midday if it is bright. I have seen big patches early in the morning covered with dew and they were beautiful, but by noon they were closed.
Spring Has Sprung! .... at least i hope so!!
Tracie, you don't have to give up on roses so quickly. The ones that passed the Earthkind test are quite good in our climate. Belinda's Dream is easy and everything you could want in a rose - well, except that it would be better with more fragrance, but still it's lovely.
I'm having my house painted as we speak. I thought I was picking out a beigy yellow, but no. It's really, really yellow! -- like an Easter egg. I was kind upset with myself until I realized that it really makes the garden pop! My roses especially the yellow and purple ones and the purple African Daisies look just fabulous against a bright yellow house. When I was an oh-so-cool teenager (or so I thought!), I swore that I would never hang plates on the wall or have a house the color of an Easter Egg and now I have both! Time marches on and we just get wiser!
LOL Elphaba, a friend said she would NEVER date a guy that drove a truck. She now has one sitting in her driveway and its' hers! Amazing how age and gardening changes ones perspective!
I will check out the dayflowers ~ they are pretty... Thanks!
forgive my ignorance, what is the Earthkind test?
tracie
Here's a link that shows the roses, but doesn't tell you enough about the test. As I recall, hundreds of roses were stuck in the ground and mulched. They were watered for the first two years but were never sprayed or fertilized or anything. After that, the test continued but they weren't even watered. If they not only survived but thrived, they were tested in gardens all over the state. If they thrived without any pesticides or fungicides in every test site across the state they were designated as Earthkind roses. I think they're expanding the test to be nationwide. Anyway, here is the link with pictures of the roses.
http://earthkindroses.tamu.edu/EKroses.html
thanks so much for the link. of course, it is at Texas A&M! you might have guessed by my id that i am an Aggie. lol
tracie
We will forgive you for that bit of faux paux. There are worst things. hahahahahah
Christi
Here's a reprint of a good article on the research. Skip down to the heading "scope of the research." You'll be amazed what these roses went through! Oh and excuse my spelling error. I always make Earthkind one word, in my book it's hyphenated and on the last link that I sent it was two words - whatever - it was a brilliant idea and test! I'm a longhorn but sometimes you aggies amaze me!
http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/article.phtml?cat=7&id=890
Okay, I have to say, I am one of those people who said I'd never have a truck. I still don't have one, but have wished for one many times in the last 2-3 years. Now I have a mini-SUV and it's wonderful! I can haul around soooooo many more plants. :)
Sometimes even a city girl's gotta haul rocks, and cement, and soil and of course composted cow manure! -- not to mention plants! I don't have a truck either, but I do have a new appreciation for them!
I can't believe I lived so long with out a pick up. My daughter used to always know when I had transported bagged mulch in the car. She didn't appreciate that earthy smell.
My garden seems to bloom later than most. Does salvia count?
This is Kerria.This pic doesn't do justice to the beautiful arching form. I think it is nicknamed Japanese rose.Which reminds me......... I can vouch for earth kind roses. I have Belinda's dream and I love it.I have a few other kinds too. Last year there was a sale at the A&M extension in Collin County. They had them for good prices.
http://www.ccmgatx.org/ Click on events to get more info about the sale.It was very well organized and the plants were very healthy.
Bananna ~ is a Salvia in bloom in March normal? What kind is it? It is a rich color ~ very pretty!
Anna, are you the one who brought me two little salvia greggii cuttings at the fall swap? One is labeled "garnet" and it's budded out.
Okay, I'm getting annoyed. The Collin Co sale is on April 19, and so is the Arboretum sale... and those are both the same day as the Waxahachie party. :( Hard to fit it all in one day!
It is no contest, Waxahachie is the winner.
LA Iris are finally waking up....a good hard rain would help a lot
April is a busy month. I don't think I will make it to either on the 19th. So sad.
Yes, that is salvia garnet.
Debbi, that is a gorgeous Iris, do you know its name?
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Anna, I am so sorry you won't make to Waxahachie, I was looking forward to seeing you again.
Josephine.
The pink one is Early On Josephine:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/136225/
=)
One of the yellow flag iris Sheila brought me for my pond bloomed last week.... a gorgeous navy blue. LOL. We were not expecting blue, but it was beautiful. None of my bedded irises even have buds yet, so we really enjoyed it.
Pod, I think it is unusual to have that blooming so early. That is a very sunny area .All my other garnets and other colors are not blooming.
Yes, Josephine, I will miss getting to know you all better. Maybe we can have a little picnic and trip to the wildscape sometime
What is a yellow flag iris and walking iris and walking onions?
Anna
Aggiegirl
silverfluter,
what? lol i think the rest of your message got lost!
tracie
That Early On LA iris is stunning! My neighbor gave me a bunch of LA irises that haven't bloomed yet. I'm hoping one will be a pink variety. I don't remember the name of this plant, but it's been just lovely this spring. It's a small tree really, about eight feet tall. Could probably be pruned into a nice bush, but I don't prune!
hi there folks, i hope everyone is having a great Easter! here are a few pictures taken this morning.
tracie
my 3rd hyacinth in the group finally bloomed
some beautiful marguerite daisies that i picked up at Lowe's, couldnt resist. dont they just make you smile?
Marguerite Daisy
Pictures taken today
Texas mountain laurel.
flowering almond.
clematis, Guernsey cream
yellow columbine
verbena
columbine
daffodils
Walking onion ~ http://davesgarden.com/community/journals/viewentry/111405/
Walking Iris ~ Neomarica gracilis http://davesgarden.com/community/journals/viewentry/137019/
Walking Iris ~ Neomarica longifolia
http://davesgarden.com/community/journals/viewentry/110082/
There is also a solid blue walking Iris which I will have someday. These bloom and form plantlets where the bloom was rather like a spider plant. The plant will set roots and "walk" spreading in this manner. The walking onion doesn't bloom but sets bulbs and new plants at the top. They grow, weighting the stalk down. When it touches ground, they will root and spread.
The yellow flag I don't grow. I think it resembles the LA iris only yellow???
Rita ~ pretty photos! I really like the Verbena purple. Do you know which one it is?
Pod--are your Neomarica's blooming now?
Hippeastrum Voodoo or Naughty Lady
LA Iris 'Frenchmen Street'
Zephyranthes atamasco; the North American Easter Lily
LA Iris 'Metarie Ridge'--a little blurry, the wind was blowing...
Herbertia lahue--the Texas form, in with a bunch of Crinum hildebrantii, where it should not be
