NL
Another plant that is really great is the hyssop. I have a very large one and that is one of the things that I really like about it. It attracts the bees. One thing that really bothers me is that we hear more and more that the bees are dying and nobody really seems to have any answers on that problem and it is a very large problem. I have different hyssops scattered in the garden primarily for this reason. Here is a giant white hyssop with Clematis Hendryetta.
How pretty! I'll have to get some of that. I've read a couple of times that one thing that's killing bees is people using pesticides in their yards. I don't use them since they do kill indiscriminately. DH and I moved out of a subdivision almost 5 years ago and I seldom saw butterflies, bees, or other insects in my yard. I love it out here where I have hundreds of them. I'm trying to naturalize the yard. We have 5 1/2 acres that's yard and the other 5 we left wooded for the deer, foxes, rabbits, etc. I love sitting on the front porch and getting to watch all the critters. Thanks again for sharing the info about hyssop--I will be looking for some when I go to town this afternoon.
I'm concerned about the bees too. So I bought a Blue Mason Bee Nest kit from Kinsman. Hoping to attract them as they are great pollinators, non agressive, don't sting.
Most all my plants feed something, whether it's birds, hummers, butterflies or bees or moths. I'm hoping to make some moths very happy with my newly planted brugs.
We live in the country on a dead end road on only an acre. I would love to have 10. We have deer come through daily. They have a path worn down from the hundreds of wooded acres behind us. Undeveloped land that may never be developed. I too love to watch nature. I love to watch everything migrate. When we lived in south Fl it was the same old thing all the time. Here there is such variety. My fav is to listen to the birds sing and the cows low. They get loose from the farm down at the end of the road from time to time. I just thank God for the extra fertilizer. :)
BTW Naturelover, Vicksburg, really neat town, full of history and beautiful old homes.
LOL on that extra fertilizer Texas! It's great stuff! We also have deer trails through our yard. We plant a food plot (clover and winter wheat) for them down by the creek every year and it's wonderful to watch our resident doe bring her twin fawns out into it every spring. I need to set up our trail camera to see if I can get some pictures of her this year. We try to stay away from the plot so as not to disturb the deer. We have a lake behind us (not ours) and I love to get out early to watch the geese fly over our house. More acreage is nice but I spend a lot of my time mowing grass several months of the year--good thing I love working outside and that I'm retired! Vicksburg does have a lot of historical sites. Natchez is another great place--we love to go down there when the azaleas are in bloom. Haven't been down to tour the old mansions in a while--they sure are beautiful. My sister used to live out in Texas and y'all have lot's of neat places to see too. Some day, DH and I want to make another trip out that way.
I love the fawns. They are all legs. We have French Mulberry planted along our property line on the southside. In the fall the deer love the mulberries. I'll stand in my bedroom window and watch them eat. I do so love nature.
Yes, Natchez is a nice place too. Our city, Palestine, is second only to Galveston in the number of old historic buildings and homes in Texas. Of course since Ike came through, we may be number one now. It's a small town too. About 20,000 people. Tyler is the place here to see azaleas and the Rose Garden. It's huge and has every rose known to mankind.
Blue Light
I don't know anything about Palestine--sounds like it would be a nice place to visit if/when we make our trip out there again. I grew up in Bossier City, LA, and for years the farthest I got into Texas was when we went to Lake of the Pines not far across the state line. It's a beautiful place. Yeah, Ike wasn't very nice to y'all at all. Katrina didn't help us either. We went down to the coast to visit my son after Katrina and he took us on a tour to see all the damage. It was just devastating--so many gorgeous old homes and buildings completely demolished. And so many huge old oak trees were ruined too. It was so sad. But lots of folks are starting over and their spirit is strong--they are getting things looking good again.
Irwells, I just planted blue lights last fall. Hope to see it do a little growing this year. It's so pretty.
Naturelover, we got hit by hurricane Charley in 2004 while living on the Fl west coast. It looked like a nuclear bomb had gone off. Shattered trees, homes, lives. It's devastating to a community. That's why I live in Texas now. But ya know what's funny? When Rita came through we were under an inland hurricane watch. I about croaked. Still have nightmares about those howling winds. Then last year when Ike came through the eye went right over Palestine as a cat1. We had no power, water or phone for three days. Thank goodness it was cool. But the squirrels got busy rebuilding the very next day. Nature, you got to love it.
pretty photo of blue light. i just put that one in last fall, and am really hoping it performs like multi blue vs duchess of e or belle of woking.....can't wait. i have a feeling it will be like multiblue for me, which is very easy and never fails to perform.
Texas,
Rita hit us and did a lot of damage even this far from the coast! We have a generator with plugs throughout the house so we were O.K. Had my daughter and her kids with us till they got their power back. Those hurricanes are amazingly powerful. We were without power for 5 days after Rita. Once you've lived through a tornado (3 for me) or a hurricane, you can turn into an emotional basket case in a hurry if the weather service puts your area on notice for one! I think, even though you won't totally escape bad storms where you are, you'll be better off than if you'd stayed in FLA.
Oh I agree. I know I'm better off here. I grew up in the Texas panhandle and spent three yrs in Ok. I've had my share of run ins with Tornados too. I am very much a weather watcher.
Guru, my blue lights has one new green sprout coming out. Since it's only been in since last Oct. I'm not really expecting a whole lot from it. But, I am more than willing to be pleasantly surprised.
first year may not be thrilling if it blooms on old wood as most doubles do. but if like multi blue , it will establish easily and then be very reliable. depends on how early it blooms. can't wait to see mine in action too.
Clematis are definately a plant that gets better with age. Kinda like me. NOT! ;) They are worth waiting on. I can't wait to see what my NOID is. It's leaves are darker than the DR Ruppel. It has a bud on it, so I may not have to wait too long to find out what it is. When it does bloom I'll post a pic and maybe you all can ID it for me.
