The Rose Garden Rambler

Still Rambling Along

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 01:12:00 +0000

My! I was surprised to find this old blog when I did a search the other day. Just looking at it renewed my enthusiasm for my garden . . . which is currently in need of a great deal of care!

I will be continuing a blog as the Rose Garden Rambler either from this site, or another!

Please feel free to check out my new website, which encompasses my interest not only in gardening, but in art and music.

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 01:09:00 +0000

About two years ago, we planted a wisteria vine. I've always been in love with them. The first year there was no bloom, and I was disappointed. I didn't know the vine has to mature. Last year I was ecstatic because there were two or three clusters of blooms. This year - wow!

Here she is peeking over the fence, in a shady area:

These sweet babies are called Groundsel I believe. I may not be spelling it right. They are just perfect for a very shady spot on the side of the house. I was given two little plants and they are spreading nicely. Perhaps I will transplant a few of them so they are more spread out. It makes me smile to see their sweet, perky flowers.

When I first planted my roses, I had them all labeled. The little signs seem to disappear - so I now longer know what many of them are. Their beauty needs no words.

Noisette Blush - how coy and sweet she seems nestled against the bricks on the side of the yard.

It makes my heart beat a little faster to see this baby in bloom! I really didn't expect fruit from my new fruit trees this year, but they are in full bloom! this one is a plum.

May you be aware of the Father's handiwork today. Peace. Maryyx

Rose Pruning

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:21:00 +0000

February 14th was the official pruning day for roses here in Texas. Whoops! I didn't make it!

The bushes that I did prune prior to my eye surgery on the 5th are already putting out fresh new leaves. I actually read recently that new research is saying maybe we don't even need to prune rose bushes - just cut them back a bit. Now that sounds like a plan!

For sure, I'm not going to prune the floribundas that I have next to the fence, by the street. I want the bushes to get a lot larger.

We are having computer issues! My computer has decided not to recognize any of the things we have attached via the USB ports (I think that's the right term). This makes it difficult to add pictures - though I can still do it via my husband's computer, which is older.

May you be aware of the Father's handiwork today. Peace. Maryyx

Undercover Agents

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:31:00 +0000

I'm beginning to have a new respect for roots. Several times now I have thought that a plant was long gone, but have left the roots in place. Yesterday I was once again surprised by the results.

Last October, my son and his wife gave me a blue hosta for my birthday. We were already getting hard frosts, and the plant was small - so I was afraid to put it out in the garden. I nursed it along through the winter months in the house, though I would sometimes forget to water it.

By the time spring arrived, it only had one or two leaves on it. I planted it in the garden, expecting it to thrive; however, the two leaves it had shriveled up in response to being put out in the heat.

For months, there were just two little green stalks sticking up from the ground. The last time I looked I didn't even see those, and assumed that my husband had pulled it up when he weeded the bed. Much to my surprise, yesterday I saw that it had put up new growth. I watered it with pleasure.

Having had a similar experience with a clematis, I am beginning to have a new respect for roots. I'm beginning to think of them as Undercover Agents.

May you be aware of the Father's handiwork today.

Peace

Maryyx

Weeds vs. Wonder

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:17:00 +0000

Neatness is not a natural virtue for me. I struggle to stay on top of all the necessary maintenance of daily living. I remember once when I was younger, and I finally got my house all cleaned up, and just the way I wanted it. I was SHOCKED that within a day or two, the chaos was back.

I have similar feelings in regard to the garden these days - as the weeds make their comeback. I have a tendency to just throw my hands up, and give up on the whole project.

I very much buy into the philosophy that if I focus on "the problem" the problem gets bigger and if I focus on "the solution" the solution gets bigger. In gardening terms - if there are any weeds, my perfectionistic nature sometimes makes it difficult for me to enjoy the flowers. I think it's like many other things in life: do I want to count my blessings, or focus on what's wrong. Every day I have a choice: I can focus on what's right or focus on what's wrong.

Today I went out and watered, and pulled a few weeds. There's still plenty of work to do; but how grateful I am for that time spent in the garden - and the blessing of being able to enjoy the beauty. It was good to sweat, to feel the heat of the sun.

May you be aware of the Father's handiwork today.

Peace. Maryyx

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Fri, 02 May 2008 01:53:00 +0000

The past few days, I have been able to harvest a large part of my daily diet from the garden. I am currently on a juice feast, so the greens from the garden come in really handy - and save me a bundle at the grocery store.

The roses continue to enchant me. The knockout roses are putting on an unbelievable show. I thought they produced abundant blooms last year; but they are even more abundant this spring.

The evening primroses are invading the rose beds, but it is an invasion I am enjoying. I've always enjoyed their delicate beauty. I've read that you shouldn't plant them where you don't want them to spread. I confess that I actually tossed these weed seeds into the yard last year.

The light colored rose in the foreground is one of my more unusual babies. Her name is Amelia Earhart. Her blooms actually have a light green tinge to them. Nestled between the Knockout roses, and Amelia Earhart is some of my Swiss Chard, which finds its way to the dinner table. I think I planted way too much of it though! When I cut off the leaves, new ones grow back quickly.

I end tonight's post with a lovely photo sent by my friend Tess. She calls this her "family rose." Tess writes that her family rose "has been in the family since before Frank and I were married 57 years ago. The cuttings I brought to Texas were from my grandparent's graves. I brought them in pots, planted them in Marble Falls, and brought cuttings from our home there to this house in Sun City."

Tess' daughter Judy, my sister-in-law, has a lovely rose of Sharon with lavender blooms that is another of their family roses.

Spring in Kansas

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:09:00 +0000

Here's a photo fresh in from Kansas. Spring is well under way in Texas, but just getting started where my daughter lives, near Kansas City.

This is a photo of her flowering quince. Now I'm wondering if it is ornamental, or the type tree that sets fruit.

Last fall, we researched local organic growers in her area and I am looking forward to going with her to the berry farms.

Small Packages

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:37:00 +0000

All along the west side of the front yard, I have a row of Knockout roses, a mixture of red and pink. In front of the Knockouts, I have my miniatures. Today they are sporting their first spring blooms for 2008. It always amazes me to see their tiny blooms.

There is a weed called henbit, also sometimes known as dead nettle, that has a bloom I've always been fascinated with. It reminds me of an iris; and I have often wondered if they are related. I had a lot of it in the yard this year, and considered just letting it grow; however there was a lot of moisture, and it turned the plants an unhealthy looking greyish green.

Speaking of iris, there are still a few stalks putting on a show! I stand in awe of my favorite artist, the Creator of the nature I so admire.

Wishing you peace
Maryyx

I'm in Love with my Garden

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:02:00 +0000

The wind was howling last night! Reports were of straight winds up to 70 mph. We had no hail here, though there was large hail reported in Fort Worth. We live in Grand Prairie, between Dallas and Fort Worth.

Some of the plants, like this bloom on Mermaid, were looking a little tattered; but overall the garden fared well, and just appreciated the rain. Mermaid is planted right at the edge of the patio, and I plan to train her up along the edge of the patio cover.

I have the above rose labled as Candeur Lyonnaise - but I don't think that can be right. I could have sworn it had white flowers on it last year. I moved some plants around, so I must have gotten confused. Oh well - whatever her name - the roses are awesome. The yellow in the center didn't show up well on the photo.

Hot cocoa is one of my favorites, and is doing so much better this year than last. This year I see hardly any blackspot on her.

The iris continue their show. This is one I got at the Dave's Garden swap at Trinity Park in Fort Worth.

I thought that the verbena was choking out my iris, because they were looking so scraggly - so I took most of them up. Didn't get around to this section - and as good as they are looking, obviously I didn't need to move them! Oh well.

I can hardly believe all the buds on Teasing Georgia! Amazing.

Once Graham Thomas begins to bloom, his yellow roses are going to look even more amazing this year with a purple clematis climbing among his branches!

The dark foliage on the Knockout roses really sets off the blooms. In the beginning I was snobby about the knockouts; because I didn't think their flowers were as pretty as some of the other bushes. Now I am really impressed with them, because they put on such an amazing show, absolutely covering the bushes with blooms.

This is a view from the front door to the corner. I love the effect, weeds and all. I feel like I live in a meadow.

The lavender, about to burst into bloom, gives that effect in the back yard. When I walk past it, I seldom resist the urge to linger and enjoy her fragrance. It has not bloomed before, so I am very excited to see the buds.

Altissimo is a climbing rose next to the gate. The brilliance of the blooms on this tiny bush really impress me. I am in awe just imagining what she will be like as she climbs up the trellis Tom made.

But the absolute star of the show today is Ink Spots. What an amazing rose! Ink Spots is in the row of red roses I planted for Tom for Valentine's Day a year ago.

I unabashedly confess that I am in love with my garden.

Roses, Roses Everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:02:00 +0000

Well - I won't give you the whole tour today, but sure got some awesome photos during my morning walk in the garden. Here are a few of my favorites.

These are my mystery roses. I try to put up nameplates when I plant each rosebush - but I forgot with this one. I actually planted two of these, and don't know what they are. What I do know as that these two bushes are going to be prolific bloomers. Yea!

Isn't this a sweet baby? I had to turn her face up to the camera. This Pat Austin rose is a tiny new bush, but already busily making roses. Sofar all the blooms have been on bottom branches. What an awesome color; and her fragrance is to die for.

I have so appreciated the irises as I have waited for the roses to bloom. This is a plant I was given at a Dave's Garden swap a few years ago. It is the first year these iris have bloomed, so it is so fun to see what color they are.

I was enchanted as I looked out the picture window to see this grouping of white irises. In the background is my infamous gecko castle.

Isn't color magnificent? This is a little Carefree Sunshine rose, nestled among the petunias. Too bad petunias don't like the summer weather here in Texas. I'd like to keep her blooming!

Last but not least, Don Juan. No, the picture is not sideways. Tom put this arbor up for me, and two days later, it was blown down by the wind. I love the way the roses look draping over its side.

May you be blessed today by the beauty of God's creation.

Maryyx

Tess' Snapdragons

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:34:00 +0000

You may view a full size version of any photo
by clicking on it

Yesterday I made that post about relationship gardening. Then I decided to write to some other relatives who were gardening and let them know I'd love to see what's happening in their gardens. So you see, that relationship gardening continues to enrich my life, deepening connections with other people.

Tess was the first to respond. We are sort of back-door related. Tess is the mother of one of my sisters-in-law. She is one of the sweetest women I've ever been graced to know.

Tess once took on a project similar to mine - creating a park-like ambiance in her yard. She found it an overwhelming task, as I sometimes do.

Anyways - she now has moved, and has smaller gardens. But oh how lovely they are!

Enjoy!

My daughter sent me a post of a mystery plant that has come up in one of her beds, and we are trying to identify it. I'm going to make a post on Dave's Garden as I'm sure I can get help there.

Jen was also on a mission yesterday to find food for some Painted Lady caterpillars. One of the teachers at her childrens' school had sought her out for help; because she knew Jen had raised a lot of Monarchs last year. The teacher had ordered the caterpillars - and they arrived with food that was dried out. Jen spent the whole day researching, and then locating appropriate plants for the butterflies. Of COURSE she was successful! I'll get her to send me some pics.

Maryyx

Relationship Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:36:00 +0000

There seems to be no end to the way that gardening can enrich my life. During the last six months of my mother's life, she so enjoyed hearing about my garden. I had not gardened for over 20 years, and had no idea how interested my mother would be in my project to turn my yard into a park.

Mom always loved plants, and had a large garden when I was a child. Every day she wanted to hear the details of what I was planting, what bed I was preparing. She was losing her sight, but always wanted me to bring pictures when I came to see her.

Two weeks before she died, I had the privilege of spending a week with her. One of my favorite memories is of taking her outside in the evening. She was weak, so each evening she would sit in the wheelchair, and I would take her for a walk. I have a picture in my mind of one special moment.

We were outside her building, and the sun was setting. There was a noisette rose bush in full bloom, and I asked her if she would like me to pick her a rose to smell. She was excited and her eyes sparkled. I walked over and picked her a little bouquet of roses, and she closed her eyes to focus on their fragrance. She was very content, sitting their in the sunset. She was content with her life. She was ready to cross over to the other side, and be with those who had gone before. I treasure that memory.

And now - I get to share the joy of gardening with my daughter, with two of my siblings, with my grandchildren.

Posted above is a picture of my daugher Jennifer and her dog Chance. They live in Kansas. Jen has recently moved to a new lakeside home that is built on three lots. The ground is rocky, so she and her husband Eric are putting in raised beds. This is the first, completed last night.

Daffodils are beginning to bloom in her yard, and she has had several plants come up that she thought had died. She called and said, "I called you because I knew you would understand what that meant, that the plants had survived."

Relationship gardening. I love it.

Maryyx

The Freshness of the Morning

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:31:00 +0000

When I woke this morning, the first thing that caught my attention was the wisteria, reaching to the sky in search of a place to climb. The breeze was gently wafting its branches back and forth. I thought back to when looking out of the same picture window I was greeted with nothing but the fence.

The clover lay gently on the earth, matted down by the rain during the night. I smiled to remember the sweetness of her blooms. The creeping phlox also waits for the sunshine to open her blooms. The iris bless me with their blooms, after three years of waiting.

Then I walked into the kitchen, and the profusion of pink verbena along the fence made me smile again. I just leaned on the counter by the sink and breathed in the blessing of their presence, feeling the fresh morning breeze against my skin. Even as I sit here at the computer, I can feel and smell the freshness of the morning.

On a more scientific note, I know that the air around my home is bathed in fresh oxygen given off by the plants. I wonder if that is part of the reason I feel so at peace when I walk through the garden. Perhaps it is not just the beauty, but also the actual change in atmosphere provided by all of the plants.

We become a unit, my garden and me - a guild, in the words of the permaculture crowd. Dare I include myself in the guild? We are one, my garden and me.

Praise be to the Creator for the beauty of his world.

Maryyx

A Walk through the Garden

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Click on any photo to view it full size

Madame Alfred Couriere - it is her hour to shine. What wonderful blooms she shares with me this morning. She is a climber, and here you see her gracing the entry to our front door. Planted directly in front of her is a wonderful rose called Alfred Colomb. When it arrived from Wayside Gardens it had a rose on it that was the most awesome red. Last year she only bore 2 or 3 roses, but right now she is covered with buds. I'm so excited!

Planted behind Madame is a climber called Lavender Lassie. She is going to be a beaut! At her feet are Salsa Dancer which is a four leaf clover, an oxalis with lovely delicate pink flowers which open with the sun, and Sedum-Acre is the groundcover succulent with the starshaped yellow flowers. I was also thrilled this morning to find these lovely lavendar clematis clooms among the sedum-acre. I'm afraid I've forgotten her name.

To the right of the driveway, is a fairly new bed in progress. The main plants are in, but I'm working on the groundcover. There is chocolate mint growing, and I am currently clearing out the grass and weeds and putting in ice plant, a succulent which flowers heavily with bright pink blooms. I'm excited that my yucca is putting up its first flower stalk!

Right behind the yucca bed, is that little shade garden I keep bragging on. I love the way the wisteria is falling over the fence, and am so enjoying the spring bloom of the delphinium.

Now let's step back arond to the front. On the left is a great picture of the two beds right outside the front windows. As you can see we have created a double bed, with a path between them. The roses right up against the house are red and pink knockouts, and boy do they bloom nonstop! They have their first spring blooms now.

In the center photo, just a bit to the south side of the yard, you can see Graham Thomas beginning his climb up the fence. He is an awesome rose with the most gorgeous yellow flowers. I now have a clematis planted on his right, and a cross vine on his left. As I step back out towards the street, you begin to get a fuller view of what is going on in this section of the yard.

On the left, are primrose which are also known as buttercups. The center photo shows off my firewitch dianthus cuddling up to my oxalis. The rose on the right is Valentine. She is in a row of red roses planted on the west side of the front yard - a whole row of red roses I put in for Thomas, for Valentine's Day. The red roses are his favorites.

Speaking of dianthus, these red ones continue to be a focal point of the garden bed along the south side fence, next to the street. This is the bed where the vandalism occurred. Thankfully, only a few plants were uprooted. The white euphorbia I put in as a ground cover. I didn't even realize at the time what a lovely floral display they would put on. The little rose bush between them is another color of Knockout rose. What a show she is putting on even as a baby!

Blush noisette is poised to steal the show from the dianthus, though. Just look at all these buds! This is obviously a floribunda rose - floribunda, meaning abundance of flowers. She blooms in little bouquets.

Here are a few more closeups of my babes in the front beds along the south side of the front yard. Iris, roses, euphorbia in white and purple - and a photo to warm a Texan's heart: bluebonnets and a yellow rose. I have six of these Carefree Sunshine roses planted in this most southerly bed on the slope. With the abundance of blooms they are already putting out, it is clear they are going to be showstoppers. Carefree Sunshine is a groundcover rose.

The irises continue to amaze me with their grace and beauty. They may not have a long season, but they certainly make it easier to wait for those roses! I will need to move them out of the rose beds after they bloom, because they are growing very aggressively. So much for the thought of maintaining the center of the front yard as lawn. That is where the irises are headed.

Now we step through the gate and into the back yard. I am greeted by my salvia, which are just beginning to send up their slender purple flower spikes. Looking on into the yard, my raspberry bed nearly brings tears to my eyes. The bushes at the back of each of these beds is a lilac. Nestled back to the right, under the clematis, is a wild violet which I brought back from a visit to my Uncle Bob's ranch, out in East Texas.

Just past the pear tree are my vegetable beds. I'm so proud of my lettuce! Tom's pride and joy is the strawberry bed, which is just past the lettuce bed.

Rounding the corner, we come to the stand of crepe myrtle trees - 10 in all - and various types. At their feet are pink and maroon verbena, which do an excellent job of smothering the weeds. In front of the verbena are beds of azaleas and Swiss Chard, as well as several rose bushes.

Last but not least, we head around to the north side of the back yard. The arbor stands at the corner of the patio as we head around to the north side of the back yard. Don Juan, a climber, will be leaning on her for support, as a Martha Gonzalez climber heads up the other side. Red Eden, climbing up the chimney is also about to put on a show. Last year, she had a problem with some sort of little worm that caused her roses to ball up and turn brown. She has been sprayed this year, with an eco-friendly product, and I'm hoping that will resolve the problem. The lovely blue creeping phlox is beginning to take over the beds in the shade.

I've decided to just let the wisteria go wild this year, and see where she goes. Should be interesting, as those little tendrils are all searching for something to grab hold of. These iris in the back yard are ones I got at a Dave's Garden swap shortly after beginning my garden-park project. This is the first year they have bloomed.

The roses in the back are also beginning to bloom. Narrow Waters is the soft pink one, a noisette. The bright red is Home Run, and is planted by the patio. The other rose, blooming amongst the Creeping Charlie which needs to be pulled shall have to bloom anonymously for now, as I can't seem to locate her nameplate.

So you see, truly, I do live in a botanical garden with the man I love.
I am blessed.
Maryyx

Life in the Garden

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:44:00 +0000

Ah - another plus of having our beautiful gardens - a nice, private picnic spot. I also taught an ESL lesson to one of my clients at this table earlier in the day. She loved it!

I so did not anticipate all the ways having a garden would enrich my life. When I get down about something, I just say to myself, "I live in a botanical garden with a man who loves me." What more could I possibly want?

Life is good.
God is great.
Let us thank Him for our food.

Garden Vandalism

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:23:00 +0000

It is a sad person who feels the need to destroy beauty. Today I found 5 uprooted plants in a long garden bed along the side of my yard, next to the sidewalk. Five were dianthus, and one was a rose. The dianthus were too far gone - but I was able to salvage the rose.

Well, heck - I'm going to go back out and put the dianthus in the ground as well, and douse it with a root stimulant. Who knows - maybe they will bounce back as well.

Maryyx

I think I'm in Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:18:00 +0000

I think I'm in heaven. When I first began gardening, about 2 1/2 years ago, someone said to me, "You won't realize for several years what you have really accomplished." This spring, I am beginning to understand what she meant.

I have worked very intensely on preparing beds for my 100+ roses, and stayed commited to completing my park using the strategies of organic gardening. I have enjoyed interplanting verbena, dianthus, iris, various clovers, etc. This year, I have really made an effort to stay ahead of the weeds.

The day my son Walt said, "Mom, your garden isn't even blooming yet; but it's already beautiful." - I knew that I had really accomplished something. I walked outside and really looked at the yard, enjoying the new foliage on the roses, admiring the orderliness of the layout, and the paths. I had a sense that this is going to be the best gardening year I have had sofar.
This first photo you may find a bit odd. For me, however, it is quite sentimental. It is symbolic of the natural habitat I am creating, a habitat that invites geckos, butterflies and ladybugs to make their home in my yard. This is my gecko castle, one of my favorite spots in the garden. It has been recently rearranged by the grandhcildren.

My husband had these old bricks piled up in another corner of the yard for a couple of years. Every time I would ask if he would like to get rid of them he would say that he wanted to keep them, because he might use them sometime. I finally asked if I could just move them to another part of the yard, because to me they were an eyesore. While I was moving them, I noticed that the geckos seemed to have staked a claim to the pile of bricks. I love geckos, so I was quite excited. As I piled them in another part of the yard, I dubbed them my gecko castle.

All of these photos, taken early this morning, can be clicked on to view a larger version.

On the left above is one of my clovers, a sweet baby named Dark Dancer. Until I discovered this plant, I didn't realize that 3 and 4 leaf clovers are completely different plants. As Dark Dancer matures, four leaf clovers begin to show up. One of her "cousins," Salsa Dancer, is in another bed in the front yard. On the right is one of my newest salvias, with her first blooms. I love the raspberry color.

Whoever would have thought parsley could be so lovely? I expect to share my parsley harvest with the Swallowtail butterflies, as they loved it last year. Hopefully I will also be able to grow plenty foruse in my green juices and smoothies.

I'm also hoping to harvest grapes from my grape vine this year. After planting it, I was told that grapes don't really produce well in this area. If it doesn't produce, I will probably replace it with a flowering vine. Isn't this a sweet plant? It is a Scottish wallflower. I especially love the photo of her peeking through the fence on the other side.
Below, right, is my raspberry bed. I'm so excited about this one. It reminds me of a trek through an Oregon forest when I was 19. I was singing as I walked through the woods, singing classical music, and love songs, and eating wild raspberries off of the bushes. The trail guide came back to check on me once in awhile, as I was trailing behind everyone else. I was so naive I didn't even think about their being bears in the forest! That night when we made camp, I asked why they were putting the food up in the trees, and they said because of the bears. I laughed. I thought they were joking. When we were driving home, there was a newscast about two girls who had been dragged out of their campsite by bears in Yellowstone National Park, and had been killed. I did not realize until that moment that the bears presented a danger. If I had, I'm sure I would have worked harder at keeping up with the group.

I seem to have become especially fond of clovers, and have several varieties planted around the yard. This one is called an oxalis - but I am assuming that is a member of the clover family.The irises are really the glory of the garden right now. I'm going to have to move them after they bloom, as they are spreading really fast in the rose beds - and will crowd out the roses. They are so amazing. The colors are just brilliant.

The roses are also beginning to bloom as well. Some of the climbers are covered with buds. This pale yellow bloom is from a bush called Mutabilis. It is her first bloom ever.

The salmon colored bloom on the far right is a knockout rose. I planted hedges of the red and pink ones last year. They did SO well, that I decided to plant some of the blush knockouts this year, in front of my China and noisette climbers. The name of the blush rose escapes me at the moment.

Dianthus and verbena really thrive in our Texas climate, so I have planted them throughout the beds, as borders, etc. I am considering letting the verbena overgrow the paths and just blanket the whole side of the yard. This lovely coral verbena on the left is going to be my weed control under the China and noisette roses outside the fence, along the street.

This pink and maroon verbena is all along the fence in the back yard, below my crepe myrtles. What a show they put on along with the crepe myrtle when they are in bloom!

The picture below does not do justice to this lovely purple petunia, which actually seems to glow. It survived the winter, buried beneath the weeds. My petunias never bloomed in the fall, and I thought they had died. What a delight to find them beneath the weeds when I cleaned the bed, and to watch them bloom in all their glory this spring!

I have to agree with my son, Walt, that the garden is looking really lovely this year even before it is in full bloom. I love walking through the paths, and noticing the new little buds and blossoms. It is different every day.

This garden teaches me each day that no matter what is going on in the world, there is beauty to be seen and appreciated, beauty to bring us comfort and peace.My bachelor buttons have come up wild from seed, remnants of last year's planting. It makes me smile just to imagine how gorgeous the purple oxalis on the right is going to look next to the fire witch dianthus when it blooms.

I am also thrilled with what is developing in my shade garden on the north side of the house. It took me quite a while to figure out what to do with this area as it is primarily shady - but gets some hot sun in the summer.

We are seldom on this side of the house; but it was such an eyesore. Now it is a pleasant surprise every time we take a step out the side garage door. The gorgeous purple blooms are delphinium. I have also planted ferns, and behind it all, there is a clematis that will have red blooms. At the top of the fence, the wisteria is peeking over from the other side.

The yellow groundsel to the left is a native Texas plant that was given to me by Josephine, whom I met on the Dave's Garden site. Josephine is one of the developers of the Texas Native Plants website. The groundsel is taking over this bed along the north wall, just to the east of the fern/delphinium bed. Perfect - because nothing else that I planted there seemed to like the location

To God be the glory.
Amen

Simple Pleasures

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Nothing fancy about this photo. It's common clover.

But itsn't it lovely? I have several fresh mounds of clover on the side of the house, and I love it. Got very annoyed with my neighbor the other day when he mowed it down with his riding lawn mower. I think he was afraid it was going to spread to his yard.

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:29:00 +0000

When I began my organic gardening in earnest, in early 2006, there were very few critters in my yard. I could dig all day, and maybe see one earthworm.

Nowadays, my flower beds are full of earthworms. The yard is also teeming with other critters, like praying mantises, ladybugs and geckos. I purchased praying mantis egg cases a year ago; but I won't need to this year. I am finding them all over the yard. I also won't need to purchase ladybugs this year. I am seeing them throughout the garden.

I even had a toad siting last year! I was especially thrilled with that, because I know that frogs and toads are much rarer than they used to be. I had not seen one in ages.

Last year I discovered that the Swallowtail butterflies enjoyed my dill and parsley plants. As you can see, they also enjoyed lighting on my verbena. This year I have planted a whole bed of parsley. I've actually planted it for use in my green juices and smoothies; but I'm anticipating attracting more butterflies as well.

One of the highlights of my days is hearing the birds singing in the morning as they come to the feeders, or looking out the kitchen window and seeing a sparrow on the patio. Sofar we have had cardinals, sparrows, doves and mockingbirds. I'm sure there have been others, but I'm not too skilled yet at identifying them.

Lilac Hedges - Lilies of the Valley

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 03:34:00 +0000

Lilac hedges, Lilies of the Valley, that is what I pictured as my sister Peg and I reminisced about our childhood as she was recovering from ovarian cancer.

My little lilac bushes are, of course, a far cry from those beautiful hedges. We'll see how they fare in their new spot in the garden.

It was winter of 2001 when Peg was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She was immediately scheduled for surgery, and the cancer was removed. Her surgeon said the cancer was so aggressive that many doctors would just have sewn her back up and not even have tried to remove it. She was in surgery for 5 hours. Then came the chemo. She was very stressed, and I decided to quit my job and go stay with her. I was there for about 4 1/2 months.

Foot massage eased her pain, and helped her to relax, so that was one of my chores. Other than that, we mostly would sit and visit. We often would talk about memories from our childhood.
I write my own music, and Peg is one of my biggest fans. I told her that we would turn those memories into a song. It took me awhile, but the song did materialize. Perhaps one of these days I will borrow a video camera and sing it for you! In the meantime, here are the lyrics:

Lilac Hedges
copyright 2001 Mary K. Wykes
All rights reserved

Lilac hedges, lilies of the valley
Mama's in the kitchen, cooking all day
Sitting on the porch steps, counting all our pennies
Calculating riches of our old age.

Lilac hedges, lilies of the valley
Daddy's in the office working today
Sitting on the sidewalk, winding up a skate key
"Meet you at the corner. Let's race around the block."

And we sit here together, outside of time
Sit here together, with your hand in mine

Lilac hedges, lilies of the valley
Grammy's in the garden, weeding away
Sitting on the back porch, "I will be the teacher."
"If you are a good girl, I'll give you an A."

And we sit here together, outside of time
Sit here together, with your hand in mine
Sisters forever

---------------
These are some of the scenes that the scent of the lilacs brings back to me - those days long past, that can seem like yesterday.

Lilac Hedges

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:55:00 +0000

The house I grew up in was located in Watertown, South Dakota. My parents had a big garden out back, with a rhubarb hill on which we loved to play "King of the Mountain."

There was a lilac hedge on the property which separated our yard from the neighbors on one side. I loved those lilacs!

Here in Texas, lilacs don't grow all that well. I purchased some about a year and a half ago that were supposed to be special for this area. They straggled through the summer, looking really shaggy. I ran into someone who told me she knew of a lilac bush that was doing well in the shade. So - I have transplanted all of my bushes into the shade.

Lo and behold, they are blooming! I am going to really make sure they get plenty of water this summer - and see if they do better. But right now, the most important thing to me is that they survived, and are blooming!

A Garden: More Than a Space

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:41:00 +0000

When I began my garden in January of 2006, I was doing it for me. It was a totally selfish self indulgence. It never occurred to me the effect it would have on the neighborhood, or on my family. I didn't anticipate the memories it would hold.

My yard has definitely become a focal point of the neighborhood. People stop to tell me how lovely it is. They wave at me. Sometimes they tell me about gardens they have known. In the fall, they stop by to get pears from my back yard.

This is the first year these daffodils have bloomed. My daughter Jennifer and her children helped me to plant them. Whenever I walk past that flower bed, I remember that we planted the irises and daffodils in this bed together. To me, that memory is stronger than it would be just looking at a photo.

The garden has also played an integral part in the visit with my grandchildren this week. It has been a year and a half since Jen and her children have been able to make it down from Kansas. I anticipated the children playing video games all day long, which is what they have done in the past. Instead, they have spent many hours playing outside in the yard. One of the highlights for my grandson Jeffery was finding a gecko when he dismantled my gecko castle, a stack of bricks on one side of the yard. To me, it has felt like I have been able to give them a piece of my own childhood, a taste of days gone by. But then, if we are living them now, they aren't gone, are they!

This afternoon, to my surprise, the garden once again played a central part in the day. We had an egg hunt for the children this afternoon, because Jen has to leave in the morning. What better place to hide eggs than in a garden! The children were scampering all over the yard. It was a delightful experience.

Another Reason for Gardening Organically

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:29:00 +0000

Yesterday I called home right after one of my grandsons had fallen into a bowl of diatomaceous earth sitting on the porch. He had heard his Uncle Walt refer to it as poison, and he was panicking. He thought he was going to die.

Instead, it became the basis for a science lesson on diatoms. I had thought they were microscopic animals. Turns out they are algae. I think I will have to look into this more. They are beautiful! Could be as interesting as the photos of snowflakes.

I will never forget the first time I saw one of Snowflake Bentley's photos in a copy of National Geographic. I was absolutely fascinated.

At any rate, the diatomaceous earth - dried diatoms - is very helpful in combating fire ants. Whenever I put it on a mound, they go away. Of course, they often just move to another part of the yard. I've been considering sprinkling it over the entire yard to encourage the ants to think of this as a hostile environment; but I'm not sure what effect it would have on other insects.

How grateful I am that I garden organically, and therefor my grandson had nothing to fear.

Fire Ant Invasion

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:54:00 +0000

Yikes! The fire ants have invaded!

Last fall, we put up a plastic greenhouse over a plumeria and an angel trumpet. Then we forgot to turn on the heater when it froze. Oh well. The plants didn't fare so well.

Nevertheless, the fire ants thought that greenhouse was just a dandy hideout. I looked in a few days ago to see a huge mound of fireants.

Then today, when I was walking through the garden with my daughter, she pointed out to me that the ants had moved into a freshly dug flower bed, where I had just planted azaleas. Never in my life have I seen what looked like a colony of new ant beds. There must have been 100+ openings to new little mounds.

Needless to say, it was time to get out the diotamaceous earth. Tom applied it liberally to the entire area. I sure hope it works!

Spring Has Sprung

noreply@blogger.com (MARYYX) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:46:00 +0000

Last night my son Walt commented that my front yard garden looked beautiful, even though there wasn't much blooming yet. I said I agreed with him. We both thought that it was the fact that I had it well groomed, with weeds pulled, and all the rose bushes pruned.

These pictures are from last year, but they show the basic layout of the front yard. My hispanic neighbors have begun calling me, "la señora de las flores," i.e. "the flower lady".

It is pretty amazing to me that two years ago there was nothing but grass and weeds in the yard. After my first year of planting, installing flower beds, etc. - someone told me, "You won't realize until several years from now what you have accomplished." I am beginning to understand what they meant. The plants are beginning to "own" the yard. The birds, and the little critters, are beginning to recognize it as a refuge. I no longer feel a need to move to the country - because the country has come to me!