Down to Earth

Birding on a soggy day

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Sat, 24 Feb 2018 17:13:00 +0000

It's been a soggy drizzly and occasionally cold string of days, which means my bird feeders have been busy with birds hungry for an easy meal. When I looked out the window and saw all of the activity had ceased, it seemed odd, but then up in the bare crepe myrtle, I spotted a red-tailed hawk.

His size and sharp beak make him look fierce, and the other birds got the message, but at the same time, his soppy head feathers made him look a little off his game.

Strangely a lone dove sat in same tree with the hawk (just above and to the left). The dove seemed to be aware of the hawk but didn't leave abruptly, although the dove did eventually fly off.

Probably a good strategy because I'd imagine hawks are extra hungry on cold days too.

A few minutes later two backyard policemen, the blue jays, showed up to heckle the hawk and send him on his way.

February Foliage

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Sat, 17 Feb 2018 03:55:00 +0000

A parade of blooms will begin very soon, but for now in mid-February, foliage is the focus.

Angelina sedum set against a wall of fig ivy, each with their own fine-leafed foliage.

Proof that my midnight aloe lives despite being left outside in freezing temperatures.

A feathery larkspur volunteer hugging the edge of the vegetable garden.

Spinach sprouts that have managed to survive my kids' outdoor play. (Others were not so fortunate.)

Contrasting shades of winter vegetables: blue green broccoli, chartreuse mesclun lettuce and Oscar-The-Grouch-green arugula.

Spring bulbs (I can't remember which) and hundreds of sprouts from fallen birdseed.

A few weeks ago, I noticed the tiniest green shoots coming up from the inland sea oats and turks caps, and I took that as my queue to cut back the freeze-burned foliage. Otherwise, I was afraid I wouldn't have time to get to the task before the the brown and green were intermingled, necessitating precision pruning.
There could still be a few blasts of winter headed our way, but I'm ready to declare that spring is here in South Central Texas.
Find out what the foliage looks like right now in other parts of Texas and beyond by linking up with Pam Penick's monthly Foliage Follow Up.

Winged Winter Residents

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 23:10:00 +0000

I got to see two interesting warblers in our yard on this icy day.

Orange-crowned warbles: Male eating mealworms, female eating suet.

Male orange-crowned warbler

Female orange-crowned warbler. You can see the faint streaking on her breast.

My shutter speed wasn't set correctly, but I did mange to capture the streak of the orange crown on the male.

Male yellow-rumped warbler. He doesn't have the dark cheeks so I think he's a non-breeding/first winter one.

Confirmation this is the male: the yellow crown

Aptly named yellow-rumped warbler.

Two days ago when the weather was much warmer this American goldfinch visited. I've set up our nyjer seed feeder in hopes of attracting his friends and hopefully the black-back lesser goldfinches too.

In addition to these special winter residents, we also had our usual residents: Carolina wren, Cardinals, Blue jays, White-wing dove, Mockingbird, Golden-fronted woodpecker, English sparrows and squirrels – all happy to have an easy, high fat meal on a cold day.

Fall Tomatoes End Their Run

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 01:30:00 +0000

The first hard freeze of the season means that's it for fall tomatoes. Ruby Crush turned out to be an easy, sweet fall producer staying mostly disease and pest free from July - December. I'll definitely be planting it again in 2018.

Finally, my fountain!

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 20:30:00 +0000

I have been looking for a deal on a fountain for the front yard for years, literally YEARS. I kept telling myself that there's no other way for someone who is downsizing to get rid of a heavy fountain than to sell it on Craigslist and that eventually one that met my specifications would turn up. Well, finally it did!

My goal with the fountain was to add some sculptural structure and a year round focal point to the front yard. That's a tall order (literally) since I can only think of one shapely, evergreen that's around 4-feet tall and can grow in dry shade. Sago palm is all I could come up with, but I wanted something that was a little narrower. (Do you know of anything?) With those challenges, I turned to an inanimate garden accent, and began my search for a fountain.

Over the course of my patient search, twice I showed up at the buyer's property with some cash and muscle prepared to haul my treasure home, but it wasn't meant to be. The first time, the fountain looked convincingly like concrete in the online photos and was priced accordingly, but it turned out to be resin. I'm dubious about the durability of plastic in the yard so I passed. It was hard to walk away because I reasoned that I could have used that fountain as a placeholder while I continued my search, but it didn't feel right and I apologized for taking the seller's time and not clarifying the material in advance.

The second fountain I almost bought was A-MAZING. It was from Massarelli, beautifully cast with a classic shape and only $100! The photos in the ad were of the fountain disassembled so I could see why other would-be buyers would have passed it over. The trouble was, when we went to look at it, it was gigantic, at least 10-feet tall and 5-feet wide! It was a fountain for a grand estate or for the circular driveway of a hotel. There wasn't anything else in the online photos to provide scale so it was a reasonable mistake. Still, it was an incredible deal on a fountain that should have cost thousands, and I thought about buying it, taking proper pictures and reselling it for what it was really worth. But it would have taken a lot of muscle, and I'd probably have had to wait a while to find the perfect buyer. I've thought about that fountain many times since, but I know I made the right decision.

In the last year, I expanded my search to other resale apps, and that's where my fountain finally popped up. It was not a second hand purchase as I had expected, but rather it was hand made by a guy who probably makes one or two concrete pieces a week and sells them to earn some extra money. He wanted $200 and that included delivery, set up and the base so I went for it.

The style is more ornate than I'd prefer but still somewhat classic, especially in San Antonio where you can see these fountains in a fair number of yards on the south side of town. I made a few modifications like staining it with a concrete stain and removing one of the bowls that was more ornate than the others and made the fountain just a bit too tall for the scale I wanted, and now I'm happy with it. My next goal to troubleshoot my low voltage landscape lights and illuminate the fountain at night.

Shady Combination Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 16:34:00 +0000

At the newly renovated San Antonio Botanical Garden I spotted this inspiring combination of plants next to the gift shop. A silver and green Sansevieria + Diamond Frost Euphorbia.

Here's a pull back. I love the structure of the sansevieria, also known as Mother In Law's Tongue, contrasted with the foamy, delicate look of the Diamond Frost. This would be an easy combination to replicate in a pot on a partly shaded patio.

I wish I'd taken more pictures at the gardens, but I was busy wrangling three kids under 3 (two of my own, plus a cousin). Trust me, it was beautiful. So many plants were in bloom and the weather was perfect! We're looking forward to the kids' garden opening there next year.

Getting Organized

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 18:11:00 +0000

We've been needing a storage solution for our outdoor and gardening supplies so I pulled inspiration from several Pinterest images, and my husband brought my ideas to life in this multi-purpose storage and work area. Isn't it great! Firewood, an empty work bin (with a laundry basket of kid toys inside too), potting supplies and birdseed (in 5 gallon buckets behind a latched gate) all neatly corralled.

If you look below the firewood, you'll see that the bottom supports are made of medal conduit tubes to allow debris to easily fall through and keep the collection of spiders and other outdoor creepies to a minimum. We left enough of a gap along the bottom of the bench to easily stick a leaf blower nose under and do a quick clean up.

Additionally, the tabletop is made of wooden slats, again to keep make it easy to manage the debris and dirt that inevitably ends up on workbenches.

Even then ends of the bench are functional holding hanging tools. Yes, these tools and gloves get wet in the rain, but these are not my "nice" tools, just some that I can grab for a quick garden touch up. Plus, the whole bench is under the eve of the house so it's a little sheltered.

Backyard wide shot

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 02:30:00 +0000

It's been YEARS since I've documented my yard with wide shots, but it's time, especially since these are some of my favorite photos to go back to and see the changes and progress.

Backyard, viewed from the far edge of our property. Freshly edged grass and full of of verdant spring growth.

Looking the other direction.

Looking down the side yards on the left and right of the house.

Predator

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 21:10:00 +0000

Saturday afternoon, I opened the back door and saw this immature Copper's hawk eating its lunch in our tree.

I couldn't make out what the hawk was eating. I hope it was a mouse or lizard and not a songbird. I dreamed it ate a titmouse, but thank goodness, that was just a dream. There wasn't any evidence that the hawk caught its prey in our yard. Instead, I think it was attracted by the sparseness of our dying tree – the perfect place to alight for a meal.

(As an aside, our tree has been dying since before we moved in. It has been a long goodbye. Yet with all of the fascinating birds that have used this tree precisely because of its declining health, – woodpeckers, great horned owls and now the hawk – it's been a asset, even in its waning state.)

When the hawk saw me looking at it, it hoped to a higher branch but stayed in the tree and watched me for a while.

I was interested to see that while the hawk and I looked at each other, three starling sat in the same tree about 12 feet above the hawk. Ballsy if you ask me!

Even more courageous was the blue jay who broke the silence of the other birds and screamed at the hawk to move on its way. I was surprised the hawk responded. All hail the hero blue jay.

February Blooms

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:06:00 +0000

What a mild winter it has been! All kinds of things are blooming in my yard. Some of them like the shrimp plant never stopped and others like the ones I am going to show you have been blooming for a few weeks.

Narcissus. I bought this variety because it is one of the few that naturalizes in South Texas. They are doing great in the front yard, but I've decided that I'd appreciate the bulbs more if they were in the backyard so I am going to move them when the foliage dies back.

I've never featured sandankwa viburnum on my blog because it has never done anything noteworthy. Well, I take that back.

It has nearly died twice from drought stress and come back from a tiny sprout that was only an inch tall. Twice. (Documented in the pathetic old phone photos above.) I planted three sandankwa in dry shade in 2008. They had a very hard time getting established during the drought. Any new plant would struggle under the record heat and dryness, but viburnums let you know about every second of their agony. You can't make it up to them with a big drink of water after they've started to fry. You have to wait out the hot season until it's time for them to put on new growth. In the meantime, you have to live with crispy-edged leaves. While you wait, more likely than not, the crispiness will creep backwards, down to the heart of the leaf and into branches until the plant has retreated to its roots.

Considering how near to death the viburnum have been and their inhospitable living arrangements, I would have been happy if all they accomplished this year was to grow back to the size they were when I planted them.

Coral honeysuckle has started to bloom and fill in with foliage again.

A brought a little of the outdoors in using blooms that needed to be trimmed anyway to shape the plants or stems that I accidentally damaged. Archduke Charles rose buds, salvia greggii and narcissus.

Spotted Towhee

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:24:00 +0000

In November and again on Monday, we noticed a new bird in our yard, the spotted towhee. According to the bird book, the spotted towhee is a winter resident with a black head and back, white wing markings, rust or rufous colored sides and a red eye.

It was sound, not sight, that first clued us in to this visitor. My husband had the windows open, and he heard continuous rustling in the mulch. It wasn't the gentle examining that a wrens and cardinals do, but powerful and purposeful rummaging, like a chicken scratching for bugs.

Towhees like to hunt in shrubby undergrowth. Our growing xylosma hedge seems to fit that description, and we've enhanced the habitat by filling the beds with shredded sycamore leaves from a neighbor's tree.

Speaking of birds, if you live in South or Central Texas, I have a recommendation for you. Check out this birding blog that my friend Sam recently launched. Whenever I am stumped by a bird ID question, Sam has the answer. (He identified this generic looking warble for me last year.) He also tips me off to when seasonal are birds have made their appearance. I'm always impressed by his adventures and bird knowledge.

Why hello there!

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 04:28:00 +0000

Why hello there wren! So glad you stopped by.

Fall 2011 Tour : Backyard

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:32:00 +0000

Two nights ago, San Antonio had its first freeze of the season - 31°F. All of my plants escaped unscathed, but I know it's only a matter of time before Jack Frost catches them so I wanted to take a minute to document my backyard in its fall glory.

The peak of the season was mid-October, and the profusion of flowers has lessened, but still, looking at these pictures, I'm very pleased with how the scene has developed over the past three years.

I have two water features in the backyard, and both were out of commission until about a month ago.

This bird bath's pump burned out when we were out of town for the weekend in the spring. Tip: Do not depend on your house sitter to fill your bird bath. Lucky me, I found new pump in an opened package on the clearance rack at Lowe's. Score! Now the bird bath is running again. (I always check the clearance rack, or as I call it, the Rack of Death.)

This fountain cracked when I left water in the basin last winter. I was so mad at myself for being careless with my gift, and I was bummed that after exhaustive Internet research and a call to a local water feature store, I could not turn up any recommendations for fixing it. That is until I called a kooky handyman show on a lesser-known radio station.

When I told the host my dilemma and how I wanted to at least try something before I turned my fountain into a planter, he didn't hesitate with his answer. "You need Through the Roof!" So that's what we drove to his store and bought the same day. I painted the entire fountain, inside and out and let it dry. Voilà! So far, so good.

This spring, when the nurseries are stocked again, I'd like to plant some coral bells or holly ferns to hide the brick risers. Have you had any experience with either plant in South or Central Texas? Any recommendations?

Back to the tour. Around the corner from the lawnette is No Man's Land. I've tried to spruce up this utilitarian space with a trumpet vine on the fence, firespike in the pocket and a second confederate jasmine.

A huge pot of the jasmine was on clearance at H-E-B for only $10 in early October. The vine was healthy and I know it normally sells for about $24 so I snagged it. I am training it to grow around the window. Won't it be great to open the window and smell jasmine in the spring!

Now, a U turn back toward the lawn.

A shot of Travis' veggie gardens filled leafy green sprouts (and my wildflowers mixed in). The arbor. And the patio.

And finally, if you stand at this juncture...

... you can see both the veggie beds and the path to the front yard.

I love long shots of landscapes especially when you can compare them to previous seasons and previous years and see the changes. Cheers!

Foliage Follow Up : November 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:45:00 +0000

I had the perfect combination of foliage, light and free time today to take a few pictures for the monthly Foliage Follow Up hosted at Digging.

The temperatures have dipped close to freezing a few times and the fig leaves have responded. Soon, the leaves will fall off (or they'll look so ratty that I remove them), but for now, I'm enjoying the stained glass effect.

Overall, the leaves on the coral honeysuckle have started to turn yellow and dry out as the plant prepares for semi-dormancy. But on the vine I transplanted in this summer, new leaves are forming. I suppose the plant is taking advantage of the moderate temperatures and the opportunity to produce and store some food for next spring.

Have I mentioned how much I love the purple hyacinth vine? Only twice in the last two posts! Here's another reason I love it.

I used my gift certificate to Sunshine Landscape and Garden Center - thank you! - (more on my visit there later) to buy several new shade plants including this foxtail fern. It's only been in the ground for about two weeks and it's already put out a few new fronds.

In the veggie garden, Travis is growing Swiss chard - Bright Lights. Looks great and tastes good too. I've been using it like a salad green.

Here are two more new additions from Sunshine - Peter Pan agapanthus and fatsia or japanese aralia.

I planted the fatsia behind my black and blue salvia. When I was in Florida last month, I saw similar grouping using black and blue salvia and philodendron. The large leafed plant provide a nice canvas to show off the black and blue flowers. I'll keep you posted on how this combination looks this spring.

This weekend, I moved my four inland sea oat plants to the backyard. I heard on a garden show that they are perfect plants for the sun/shade transition point under a tree. Mine had been located near the trunk of a live oak and had been declining over the last few years. After hearing the radio show recommendation, I decided they were getting too much shade and relocated them to a part sun spot near the backyard arbor. We shall see how they fair.

My favorite purchase from my trip to Sunshine is this variegated flax lily. I divided the large plant I bought in two and put one part on each side of my water fountain (pictures to come). They brighten up the shady space so well, and as a bonus today, I noticed these tiny flowers on the plant for the first time. Lovely.

GBBD: November 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 04:27:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is next week! Wow, where has the time gone? It's already time for the November Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Here's a look at what's flowering in my yard.

The shrimp plants are putting on the best show I've seen in the last three years. There are five plants in this shot, three that I planted a few years ago and two that I added this spring.

The turk's cap are finishing their summer bloom season, but there are still a healthy number of blooms on the plants.

This morning we were blessed with a rain shower that delivered .8". The droplets weighed down this Archduke Charles rose bloom.

The black and blue salvia did not weather the hot summer well, and as a result, it's fall display has been disappointing but it did offer a few new blooms.

My camera skills do not do justice to the cat mint blooms. In this picture, they look like they are on the decline, but actually, in person, the blooms look very fresh and soothing, at least my cat Gideon thinks so.

In August, I added blackfoot daisy (top) and narrow leaf zinnia to the garden. August was probably the worst month on the calendar to plant, but I had a coupon that had to be used at that time. The plants survived two torturous months and they are thriving.

The fall asters hit their peak last month, and within the last few days, they've decline rapidly. This is all that's left of their purple mass.

Salvia greggi is another noted fall bloomer. It's peak was also a few weeks ago, but the blooms persist.

The esperenza - a summer time staple - is still delivering huge clusters of yellow bells, but it won't be too long before the entire plant freezes to the ground.

I love this purple hyacinth vine. The seed pods are fascinating too. This was the first time I've ever planted it and I think I'll have to make it a tradition.

Finally, a first ever bloom for my yard: firespike. These plants were pass alongs from MomMom in Houston. I'm very excited to see the flower spike develop. If you're reading this MomMom, thanks!

For more November blooms, head to May Dreams Garden.

Purple Hyacinth Bean

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:58:00 +0000

I've been burning midnight oil lately to try to keep up with my commitments. Thankfully, midnight and moonlight combined with unusual plant forms produces some enchanting images like these of the purple hyacinth vine.

Bird Sanctuary

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:27:00 +0000

How many different kinds of birds do you think visit a small, suburban San Antonio backyard on a Saturday in September?

Would you believe 15! Between the drought and the change in seasons, we had a full bird sanctuary in our backyard this weekend.

His throat is more red than the nectar. Amazing!

Ruby-throated humming birds are migrating through our area now. Usually, there were three, and up to five, within view at one time.

I was so happy to see that a house finch and his wife have decided to frequent our yard. We used to have a pair that came by regularly, but I hadn't seen them in about two years.

Another infrequent visitor that made an appearance Saturday was the titmouse. They are fairly common for a lot of suburban birders, but I only see this guy about three times a year. I was glad that he took an interest in the cat fur that I put in a suet box behind the wind chime.

We have way too many starlings right now (about ten total). Their speckles are attractive but their manners are so bad that it's hard for me to appreciate their beauty. In their defense, however, they seem to be more tolerant of other birds right now than they are in the winter when they act like a street gang.

I rarely see cardinals taking a bath, but on Saturday, this one was splashing like a fool.

Ditto for mocking birds. I don't know if I've ever seen one splash in the water. Doesn't he look ridiculously undignified when he is all puffed up and bathing?

The Carolina wren is Travis' favorite. He keeps hoping to entice a pair to our wren nesting box, but so far, no luck. This one must live nearby because it stops by once in a while. We see it about once every two or three weeks.

At least two of the golden fronted woodpeckers that were born in a nest in our tree survived. Unlike the other juvenile birds we've seen lately, the young woodpeckers are significantly smaller than their parents and easy to distinguish.

One. Two.Three scrub jays dined with us this weekend.

Another wave of Baltimore Orioles made a stop in our area. This time, I counted about seven at once.

And finally, if you look closely, you can see what I believe is a yellow warbler peaking out from behind this tree. If my ID is correct, it's my first ever sighting.

But wait; that's only 13 birds, you say. Well, I didn't photograph the usual suspects: sparrows, grackles, white wing dove and Inca dove.

Believe it or not, there are a few additional birds that I think I could reasonably hope to attract right now, but for some reason, I've never been successful. I'm still waiting for the lesser gold finches and chickadees to come to my sanctuary.

Late breaking news! Look what landed in my tree after I drafted this post! TWO great horned owls!! They were calling with the same notes at the same time and you could hear the difference in the male and female's pitch. In January at about the same time of night (near midnight), the male visited us. Now he's here again with a mate. So cool!

WOW! Make that 16 different species of birds.

Setember 2011 Foliage Follow Up

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:58:00 +0000

The backyard peasants (sparrows and starlings) are loving the fruit on my neighbor's palm tree. Before the berries turn black, they look like bubbles in a champagne glass.

The foliage is doesn't provide much shade for humans but the dead fronds give shelter to birds and bats. When the wind is blowing, the leaves look and sound so relaxing. From our upstairs guest room, when you wake up, the first thing you see is the top of this palm and blue sky.

To get your fill of other inspiring foliage, check out Pam's blog Digging, where she holds a monthly link party. Today, she is showing off an agave that looks like a squid.

September 2011 Bloom Day

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:54:00 +0000

Ay yi yi, it's dry this Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. First, a wide shot to show you a typical San Antonio lawn (it's my neighbor's) and my bright spot this bloom day, my lantana bed. I suppose the lawns don't look too bad... if it were January, but this is September and most turf is already dormant (or maybe dead).

Last year, my lantana bed was twinkling with butterfly wings. This year, none. But I did see this guy.

I just happened to catch the Pride of Barbados between blooms. It looks like spent fireworks, doesn't it? There's lingering beauty while it fades away.

The dwarf plumbego seem fine. In fact, they actually spread a little this year. I planted them as a ground cover, but it will be many, many years before they form a solid mat.

Two of my part-shade plants, turk's cap and liriope, are doing their part to add a little interest this bloom day.

The pentas are happy now. This spring, I planted them in the backyard where the scorched zinnia (yikes! - it looks like a zombie, doesn't it?) are trying to make a go of it, but the penta were very unhappy. Since they can handle part-shade, I moved them to a pot in the front yard and they've shown their appreciation by putting on new blooms.

The esperenza doesn't seem phased at all by the heat, nor the drought. It freezes back each year, but as you can see, it shoots up to full height in a very short time.

This is the pride of my garden right now, blue pea vine. After keeping an eye out for it for three years, I finally found it in a nursery in June. I am very pleased with its flower and leaf color. The green has a cooling hue that adds a sense of peace to the garden.

To see what is blooming this month in other gardens, visit May Dreams.

A Small Favor
If you've read this far, could do me a small favor and vote for Blaze, the name I submitted for my industry's conference mascot? Anyone can vote; all you need is an email. If Blaze wins, I get a free registration at the meeting in Florida. Oh, wouldn't it be nice to fly over a place where green was the dominant color and "rain-starved" wasn't a phrase the weathermen uttered nightly.

Baltimore Oriole

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Yesterday's breeze and cooler temperatures (92°) brought a wonderful treat! A trio of Baltimore Orioles visited our yard.

I've read about these colorful birds in magazines, but I've never been fortunate enough to see them in person. The magazines make orioles seem as common as hummingbirds, but since I'd never seen them in Texas, I figured that they were a northeastern bird – a reasonable assumption when their name includes the word "Baltimore." How wrong I was. San Antonio is in their migration route.

This is the female. Her underside is much more colorful than her top.

From the backside, she looks like a large warbler, which is what we thought she was at first.

Once I spotted the male, however, I knew exactly which section of the bird book to flip to. These birds are a little smaller than mockingbirds, and I was surprised to see that they aren't shy around other birds. They have no problem mingling with sparrows, cardinals and even starlings.

The orioles have been here since Friday. Travis first spotted the female at the birdbath, but her identity was a mystery until Monday when I noticed the male. In this drought, it's probably a challenge for the birds to find water on their trek south so I bet the bird bath was key factor in their decision to visit us.

Keep your bird baths full. If this drought brings us nothing else, at least you might see some new birds.

IT'S HOT

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 23:05:00 +0000

IT'S HOT. So you gotta do what you gotta do to stay cool.

Foliage Follow Up

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:00:00 +0000

On the heals of Garden Bloggers Bloom Day comes Foliage Follow Up.

Day or night, this agave has served me well in its hanging basket. I've tried other plants in this spot, and the closest I've come to success was portulaca, but even it couldn't manager more than five days without water so like Amy, I've decided to get real with my container selections this summer.

Here's a rose that provides two for one beauty - the new purple foliage looks almost like tubular flowers (at least that what a hummingbird thought the other night) and the blooms in the spring are lovely too.

For more standout foliage, check out the links shared at Digging today.

GBBD: August 2011 - Not Too Shaby

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 04:14:00 +0000

It's the North's turn to steal the show this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Here in South Texas, blooms are not abundant, but I have a small and steady supply.

The liriope just started blooming a few days ago.

About a year after we sowed the seeds, the Pride of Barbados is in bloom. In a normal summer, it would be surrounded by a bed of gold and red lantana, but the lantana has been unusually absent in this drought.

What I do have blooming beneath the Pride of Barbados are dwarf blue plumbago. They aren't a show stopper, but they've been steady bloomers and the blue is vivid enough to catch a passerby's eye. (Can you see the speckled lantana leaves in the mix? It's lace bug damage, I think.)

Despite being weakened by mealy bugs and spider mites, the turk's cap still looks good.

Nothing bothers the esperenza. It's grown about 9 feet since the spring and hasn't had any problems to speak of.

The roses are putting on a profusion of blooms. The flowers last only a day before the petals dry up, but with 102° days, you take what you can get.

Garlic chives started blooming just a few weeks ago. They're the closest thing this San Antonio gardener will ever get to the alliums in the other parts of the country.

I counted five blooms on the blue pea vine. I was surprised to see so many considering that about every fourth day, the bottom-most leaves yellow with thirst.

Has-been blooms from echinacea.

Blackfoot daisy

and her cousin, narrow leaf zinnia, both new additions. (I know, in August! What am I thinking?) They were half price with an August-only coupon so we'll see how they fair. For a better Bloom Day show, be sure to visit May Dreams Gardens.

Today is My Water Day

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:00:00 +0000

June 14, 2011 - Stage 2 Drought Rules

Today is Thursday, my watering day as designated by SAWS and the last digit of my address. Under Stage 2 drought rules, I can water once a week on my day from 3-8 am (yea right!) and 8-10 pm.

Keeping a lawn looking good under these restrictions without the aid of sprinkler system is difficult, but not for me. In fact, our turf looks better than ever. That's because what you see in the picture is the only grass we have. It's such a small area that I barely have to move the sprinkler to water it.

We used to have a tiny bit more grass than we do now, but this spring, we leveled No Man's Land with mulch, lowering the total sodded area to about 15 percent of the landscape.

My favorite girl playing on a bed of blended grass

We keep the lawnette because of this girl: Bailey. She has just enough grass for play, poop and pee. We scoop the poop every few days, and it's no big deal. The urine was a problem because Baily always picks the same spot for her morning relief (a few steps off the patio, in full West sun).

The St. Augustine was getting burned, and I wasn't sure how to address the dead spots. (Should I teach her to pee on the decayed granite? - it crossed my mind). As luck would have it, Bermuda from a neighbor's yard sneaked in and solved the dilemma. The Bermuda tolerates the urine better than the St. Augustine, and more importantly, it regrows quickly after an insult. I used to prefer a mono-species turf, but now I've embraced the blended look.

With the new mulch and the Bermuda patch, I'm proud to say the grass looks the best it ever has – drought be damned.

June 18, 2011 -Water hose obstacle course. (The hose bib is on the left side of the driveway.)

Please don't misunderstand. The drought is wreaking havoc, even in my yard.

With reasonable rainfall, I rarely have to water the plants in the other parts of the yard. But in the face of our exceptional drought, I have to drag the hose around to each plant and offer an occasional drink. I hate doing this. I prefer to leave the hose running low and slow, which makes moving it from plant to plant take f-o-r-e-v-e-r. On top of that, our front yard hose bib is in the worst location so I have to drag the hose three quarters of the way around our property, snagging it on plants and hardscape while I navigate the slopey sections in the dark.

No need for a pity party though. If this is an exceptional drought and my yard looks like this with only a slight inconvenience, image how fabulous it will be when we get back to our usual weather. I am looking forward to it.

Wordless Wednesday - Pride of Barbados

noreply@blogger.com (Abbey Forney) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:35:00 +0000