June updates

I know better and I did it anyway: I planted a bunch of stuff last weekend. If loving plants is wrong, I don't wanna be right.

It's entirely my neighbor's fault. Well, technically the realtor. The corner house is for sale and had a large, unkept tree (maybe a Pittosporum? I've already forgotten) planted right up against it. It loomed large into our space. It was a lot like this:

Underneath it was a mess of Holly bushes leaning desperately towards the sun at the edge of the tree canopy, and a tangle of Virginia Creeper as well as some dead/broken branches. 

Over the years I'd often wished the neighbor would do "something" about it, and then the realtor did: they cut the tree down. That's it. It was still ugly as sin over there, but the plants I had in it's shade were getting full FULL sun all sudden-like. I had seven Salvia guaranitica 'Black & Bloom' that I'd planted back in February (!!), which was a risk that had paid off because we didn't have any more freezes and they were healthy/thriving. Then they were frying.

For the record, I met the realtor and he gave me an unsolicited apology. He had good intentions of making the house more appealing to potential buyers, and I'd probably have done the same in his shoes. 

I transplanted all but 3 to areas that get less sun during the day because of the shadow cast by the house. Once I'd done that, it set off a cascade of re-arranging. And buying. Because gaps and holes. 

It's really a testament to my quick thinking and flexibility, when you think about it.

I had expanded both beds back in the Fall but then lost steam/motivation to go any further, so I had 3 cubic yards of dirt delivered that first June weekend and spent the entire time shoveling it into those beds.

Last weekend I bought 7 Ruby Crystals grasses, 5 Datura wrightii, and 24 bags of mulch. Here are the results, with some highlights!

View from the edge of the driveway. Agave celsii in the foreground, and Agave gypsophila in the background.

Agave gypsophila 'Blue Wave'

I bought this Agave gypsophila 'Blue Wave' online. I had a large one of the standard variety several years ago and got cocky during a freeze, where I lost it completely. This one was tiny when I got it, and it has been well-protected in the garage for winters ever since (maybe 2 years ago?). 

I'm thrilled that it's doing so well, but the downside is that it's getting a little big to pull up and that pot sure isn't going anywhere. I might have to use the shop light/frost cloth method that has worked for my Aloes the past 2 years.

Above you see my 2 new planters, aka "metal fire pit rings" if you're searching for such a thing on the internet. The one in the foreground looks crooked in this shot, and I'm hoping that's just a bad angle. I obsessively tried to level both before filling them.

Each one has a Whale's Tongue agave. I'd had them in the bed against the garage in the Fall/Winter but reality set in and I realized they'd get way too big for that space. After I moved them to the other front beds I felt like they needed to be elevated, hence the fire pit ring planters.

Salvia 'Henry Duelberg' in the foreground, Salvia leucantha 'Santa Barbara'
in the background with a Whale's Tongue agave in the middle.

Keepin' it real with the neighbor's trash bins in the back-background.

Hibiscus syriacus 'Blue Satin'

Behind the planter is one of the two Hibsicus syriacus 'Blue Satin' I planted in the Spring of this year. It's dumb: the deer snack on them, but for some reason they leave the buds? It's a battle I may ultimately lose, I'm rolling the dice.

This is the bed against the garage that I've posted about many times. Last Fall those Yucca rostrata 'Sapphire Skies' weren't looking as robust as they had in years past, so I raised them up on berms and treated them (I hope prophylactically) for agave weevils.

Above shows where 3 of the Salvia guaranitica found new homes. In hindsight they really needed to be there the whole time (or something did). I like them against the Pennisetum grass (a variety I'm hoping I might have documented in another post) along with the new-ish Artemesia and the brand new Ruby Crystals grasses.

I still love this potted combo of Opuntia Santa Rita and Agave parryi var. truncata. The agave puts out lots of pups, I suspect it's because it's all so pot-bound. (Come to think of it, that whole section is on borrowed time *cough* Bismark Palm *cough*.)

I know it can't go on like this forever, but the combo of agave pups and my PTSD from that Opuntia's fine-yet-vicious stickers will keep me from addressing it until I absolutely have to.

This is the bed formerly known as 'partial shade'. The grass is Pennisetum 'Purple Prince', transplanted from the back last year I think? I added Artemesia back in February, and the Ruby Crystals grasses are of course new along with a Datura you can't see too well.

If you look carefully, you'll see another of my many questionable judgement calls with respect to planting things in June, in Austin.

Yep, I bought an Albizia julibrissin 'Merlot Majik'. Another one, if you're keeping score. The one I planted last Fall didn't make it, to no one's surprise. I blame myself.

Albizia julibrissin 'Merlot Majik'

These photos may be the only evidence left by the time Summer is over. I don't want to hear "I told you so".

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-up: May 2017

It's been a while since I participated in Garden Blogger's Bloom Day (and I'm a few days late) but I finally have a little time AND have something exciting to share: my Chocolate Mimosa bloomed this year! 

Chocolate Mimosa bloom at dusk (so the leaves are closing)

Chocolate Mimosa bloom in the morning!

(For some reason my pictures of the whole tree came out blurry/fuzzy, ugh.)

I also purchased two Hibiscus syriacus 'Blue Satin' and planted them in the front beds. Despite the best efforts of the deer, one is blooming profusely and has more buds in waiting!

Hibiscus syriacus 'Blue Satin'

My neighbor's Hibiscus seems untouched by deer, but it's much larger and taller and maybe that's a factor? I'm hoping these will live long enough for me to find out!

For Foliage Follow-up, one of my favorite color combos: silver and burgundy!

Unfortunately I can't remember which Pennisetum that is, but that's an artemesia and a Sharkskin Agave alongside it.

And finally my winners in both the bloom and foliage category: Peter's Purple Bee Balm and Canna 'Flambe'.

Canna 'Flambe' and Peter's Purple Bee Balm

Those Canna are transplants from the other side of the yard, and the Bee Balm was a passalong plant from a Garden Blogger's Go-Go. My love for the Canna is well documented, but I'm now a HUGE fan of the Bee Balm! I need to acquire more of that for everywhere.

Thanks so much to Pam Penick of Digging for hosting Foliage Follow-up every month, and thanks to Carol of May Dreams Gardens blog for hosting Garden Blogger's Bloom Day!

Orange trifecta and other Spring happenings

I've been holding off on a post until my 3rd new orange plant blooms, and it finally did this weekend! I'm pleased to introduce Salvia 'Amber's Wish':

Salvia 'Amber's Wish'

The color is more intense than it looked online; less orange, more fuchsia-orange (is that a thing?), and lovely!

I also planted 4 'Lady of Shallot' roses in the back along the only fenceline that gets any sun, and one bloomed! So pretty. (I'm not sure they'll get enough sun there, crossing my fingers.)

Lady of Shallot rose

Last Fall I drank the kool-aid and brought home Tangerine Beauty Crossfine for my back fence. Now that it has bloomed, I totally get the hype. These pictures don't do the color justice:

Tangerine Beauty Crossvine

My Fatsia 'Camouflage' survived the Winter and are getting bigger (woohoo!) so I ordered 2 more online from Plant Delights Nursery. I planted them along that same back fenceline, on the other side of the big Oak tree.

Fatsia japonica 'Camouflage' or 'Murokamo Nishiki'

My Canna 'Flambe' are coming back strong. I was really worried that I'd lost them in the freeze, but they're just slow to emerge I guess. Given Austin weather, that's smart. I dug a few up and put them on the opposite side of the garden; they'll get more shade over there, so it's an experiment.

Canna 'Flambe', Salvia 'Amber's Wish' and Brugmansia 'Double White'. Palm in the back is Brahea armata.

Behind it you can see the foliage of my Brugmansia 'Double White', and immediately in front of it is the Salvia 'Amber's Wish'.

As I do every year, I try to capture the beauty of my Chocolate Mimosa, but fail miserably:

Chocolate Mimosa

And then there's my new Clematis 'Armandii', aka Evergreen Clematis. I planted it late last Fall, and nailed wire mesh to the posts to help it climb. This Spring it hasn't need much help, just an occasional nudge to cling in the right direction.

Clematis 'Armandii'

I didn't ever recap the losses in 2016, either most due to weather but some were my choice/frustration:

• Begonia luxurians
• Rose Campion
• Salvia clevelandii (all varieties/hybrids)
• Canna 'Blueberry Sparkler'
• Iochroma 'Princess'
• Smoke tree (I found it a good home!)
• Merlot Majik mimosa
• Mexican weeping bamboo
• Peach tree (sigh, I transplanted it but didn't have enough root)

Everything has seemed slower to get moving this year (myself included). Hopefully soon things will start to fill in and I can get some decent shots to post!

Indoor container gardening experiments

I've always struggled to keep indoor plants alive, however I'm making an attempt at succulent arrangements to see if I have better luck.

About 2 weeks ago I got on Instagram for the first time. I didn't have a clue how to use it (still don't), and started "hearting" things (is that even what you call it??)

One of those things I hearted was an all-in-one succulent arrangement from JuicyKits. They have these darling little planters and arrangements, which they sell as separate items or as a kit (including soil and everything). I fell in love with The Egg and was jonesing to "garden", so I found a 15% coupon and splurged.

It arrived late last week, securely packed with everything clearly labeled, and instructions for how to put it together:

I think it turned out okay!

They gave you the option to select your own plants, and I let them choose but in hindsight I'd have preferred a little more color variation/contrast. That said, I can swap out the succulents whenever I want! The only thing I'm iffy about is the moss that you place on top of the dirt - I may replace it with gravel or rocks.

They're doing a 40% of sale of all inventory right now, so go see if you need anything!


Container project #2 was more...inspired. Ryan and I went to a gathering with friends for a Not-Christmas/Valentine's Day White Elephant party. We took home these Star Wars koozies from Think Geek, because Star Wars.

We (okay, I) debated using them as actual koozies, but we really don't drink a lot of canned beverages so it seemed like yet another thing we'd put in a drawer and never use.

I pulled out the foam innards, put some filter paper on the bottom so the dirt wouldn't fall out, and turned them into succulent planters!

I put them in the boys' bathroom and scored kid-points for about 2.3 seconds (because duh, they're plants). Then the next day Max informed me that the "flowers" in the bathroom make his nose itchy, so now they're in my office/sunroom.

New office, part 2: manifestation!

I posted here about my vision for a space where I could work and lounge. I am writing this post from my new office, specifically my new chaise.

Ollie the photobomber

Daisy wanted in on the action too

I still want to get a few more plants, and of course a pot for that Bird of Paradise, and 2 floating shelves for the far wall by the hook rack. Those are the little things I can do over time (and paychecks).

If it weren't for "Winter" (such as it is here in Austin) I likely would have let this project languish for years, so thanks Winter! And stay away now because all my perennials are starting to sprout, kthxbye.

If I could move into this I would. Lots of sun, a view of the garden, all my gardening books within reach...heaven.

Lady Gaga songs about gardening

You didn't know there were any, did you? The one I have in mind is about me and my Bismark Palm.

Bismark palm after three days of temps in the low 20s

That's right: Bad Romance.

In preparation for the 3 days of low-20s temps earlier this year, I wrapped the trunk with Christmas lights, and then wrapped a frost blanket around those.

Fire hazard? Probably.

Effective? Yes. Maybe. This time. If it had been freezing rain, I don't know that my efforts would have made a difference, and we WILL having freezing rain again someday (or rain, then freeze, whatever).

The more it grows, the worse it's going to be when a freeze inevitably takes it out.

I'm like those people that buy cute little baby alligators as pets: if it dies you'll be sad (I guess), but if it keeps growing there's going to be trouble (and you'll still be sad, just not today).

I know I can trim off those dead branches, that isn't the point. I'm just debating whether to give up on the dream, pull it out, and find a replacement plant. Sometimes you've just got to rip off the band-aid, right? Ugh. Not ready.


Other plants that didn't do as well as I would have thought:

Agave 'Weberi'

I haven't decided what to do about this yet. If I trim off all the burned bits it will look pretty unsightly...and it will look unsightly (although oddly interesting) if I leave it alone. I think this is another decision I'll put off for another day/week/month.

Agave Weberi 'Purple Heart'

The Plant Delights site said their 'Purple Heart' Weberi is 4 ft x 6 ft and cold hardy to zone 8a? I'm pretty skeptical, since I know their Winters are longer and colder than ours here in Austin. The other one might pull through with some aggressive pruning, so I'll dig it up and see if I can rehab it in a pot.

There were a few other things that died for good (Agave 'Blue Glow', and Octopus agave) but they were expected. I'm bummed, but I had mental back-ups for just such an occurrence.

Is it Spring yet? My fingers are itching to prune and plant!!

New office, part 1: the vision

We've decided to turn our sunroom into an office/sitting area for me, and I'm over the moon about it!

One of the challenging things about living with someone when you are older is that you've had plenty of time to get comfortable living alone. That means everything is right where you left it when you get home from work, the thermostat is always exactly where you want it, and if you run out of toilet paper you only have yourself to blame. (To be candid, this is way more likely to be my fault than his.)

I didn't realize how much I missed having my own dedicated space in the house until we started talking about me working someplace besides the dining room table. We talked about putting a desk for me in Ryan's office for about 2 hot minutes, and then both of us being on the phone at the same time pretty much killed that notion. The more I looked around, the more I realized that everything in the house was shared space with either Ryan, the boys, or both, except his office (because it's HIS office, and he tolerates all of us treking in and out better than I would).

I pitched the idea of making the sunroom into an office/sitting area, and he thought it was a good idea too! That room has had a lot of unfulfilled potential since we moved in. You might recall this post where I posted pictures of what it has looked like for the past 2 years, or this one where I posted the 3 different colors I'd painted it (and never painted it Mega Greige like I threatened because it wasn't worth the effort).

I recall Robin saying "You must love this room!" the first time she came over for a Garden Blogger's Go-Go, and my immediate response was "No, but I really want to!" The color issues notwithstanding, bench is beautiful but not comfortable for lounging, and the bar table is too high to be practical. It just became a dumping ground for Ryan's basketball gear and Daisy's leash/treats/poop baggies. Oh, and let's not forget Ollie's litter box.

It's a small room and gets a ton of light, so I wanted to really embrace that but I wasn't sure how. I searched on Pinterest for "sunroom" and noticed that the rooms I loved were light in color too: NOBODY has a red sunroom. I'd need to deviate from my inclination towards bold color on the walls, gulp. Then I'd need to find pieces (desk, chairs) small enough to not overwhelm the tiny space that weren't also dark, heavy wood (which I gravitate to like a moth to a flame). And then there was the pesky thing of a budget. I searched Craigslist and sales on sites like Hayneedle, Wayfair, and Target.

Step 1: new paint! I went with Benjamin Moore 'Cloud White' and I LOVE IT. I know, I know, I've always railed against white walls, but it's creamy and relaxing without being sterile. [Full confession: I first painted it all one coat of White Dove, which is the color of the kitchen cabinets, but it was a tinge too gray-white in this room, despite being gorgeous on the kitchen cabinets and walls, so my second coat was Cloud White. Paint is weird.]

The desk will go here, against the glass

Opposite wall. The bench will ultimately move to another room,
but the mirror will stay. Maybe I'll paint it? Dunno yet.

It isn't quite this cream-colored, but as you can tell it's nighttime and my iPhone camera is...well, it's an iPhone camera. I'll take a picture in the daytime soon.

Here's the rest of the plan!

My chair/chaise:

Bliss Chaise Lounge, West Elm

This goes against the wall where you currently see the bench (above). I will read gardening books here when it's too hot or cold to sit outside, and I will nap here with the cat. I will probably also need to put down a blanket or retrain the dog, because currently the bench is her indoor high ground.... I've got some time to figure it out, sadly, because it likely won't arrive until early March. (Delayed gratification builds character, right??)

My desk (thanks for the Christmas present, Mom & Dad!):

Mid-Century Desk, West Elm

It's due to arrive between January 2-16. I adore it, and it matches the hardwood floors which is completely inane but it still tickles me.

My bookshelf:

Darley 8 Cube Bookcase, Target

The Target bookcase above is a MUCH more affordable version of the West Elm version below! (Even with 20% off I couldn't rationalize it.) My bookcase could arrive as early as Thursday, and when it gets there I'm going to put it against the window and fill it with gardening books, then put succulents in pots on top!

Industrial Modular Bookcase, West Elm

Last but not least, I needed a solution for Ollie's litter box. There's no place else in the house it could logically go, but I didn't want it just out in the open like it has been since we moved in. Kinda ruins the vibe I'm going for, you know?

I wanted to find a little enclosure that he could get into for privacy but was also functional, since we have Daisy's leash and treats to store. I searched high and low for a cabinet that wasn't too high or too wide: my plan was to cut a hole in the back so he could enter/exit, with doors so I could easily clean it out but also keep it out of sight.

I present my solution:

Abbeville Stacking Cabinet, Ballard Designs

It's 24" x 24" x 16", so his 19" x 11" litter box should fit just fine, and I'll just leave the middle shelf out completely so he doesn't have to crouch.

I got this box for on top, to store Daisy's walk accoutrements:

Abbeville Open Stacking Cabinet, Ballard Designs

Hooray for holiday sales, 20% off promotions, unexpected windfalls, and dumb luck!