NURTURING TINY TREASURES

I've always preferred the tiny flowers to large showy blooms. I have memories of my childhood lying in the grass and looking for scarlet pimpernels. I didn't know then that one day I would have them in my own garden and consider them a weed. But why I wonder, they are pretty little flowers when seen up close.

Scarlet pimpernel, Anagallis arvensis.

When I received a prize at the age of 11, in my first year in high school, it was natural for me to spend the money( it had to be at the local book store) on a wild flower book and I chose The Observers Book of Wild Flowers. I still have the book.

I am still a lover of tiny flowers. These sedums, with their starry flowers found a perfect niche in this broken rock. I purposefully left the gap when the rock broke as it was being brought into the garden.

Sedum potosinum, forms a neat mat of evergreen leaves which burst into bloom in the spring. It is easily propagated by breaking off a small piece and tucking into the soil.

Left unchecked it will spread to cover the ground but can be easily controlled.

Thymes also work well between pavers their roots protected by the stones.

 These plants flower at ground level but tiny flowers may go unnoticed unless brought to eye level and one way to do this is plant on top of a retaining wall.

Several years ago I found this little native blue gilia, Gilia rigidula, growing under some cedar trees. I transplanted it to this area where it has spread modestly over the years. It bloomed prolifically a few weeks ago and will bloom again on and off through the rest of the season.

I have not seen this plant at nurseries or even at the Wildflower Center, maybe due to its fragility. 

A few bluebonnets bloomed here this year due to the more open nature of the area after the loss of some Spanish oak trees.
And what a lovely surprise to see a bloom stalk on my grandfather's pipe, Callisia fragrans.

The flowers are so complicated I'm not sure if it is compound and whether they are petals, sepals or tepals.

And who can forget the little flowers on the Mammilaria cactus. When I spotted these bright little flowers on my thumb cactus they were barely visible hanging from the fireplace hearth.

 I moved it up onto a ledge where its little flowers could be admired.

Do you have tiny treasures in your garden? If not it may just be that they are there but you haven't noticed them.

FOLIAGE FOLLOW UP SEPTEMBER 2010

Pam, at Digging, reminds us that the garden isn't just about the flowers. Without foliage there would be no flowers. Some plants only flower after many years so if we are going to enjoy them in the garden then we must be happy with their leaves. Here are a few of my favorites.

My Agave,Bloodspot. I picked this one up in California last year and grow it in a pot just to be sure of controlling its growing conditions.

This is the Manfreda maculosa. If you see something in common between it and 'blood spot' it is because 'bloodspot' is a likely cross between maculosa and A. macroacantha.

Flowering of pink ruby grass will be late this year. This one plant is a hang over from last year but most of the plants are weeks away from flowering. Their foliage is one of the best of the small grasses remaining green with no additional watering.

Grandfather's pipe, Callisia fragrans, was a passalong from Diana, at Sharingnnature's Garden. It was going great guns in the spring and early summer until a wren decided to build its nest in the pot. It was the largest wren nest I have ever seen and resulted in several branches dying and the plant being stunted. when we came home I moved out the nest, watered the plant and it is now on its way to better health. It hangs on the front gate.

This is something that has never happened before. The sago palm is putting on a new set of leaves. It normally puts out only one ring in the spring. It was late this year and now, after the rain, it is putting out more! Strange year.

A combination of sweet potato vines and ornamental pepper in a pot. I'm nt noted for my pot culture but this one has worked well.

A few graptopetalum survived the winter and are now in a hanging planter in a shady spot. They will come inside for the winter. Austin weather is not to be trusted.

My wonderful Agave desmettiana X variegata. It wouldn't be my garden without them. My treasures.

Agave augustofolia x variegata, will probably have to come in for the winter.

Finally, what color on the lower leaves of the amaranth. A sure sign that fall is on the way. Please!