Not many would be excited by what they see in the center of this photograph- unless of course they have sago palms. All over town these odd looking mounds, nothing but a mass of spikes and cut off fronds. Mine looked just the same. They lived in pots and graced the entry through the front wall, which happens to face North West. They took the brunt of the cold weather which turned every frond to brown. I finally cut them back last week. I thought they looked better with the fronds on than off. I moved them into a sunnier spot in the hope that it would stimulate them to burst forth. This morning I looked into the center and saw tiny new fronds.
I was a patient gardener.
The same is true of 3 Meyer lemon trees. They finally started to sprout and now have healthy green foliage. They are not as large as they were and they won't produce lemons this year, of course, but if I take care of them next winter by bringing them indoors they should crop the following year. I lost the Mexican lime and Persian lime.
I was a patient gardener.
The Confederate jasmine on the study wall lost every single leaf. It was cut back to bare wood. I felt pretty sure that it would recover from the brutal pruning and it did. It is now in full green leaf again and even has a few flowers!
I was a patient gardener.
When other Austin gardeners were eating beets and peas through the winter, my plants were sitting there doing nothing. This happens every year. It takes until April before they start to move. Now we have beets and beet tops aplenty, and I am picking peas every day trying to beat this heat. This will be the last week for peas and, unlike other years, I will be saving some of the open pollinated peas for next years crop.
I was a patient gardener.
Manfreda maculosa, the spice lily took a long time producing a stalk before the flowers finally opened. In the front garden I have 2
Manfreda sileri in the front garden, one of which has a 6' flower stalk. This, on a very small 9" diameter plant. At the top of the stalk are a few flower buds that have been there for weeks. When will they open? Eventually for.....
I am a patient gardener, most of the time.
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!
