BACK TO THE BUSINESS OF GARDENING

I have been side-lined for the last couple of weeks by recovery from surgery. Something that was probably caused by all the time I have spent outdoors in the sun either gardening or hiking. I will be more cautious in future but let this be a warning. WEAR SUNSCREEN.
Even though it is February there is much to do cutting back and removing plants that didn't make it through several unexpected deep freezes.  Here is one plant that has been a star through all kinds of weather.

The large rosemary is planted out front by the side of the driveway. It has never been watered and has withstood drought, summer heat, hail and freezing temperatures. Yesterday it was blooming as it has never bloomed before and I even spotted a bee visiting one of the flowers.
On one of my non-gardening days I did the rounds of the nurseries. For a moment I thought that I might have missed spring as all were overflowing with spring bedding plants, grasses and vines. Of course I was tempted just as I was last year. Five pots of grape hyacinths at $1 a pot was easy. The patio table needs a little brightening. I still have the ones I saved from last year but they are making a slow start. Once in a while it is worth having someone else do the planting for you.

One plant I wasn't tempted to buy was a large pot of climbing jasmine, Jasminum polyanthum.

And this is why. I have had maybe 3 or 4 good years when the plant made a worthy bloom. Yes, the scent was heavenly but this is a vigorous vine forming a big tangle of finely cut leaves. This was cut to the ground last year! It roots easily and I don't doubt there will be a stray shoot somewhere that will try to make a comeback.

After cutting it back to the ground I used the pick axe to remove the root.

The question now is its replacement. Something which takes less work. I don't mind dieback in the winter if the plant performs well in the summer. Nor do I mind a bare trellis in the winter. I'm pondering on remaking the trellis so that it reaches to just above the weep screen. That way it is easier to get smaller vines started. This is a south facing exposure but sheltered from early morning and late evening sun by the wall of the house. Maybe I'll try a Mexican flame vine or even a clematis. I wish our nurseries carried better selections of clematis but I will be out looking for a summer bloomer this time.
The roses in the English garden are all pruned. It doesn't seem to make a difference how early we prune because they were already leafing out. I see a lot of weeding to be done. Last year I planted iris  around the bird bath. They seem a little slow to take.

The citrus are out of the potting shed. The Mexican lime still has fruit as do the lemons.

Some seedlings are outside to harden off. Some destined for the window box and planters others for the ground.

Brachyscome, Swan River daisy

10 week stocks

The grasses are all cut back and it will be a a waiting game to see if the ruby crystal grasses will return. If not there are plenty of Mexican feather grasses to take their place.
A cloudy, cool day is my favorite day for gardening so that is where I am heading right now. It's good to be out there again.

GOOD GRIEF!

Just when we were enjoying some seasonable days with drizzle-love gardening in this kind of weather- they tell us it is going to be 89º tomorrow and 85º the next day! As a gardener I don't think I can take much more of this. I have spent the last few days beginning the clean up from the rain, terrible cold and even the long lasting results of the terrible hail event we had two years ago and I dread to think what this weather will bring. There is sure to be another freeze.
I might expect a little of this; paper whites in bloom, but even these are a little early for my garden.

Even a little false garlic, Nothoscordum bivalve.

and the odd grape hyacinth, Muscari starting to peak above their stringy foliage. When will I find some grape hyacinth that have more upstanding foliage?

and before the week is out the gopher plant, Euphorbia rigida, will be blooming.

and roses about to bloom. I had to put a stop to that because they need cutting back and I am not waiting any longer. Forget February 14th. It has taken me two days to cut back the roses in the birdbath circle. And I cut them back hard. Last year I didn't do a hard cut so I shouldn't have been surprised, but was, to see that many of lower branches were showing that hail damage. Now it is out and it only remains to see whether the rose will come back. If not then I will replace them with some new ones. I think they have been in there 10 years.

Bark damage caused by hail

Yes, it's a wintery scene in the English garden which doesn't get as much sun as the other gardens.

Having spent the day with the pruners I turned my attention to finishing another little job I had started at the weekend. Painting the small styrofoam cooler I was converting into yet another trough. So much easier and quicker than making the hypertufa trough and one I am starting to favor. This one was discarded by some party goer on. Dumped in a waste bin I quickly saw its potential and snapped it up. People are so wasteful. At the weekend I did the roughing up and sealing job and all that remained was to paint it, which I did this afternoon. Ever eager to get it planted I found some plants that were in need of a new home. It joins the other one I made which has a bunny ears cactus.

I have one more styrofoam trough garden to go and it's a big one. Maybe I'll get started when the temperature soars to near 90º tomorrow.

SHHH! GO BACK TO SLEEP

I wasn't planning on my spring window box looking so good in January. I'm afraid it will be worn out by the time the real spring comes in March and April. But what's a gardener to do? Always be on the ready for something different. This is Texas. No two years are ever the same. This time we are having another dry spell but plenty of sunshine and warmer than expected days.

Exactly how long those ornamental cabbages will last I don't know. I remove leaves from the bottom fairly frequently so they are getting taller each week. Maybe it will leave more room for the pansies and violas. At the back are stocks and red flax, which I started from seed, and snapdragons.

I bought this planter from Gardeners' Supply with a gift coupon. It is self watering and holds 3 gallons of water in the reservoir. This certainly makes watering a lot easier. It has been one of my major success purchases, so yesterday, tempted by the fact that they were on sale, I bought another one. That means I will be able to plant up another one in readiness for when this one is finished. It's a luxury but I still had money left on the gift certificate and have decided it is a gift certificate well spent.
Elsewhere in the garden there are some early bloomers. I wish they would wait because it is going to get cold again. Grape hyacinths among their tangle of foliage. Is there a grape hyacinth that has shorter foliage?

The first of the square-bud primrose, Calylophus berlandieri.

And a very early blooming blanket flower, Gaillardia pulchella, sheltered between the walls of the raised beds.

It isn't so much that these last plants aren't hardy enough to survive a few frosts, they have already had at least five, but I would like to see them in my spring garden.

It's good there is something out there for the bees because they have been in evidence once the day warms. They love the sweet smelling alyssum, which has great depth of color in the winter. This is one plant I never need to buy as it seeds itself readily.
But don't leave here with the impression that my garden is full of flowers. It still has that winter look.

The English garden

 It may not have quite the bare look of winters gone bye but I think there is probably time for that to happen.

WARM DAYS BRING ON THE BLOOMS

Usually the first blooms of the season are the windflowers, Anemone berlandieri, and sure enough today I spotted the first blooms.

The recent warm days have brought on a flurry of spring blooms.

Clusters of daffodils.

Violets

Grape hyacinths, Muscari

Gopher plant, Euphorbia rigida. Spring is on the way. Hurrah!

GARDEN BLOGGERS' BLOOM DAY FEBRUARY 2012

Please join our hostess, Carol of Maydreams, who invites us to share our February blooms.

When I went outside this morning to look for blooms I was really surprised to see that the Ipheion uniflorum was in bud. It was in the shade so I thought I'd wait until I came home in the afternoon. By then the whole clump was in bloom. I have 3 clumps. Two will bloom, the third has been eaten down by critters.

Later on in the afternoon the summer snowflake, Leucojum aestivum,  had opened one bloom.

There are always a few larkspur that jump the gun.

and a couple of grape hyacinths peaking above their lanky foliage.

A few blanket flowers, Gaillardia pulchella, will risk blooming early.

Erigeron daisy in the sunken garden.

and lots of four nerve daisies, Tetraneuris scaposa, in the from garden.




 Sweet alyssum, in all its many shades.

early blooming purple skullcap, Scutellaria wrightii.

The viburnum, Viburnum tinus, spring bouquet. Pink buds open to white flowers.

And now for the February surprise blooms. The color of this gazania is a real surprise. Started from seed last year it sulked its way through the fierce Austin summer, took advantage of the warm winter and voila. February bloom.

Another gazania in the sunken garden. You never know what the colors will be in a mixed seed packet.

Usually Verbena bonariensis, dies over the winter. Not this year. I have several clumps 2' across. I am torn between pulling them out and saving them. If only they were in the right place.

Despite these early blooms the garden is really still in its awakening state with green being the predominant color. Give it another month and it will be awash with color.
Wherever you may be I hope you are all enjoying February bloom day in your garden.

PURPLES, LILACS, BLUES, SPRING IS ON THE WAY

My hellebore opened up its petals today and turned its face to the sun. Oh! I love it. Where can I get more? The color has not disappointed me. After all, it was not in flower when I bought it and you know how those labels are sometimes erroneous. But it was not the only flower to open today.

The native anemone has lost its spot for being the first to open. Usually blooming in early February, our unusually cold weather resulted in a later bloom time. It is the only one I can find but I am sure more will follow.

Last year the weather was favorable for the appearance of tens of wine cup volunteers and they are flowering remarkably early. One of my favorite colors. In fact, it is the blues, lilacs and purples which are first to bloom this year. I have gardened in many places and have always favored these colors. In Texas any color that does well here will have a place in this garden.

The diminutive Siberian iris, Iris sibirica, were planted for the first time last year. I wasn't sure if they were to come back but here they are. That ring of coat hanger wire is my reminder that I have bulbs growing in the ground in that spot. I am far too handy with the garden trowel and labels never seem to last.

The lanky foliage of the grape hyacinths is not enough to deter me from enjoying the first bloom.

I am too English not to have stocks in the garden. I love their sweet smell which brings an immediate breath of Spring into the garden. They seem to do well here, reseeding and wintering over to bring an early spring bloom.