The First Day of Fall....

It's already Fall.

I'm hoping the weather around here

believes it.

We've been pretty warm....

HOT...

for the last few weeks.

And, dry.

Ruby Chrystal Grass

The forecast is for cooler, wetter weather.

We'll see.

Caldium Pot

I haven't been keeping up with this blog too well,

this summer.

Autumn Joy Sedum

I mean...there hasn't been anything much going on here.

Hyacinth Bean

How many times can I whine to you,

about the heat, or the drought...

Inland Sea Oats

...or the floods, or the cold?

Liriope

You've heard over and over,

about the ever present deer.

Yikes!

And the bugs!

Garlic Chives

Of course, nice things happen, too.

Lantana

But, like news reports...

there's no drama in nice things.

Bee on Lantana

So...I run out of things to say.

Yes...even me.

Big leaf Jerusalem Sage...finally blooming.

But, me without something to say,

won't last long. 

I'll try to show up more often.

We did get a new weather station,

that I haven't shown you.

Kinda stands out, doesn't it?

Kinda self important?

It gives us all kind of information.

Look at the lower middle.  

That's the forecast...like the guys on tv...

can't make up its mind.

Just hope that rainfall total goes up...

a little.

So...Welcome Fall.

We are SO ready for you here.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

April 1....

April 1...

Already...

Yesterday, it was in the 80s.

Then, a cold front came through, and today it's in the 50s.

This morning, the sun was hitting the tops of the trees.

But the storm clouds were forming. 

Soon it was raining, and we had tiny hail...no damage.

I've been weeding...and, weeding...and, weeding.

Oh, yes...and some mulching and graveling. (is that a word?)

The front beds are done.

And luckily, I finished the Island Bed yesterday, before the cold and rain.

The Veggie Garden is weeded, and ready for some veggie plants.

The Round Bed (which isn't really round.) is ready for mulch.

The Back Bed isn't completely weeded yet, but it's doing pretty good.

The leaves I put down in the fall have done a good job of keeping weeds down.

The purple iris are done, since this photo.

But, the white ones, and this one have started.

The stems on this one are so short, it's like it's hiding.

The Crossvine isn't hiding. It's finally really blooming...for the first time.

Other things showing up...

 'Hot Lips' salvia

 Purple Heart

 Silver Germander

Looks good against one of our fountains.

 Jerusalem Sage

The other Jerusalem Sage 'Edward Bowles', has bigger leaves and didn't like FULL

Texas, afternoon sun. So moved it to the back. It's looking good,

But, no blooms, yet.

And, look at this!

The Softleaf Yucca, at the front corner of the house,

has a bloom stalk, for the very first time.

It has been properly caged, against the constantly foraging

horde of deer.

****************

So, that's what's been going on here.

Still have lots more weeding to do.

And, cleaning up Live Oak leaves, and soon the catkins (brown squiggleys).

Then, more mulching and graveling.

It just never ends.

Happy Gardening...

(and, Happy April)

~~Linda~~

Blending Blooms and Foliage...Again...

Again, I'm combining 

Garden Bloggers' Bloomday

and 

Foliage Follow-up.

We've had some 'interesting' weather, lately.

87F one day, and down to freezing the next morning.

I'm hoping all this excitement is over.

I got out before the cold hit, to take photos.

Glad I did.  Some of the blooms were nipped.

See here's what we have.

The Crossvine is blooming.

Oh...this isn't mine.  This is our neighbor Elli's.

This is mine.

But, hey....two blooms are more than it's ever given us.

And, I have iris blooming.  

Thought this was supposed to be peach.

But, I'll take this pretty purple.

And, there are several white ones still blooming.

This Snapdragon volunteers each year.

Not where I would plant it. but it's pretty.

It's in a pot with pansies.

The little yellow violas have perked up.

Gulf Coast Penstemon

A newly planted Mystic Spires Salvia.

Our one rose...a red Knockout.

A Spiderwort I thought was gone.

Primrose Jasmine.

Jerusalem sage.

This is full of buds.  Love these Dr. Seuss-like blooms.

Now, for some foliage.

Mexican Feathergrass.

Agave Lophantha

Prickly Pear putting on new pads.

Yucca 'Color Guard'

The small Golden Barrel Cactus.

The large Golden Barrel Cactus.

Yep...that damage was fatal.

I think is was more the six hours under water, during the flood,

more than the cold.

And last, but not least...

new leaves and those lovely catkins (a.k.a. Brown Squigglies),

on the Live Oaks.

We've had the leaf drop...twice.

And, there is yellow pollen all over everything.

Next these little green things will turn brown,

and cover the ground, the outside furniture, the plants...

THE DOG.

It's a mess. 

But, I still love the trees.

There is more here....especially foliage.

But, that's it for this time.

Be sure to visit Carol, at

May Dreams Garden

for Bloomday, and

Pam at Digging.
for Foliage Follow-up.

***********
'Til later...
Take care...
~~Linda~~

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day...April,2013

It's been a long time, since I've joined in with Carol at

May Dreams Garden
for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

Things are perking up around here,
but, I still don't have much blooming yet.

The one iris I have has bloomed.  It didn't for two years.
This is the only one that came all the way out.  Three other blooms were
'stuck', inside the leaves.  Not sure what that was about.

The Bougainvillea that has lived on the porch all winter...being covered and uncovered...
has been putting on new growth and blooms for a while.

I trimmed the Salvia greggii way back, a couple months ago, so it will bush out more.
It's beginning to give us some blooms.

The Jerusalem Sage is full of buds.  Some are beginning to open up.
Love these Dr. Seuss type blooms.

I moved this Silver Germander last fall, and trimmed it way back.
It's finally putting on new growth and a few blooms.

This Mealy Blue sage has multiplied, and is putting out some blooms.

It's such a pretty blue.  Not sure what the 'Mealy' part of the name is about.

The Stella d'Oro daylily is budding.
Some say this is an overused daylily.  But, I like the way it keeps on going.
The other daylilies here, are not budding out yet.

And last, but not least....the Ruby Chrystal Grass is blooming.
I thought it was a fall bloomer.  But, all the ones I have are blooming.
And, they made it through the hard freezes we've had.

Well....
That's All Folks.

Wish I had more.  But, it will come.
We're having very warm weather today.  But, they're saying we'll have
some cold mornings again, by the end of the week.
I may be covering some things...again.

Be sure to visit Carol at
May Dreams Garden
for more blooms, from around the world.

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~