Playin' Outside

Driving to work the other day, I noticed something seemed out of place in a utility easement off to my right. Days passed before I had a reason to drive that way again; but knowing where to look, this time I could clearly see the green crowns of German iris plants scattered in profusion throughout the trenched and packed down right of way. The New Digs Yesterday, my husband and I went back and brought a few of them home to a pampered existence of amended soil, mulched surfaces, and regular watering. After surviving for over 50 years in neglect, they'll probably die from the shock. But it made me unbelievably happy to have this connection to the past scattered about my garden. These irises predictably bloom white or blue, but I don't really care which. They're in my garden to provide a feeling more than a flower. That spot of town has been a cow pasture for as long as most people can recall, but the railroad used to run along there. The only memory of that now is the name ...

Every gardener I know sings the same tune this time of year - there's just not enough time and daylight to do everything we want or need to do. Amending soil, pruning, putting out transplants, cleaning up winter's leftovers - just the maintenance could overwhelm a fainthearted person. But we gardeners are a sturdy lot. Bring it on! We do all that and more! No wonder I sleep better this time of year .... And, I can't wail and moan about not having enough time to keep up. I look at other garden blogs (around midnight on nights there's not enough moonlight to garden by) and see the standard everyone else sets - they somehow manage to build and maintain amazing gardens, keep up with regular posts on absolutely breathtaking blogs, and probably look fabulous and sweat-free while getting it all done. At my house, there's lots of sweat and incomplete tasks. Near the top of the to-do list is getting the rain tank hooked up before the rainy season has passed me by. Having ...

Super Tuesday's over, Romney's dropped out of the race, Hillary and Obama are set to debate here in Texas, and folks are thinking our state may play a significant role in the election of the next President. In spite of all that, a debate of another kind may have more impact on the quality of life we gardeners can expect in the future. It's about the availability of water and the conflict many homeowners feel every time we talk about whether or not to reduce or eliminate turf areas, what kinds of plants to use in our landscapes, and how far we should go with the idea of rainwater harvesting - whether it's going to be buckets, barrels, or bigger. Like many homeowners, the resale value of our home is always weighed against changes my husband and I might want to make to reduce our water consumption. Our suburban neighborhood attracts families, and families like grass for the kids to play on. The suburban code seems to mandate the requisite patch of green from front door to ...

The world's a different place just before dawn as I walk the dogs. The birds are beginning their morning songs and sometimes I'll catch raccoons or opossums on their way back to their hiding places after their night out. In a neighborhood like mine, it sometimes seems as if the yards have been almost loved to death with fertilizers, sprays, enthusiastic pruning, and our need to conform to the suburban ideal - making these quiet morning moments with nature more precious. Because of where I live, I see most "critters" as a sign of healing and gardening success - each bird, beneficial insect, butterfly, spider, earthworm, frog, or even snake that finds my yard hospitable. The red-tailed hawks and occasional heron are particular delights, even though they sometimes make a meal of fish from my pond. Don't get me wrong, I realize this view is the fruit of privilege. My family's next meal is not dependent on protecting the crop from rabbits or agricultural blight. Bu...

This winter I've found myself thinking a lot about my grandmother. It took me a while to realize what was triggering the memories, but I finally realized it was two things: purple pansies and crape myrtles. We lived in the Mojave Desert when I was a child, and Grandma always kept a bed of purple petunias growing in front of the house. Given the heat, the sand, and the lack of available moisture and nutrients, you can imagine how much fussing she must have done over those straggly plants to produce blooms. She really wanted violets, but learned to settle for and appreciate her pet petunias. They were unfailingly deep purple - as if they didn't come in any other color. Here in Texas, winter is an ideal time to enjoy pansies. (I know - pansies, not petunias.) You see them mass planted in commercial landscapes and popping out of pots on front porches all over town - the masses of color almost always including Grandma's purple. So, I think of her and how much she would have en...

Do you have a Hitchcock moment when you see large groups of grackles or other birds gathering in the trees? The majority opinion seems to be that they are a nuisance, owing to the "paint job" they leave where they roost. Odd as it may seem, I enjoy them. Yes, I find it mildly irritating to have to clean grackle spackle off the rocks around the pond. But I've found a well placed rubber snake is effective crowd control. When pairs of the sleek black males preen and strut and screech with their beaks straight up to the sky, how can you not laugh? And, have you ever noticed that they appear to maintain fairly consistent "personal space" between each individual but still seem to prefer belonging to a larger group? Hmmm....makes me think we might not be so different in some ways. Here's another reason: Years ago, I was the chef at a downtown hotel. One day I realized I had been hearing an odd noise repeating for some time and went to investigate. A female grackl...

We have a saying in the South - "preachin' to the choir." That's what today's blog is like. If you've ever enjoyed the love and companionship of an animal, there's no need to try to explain the value and difference it can make in your life. If you haven't, it's not something words can convey and you're just going to be aggravated with me for talking about it in a blog that's primarily about gardening. But remember, day one I promised you things that made me stop and think " wow ". That said, today I'd like to introduce you to Simon. He's currently looking for a home in the Austin area, and this is what the Austin Humane Society folks have to say about him: "Oh, Simon! This dog has stolen hearts all over Texas. Simon was found in the Giddings Animal Shelter with a crushed front leg and a terrible case of heartworms. A very nice gentleman saw what a great dog Simon is and was determined to save Simon's life. With h...