Too cool. It took me a few days to find out what kind of birds these are. They have made a nest not far from here. If the Mrs. hadn’t nearly mowed us down on our bikes we might not have noticed her and her nest. They are very hard to see.
These guys eat small lizards, snakes and other assorted gruesome things. I’m told the Mr. has been spotted running about with small snakes hanging out of his mouth.
Tags: birds
Society Garlic, aka Tulbaghia violacea is blooming now. These plants would like full sun, but I have mine in dappled to part shade. The information I have says it requires well drained soil yet this is on the out skirts of the swale garden and most certainly not well drained. But it is not in the boggy area either.
Iris Psedacorus L, aka Yellow Flag, aka Water Flag. These Irises grow in marshes, along the edges of ponds and I have them in my swale garden. They don’t bloom for long but are quite showy when they are in bloom. They need to be in water or boggy areas. These ones don’t mind the shade. I’ve seen others thriving in full sun along ponds.
Chinese Photinia serrulata can be used as a shrub or a tree. It is normally a well rounded tree. This one is still recuperating from years of bad pruning. The leaves start out red and later turn green. The flowers are tiny, and last less than a month in the middle of spring.
This white azalea is a bit behind the curve on blooming. As it settles in more it should sink up with the other ones. I put it in the ground last year.
Most of the wildflowers are blooming now and should peak in week or so. The natives treat wildflower season down here much like we New Englanders treat the leaf changing season. People take day trips to go view all the colors and plant children deep in the flowers for photos.
See also:
Yellow Flag Iris
Society Garlic
Tags: garden notes
This is a plant that did not mind the cold last winter at all. Although it is called a fern it is actually part of the lily family. It produces small white flowers followed by red berries in the summer. The white flowers are often hidden, the birds will steal the berries and disperse the seeds. Ferns reproduce with spores not seeds as this plant does. The stems grow to up to two feet tall, mine has remained under a foot tall.Th
As they age the clumps get thicker and the individual stalks thicken up so the leaves are more densely packed.
It will grow in sun to part shade, this one is in part shade. This part of the yard is pretty wet but Foxtail Fern will handle with drier conditions.
Watch for thorns. Many of the asparagus family plants have hidden thorns.
They thrive on neglect.
These are native to South Africa.
Propagate by division, but only when the plant gets to be a good size, smaller divisions will not survive.
Things to watch for on ferns:
Leaf scotch: appears during dry, windy weather. Water frequently and deeply and provide what shade and shelter you can.
Scale: looks like small brown bumps on stems and underside of leaves. I use orange oil.
Mealy bugs: Looks like white fuzz on plants. I just wash them off with a garden hose.
Tags: plants in Houston