There were complaints from people being attacked by our toothless sotol as they attempted to enter our house. Today, since the ground was super wet, I decided to attempt to move it.

before: front porch with giant prickly pear and sotol

after: front porch with giant prickly pear and sotol

I went to Body Pump at the Y last night, and then moved this plant, and can say th at my upper body is now officially on fire.

But it’s moved. Top is After, Bottom is Before. I think you’ll see in the next wide-angle that it’s the right location.

And if it dies (which it probably will because I was none too nice with its roots), I know exactly where to plant the replacement.

May 2015 Bloomday - First time my Cenizo has ever bloomed. I guess it needs a LOT of rain.

cenizo

Bet we’re missing some roses too…

outline of a deer at night

![plants with their tops chomped off]](images/tumblr_no9idbbqMA1r4uneuo2_1280.jpg)

I don’t understand why mesquite doesn’t get more love. It’s a lovely dappled xeric shade tree. All the litter on the ground is from live oaks.

dappled shade under a mesquite tree

Garden Mysteries and Curiosities

a very tight green bloom

a lone pink/red poppy

a bloom stalk bending to get out from under the shade

wildflower center plant sale purchase, many pots with labels you cannot read

Ladybird Wildflower Plant Sale. This is how they getcha! Got in there at 9am to the members only sale, now I’m going to have to renew my membership.

Apparently I should always go to nurseries before work. I checked my list, filled up with what I could put in my basket (an outdoor beverage bucket - not recommended) and got out of there. Back home by 9:30am.

So what’s in there Tim? Glad you asked. In the front we’ve got some Sensitive Briar (Mimosa roemeriana). Then a lot of winecups (Callirhoe involucrata) to trail between my cactus (this was in the original garden plan 5 years ago). A Lindheimer’s Beeblossom (guara lindheimeri). 3 Eryngo (eryngium leavenworthii). 2 Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), and a Candy Barrel Cacctus (Ferocactus wislizeni).

Poor Hummingbird

Just saw a hummingbird trying to get nectar out of the large red discs that make up a wind chime one of my daughters made. I don’t have much red flowering yet (Texas Betony being the exception) and seems a bit early for hummingbirds, no?

Did not know that Spiderwort came in two colors. Also two 6 year olds girls discovered that if you rub against them it looks like you’ve painted yourself with purple marker.

deep purple and magenta spiderwort

I’ve been taking Junie on walks through Mabel Davis, and it’s fun watching the seasons change. This is one of my favorite plants - Agarita. I’ve seen the red berries, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it blooming. The yellow flowers are really pretty. I’ve been trying to find a place to put this in the yard, because it tends to be a very scraggly grower. It looks best leaning on other more structural plants.
I rounded the corner and noticed this agarita growing on prickly pear, which seems like something it might be nice to try to replicate in my yard.

spiky agarita leaves with yellow flowers

prickley pear and agarita