I’m getting into propagation. I spent most of the money I received as birthday gifts on seeds. I know that makes me old.

I keep having plans for more Turks Cap, but for some reason never end up buying it at the store. So I decided to try propagating cuttings. I had Etta help me do the cuts and put them in mason jars.

For the first few days they looked really rough and lost a lot of leaves. I am the king of procrastination, though, so I left them. And a few days later the remaining leaves started growing and the plants perked up. Plus the water proved really good at catching flies.

Today I took them out and filled up some pots with cactus mix. Used a chopstick to make a hole for their root, and put them in.

They’re looking a bit rough right now, but I have faith they’ll pull through.

• propogation
• xeric

So these are ostensibly my wide-shots for May. This has been a magnificent year. My goal has been to enjoy my garden more and I really have been. I don’t let the weeds get me down, just watch the grasses and blooms sway in the breeze.

EDIT: It’s June isn’t it. *sigh*

• xeric

Purple Heart

California Poppy

This was sold to me as a coneflower, but it’s gigantic…

I just planted this and I’ve forgotten.

Mealy sage?

Laura Bush Petunia

Bluebonnet hanging on.

Gompherena

Unknown Wildflower a

Unknown Rose

Unknown Wildflower b

Unknown Wildflower c

Yucca

Retama

Prairie Verbena

Black-foot Daisy

Bi-color iris

Yellow Lantana

This is common, but I cannot for the life of me remember

Pineapple Guava

Unknown Wildflower d

4-nerve daisy

Saliva

Rock Rose

• xeric

More flowers tomorrow…

• xeric

This week is crazy. Here are some pictures.

• xeric

So here are the obligatory wide shots for April. 

I feel like I lost the thread on this yard. It was supposed to be orderly. There was supposed to be positive and negative space. I had these grids of agave parryi laid out. Now:

Pups everywhere! Which is going to be beautiful. But not orderly. The yard is beautiful and it’s going to be amazing when the Lantana comes in, but it’s so far from what I’ve planned that I have no clue where I’m going anymore.

I probably just need to spend more time out in it. 

Questions

Do I do anything with these bluebonnet pods, or just let them fall off and reseed?

What is this plant? And how much have I screwed things up by letting it grow this big? It seems to have a ton of tiny little white flowers on it…

And finally we have a lonely confused blue iris who avoided the hail and is deciding to bloom. Sure, do your thing, confused blue iris.

• xeric

Beargrass (Nolia Texana) has a pretty wild bloom.

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What the? As soil raises and lowers (or I start digging) in my yard I keep finding things like this. Is this part of a path? Did these just get left here? Why would you want a stepping stone more than stepping distance from a flower bed?

So confused…

• xeric

I do love the end of March. Things still look fairly bleak, but there’s promise everywhere. And early blooming wildflowers means there’s more to draw your eye away from cut-back stems and decomposing leaves.

I’ve stopped fighting the common yellow Oxalis in my yard. I’ve seen it look so beautiful in the yards of others, and it really makes a nice ground cover and weed suppressant for early spring. Here’s some with verbena that I find particularly nice.

Not Oxalis, but pretty.

I know like Gizmo you’re shrieking - “bright light, bring light!” When do you photographers take photos when the light is good, but blooms are still open?

• xeric

Mostly this week, I’ve been off work and listening to music. 

It’s hard work.

But I took some time out for yard work and trimmed the box woods. I really don’t enjoy this job, and this year I really whacked them back because they were getting into the paths. They’re not my favorite, but they’re fun for the kids, they’re established, use little water, and are evergreen. 

And I was talking to someone this week, and they didn’t realize you could put out yard trimmings without using those paper bags from your favorite big box retailer. It’s true. I put out these three cans pretty much every week.

Much cheaper over the long run and slightly better for the environment. Some day I’ll get my composting act in order…

• xeric