Diana C. Kirby, Author at Diana's Designs Austin

Trends driven by awareness

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A groundswell of consumer awareness is driving changes in gardening communities across the country.

Today’s gardening trends reflect the global move to use local resources and make choices that directly affect the course of our future. Environmental and health concerns are influencing a growing consumer desire for a more natural, healthy lifestyle.

Concerns about the effects of pesticides, GMOs and potential bacterial contamination in processing have fueled a movement to greater gardening self-sufficiency. Spawned by the desire to save money and control growing methods, more people are creating their own vegetable gardens, either at home or in community gardens.

The pages of gardening catalogs and magazines are filled with glossy advertisements for easy-assemble kits for starter vegetable beds and a growing array of creative containers for growing edibles in limited spaces. From click-together vegetable bed frames to raised patio planters and lightweight plastic grow-bags, more and more options are being tailored to meet the unique needs of individual gardeners. Don’t have room for a raised bed because you only have a balcony? No worries – hang a planter bag from the ceiling.

The trend encompasses people on both sides of the restaurant table as well. As customers become more discerning about the food they eat, restaurateurs are also embracing the movement, partnering with local farms and growers. Locally sourced food has become a sign of the times. Promoted in advertising and featured in food reviews and blogs, it, too, is driving and being driven by changing consumer behavior.

In his book, “Jack Allen’s Kitchen,” local restaurateur, Jack Gilmore, chronicles his adventures in food, highlighting the role that local farmers and farmers’ markets have played in his successes. The book includes not only his story and his recipes, but also the stories of at least a dozen local farms and the symbiotic relationship he has with them. The tagline of his restaurant is: Jack Allen’s Kitchen — Local in source, Texan in spirit.

“It’s great to know where you food comes from and it’s great to get to know the farmers that are actively growing for you,” said Gilmore. “We want the best and freshest ingredients we can get locally, and it’s up to us to help take care of the local farmers as well.”

According to Gilmore, food harvested and shipped from other states can take a week to 10 days to reach Austin, whereas local sources provide food from the field to the restaurant in one day.

News reports of environmental concerns not only influence the rise in home gardening and local sourcing, but also affect what we are growing in our gardens.

While seeking food, thousands of species of bees and other insects and animals enable plants to reproduce. More than 90 percent of the 240,000 flowering plants around the world need an insect or animal to distribute their pollen to set fruit and seed. That includes one-third of all crops grown for human consumption.

But the growing die-off of dramatic numbers of honeybees due to colony collapse disorder is threatening US agriculture since honeybees pollinate many crops like fruits, berries, nuts and vegetables. According to the USDA, the US is facing an “impending pollination crisis,” in which pollinators are disappearing at alarming rates. Pollination is responsible for $15 billion in increased crop value each year.

A cause has not been identified, but some of the possible factors being researched include pesticides, mites, malnutrition, loss of habitat, and competition from non-native species.

As awareness of the effects of colony collapse disorder among honeybees rises, more and more gardeners are committed to doing their part, using their own small gardens to support pollinators. That means not using pesticides, planting pollinator-friendly plants and providing habitat for the bees.

Organic garden products are ubiquitous, available now not only at independent local nurseries, but also the big box chains seeking to answer consumer demand for natural products.

A variety of hand-made pollinator houses, which can be hung around the home garden, are also available for sale. Just as with humans, the way to a pollinators’ heart is through his stomach. Providing food for pollinators is critical to encourage population growth. Some of the native plants that are friendly to pollinators include butterfly weed, bee balm, Joe-pye weed, spiderwort, columbine, blue bonnet, lantana, zexmenia, and goldenrod.

The common thread weaving through these trends? Consumer awareness and a desire to become more personally involved in the cycle of life that starts in our very own gardens and extends to the global community beyond our doors.

Local Landscape Designer and Garden Coach Diana Kirby provides landscaping tips at http:/www.dianasdesignsaustin.com and writes a garden blog at https://www.dianasdesignsaustin.com

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:03-06:00December 27th, 2014|Articles|Comments Off

November Tip: Keep poinsettias blooming

Last year, more than 34 million poinsettias were sold in the U.S. There are now more than 100 varieties of poinsettias in shades of pink, white, cream, salmon and purple, though the most sought-after color remains bright red.

While it appears in stores and nurseries in November and December, it is not a winter-hardy plant, but rather a tropical and a member of the vast euphorbia family. In its native Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia is actually a small tree, growing up to 12 feet tall with leaves 6 to 8 inches wide.

In the 14^th century, the Aztecs prized this unique plant, using it to make dyes for clothing and makeup, and for medicine. Its botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima means “very beautiful,” and in Mexico, the plant is called ‘La Flor de Nochebuena’ or the flower of the holy night (Christmas eve).

Joel Roberts Poinsett, an amateur botanist and the first U.S. Minister to Mexico, appointed in 1825, is credited with introducing the plant to the U.S. As it gained in popularity here, the plant was eventually given a new name in honor of Poinsett.

Read the full article.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:04-06:00November 22nd, 2014|Tips|Comments Off

Keep poinsettias blooming to next year

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Holiday festivities just wouldn’t be the same without dazzling displays of the poinsettias and Christmas cacti, lighting homes with the colors of the season.

Last year, more than 34 million poinsettias were sold in the U.S. There are now more than 100 varieties of poinsettias in shades of pink, white, cream, salmon and purple, though the most sought-after color remains bright red.

While it appears in stores and nurseries in November and December, it is not a winter-hardy plant, but rather a tropical and a member of the vast euphorbia family. In its native Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia is actually a small tree, growing up to 12 feet tall with leaves 6 to 8 inches wide.

In the 14^th century, the Aztecs prized this unique plant, using it to make dyes for clothing and makeup, and for medicine. Its botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima means “very beautiful,” and in Mexico, the plant is called ‘La Flor de Nochebuena’ or the flower of the holy night (Christmas eve).

Joel Roberts Poinsett, an amateur botanist and the first U.S. Minister to Mexico, appointed in 1825, is credited with introducing the plant to the U.S. As it gained in popularity here, the plant was eventually given a new name in honor of Poinsett.

In spite of the common myth, poinsettias are not poisonous, but they can make you sick and should be kept safely out of the reach of children and pets. The milky sap produced by poinsettias can cause skin reactions, irritations, nausea, and vomiting.

Though they are frequently thought of as blooms, the red leaves of the poinsettia are not actual blooms, but modified leaves called bracts. The actual blooms are the small yellow tips in the center of the bracts.

When selecting a plant, be sure to look for one with dark green foliage. Avoid plants with yellowing or drooping leaves or green around the bract edges. And don’t leave it outside if temperatures drop below 50F; they are very tender.

One of the most common questions about poinsettias is how to keep a poinsettia after the holidays and make it bloom again. Through the winter, place indoor plants in a sunny location and keep watering the plant when the surface soil is dry. They do not like to be too wet or too dry. They also dislike high heat or drafts; their ideal temperature range is 60-70 degrees. Use an all-purpose fertilizer every two to three weeks. In May, cut back the plant to about 8 inches from the base of the soil. Pinch it back just a little in mid-summer to encourage a full, bushy plant by winter.

The secret to producing red bracts and blooms again lies in keeping the plant in total darkness at night. To achieve the brilliant, characteristic red color, the plants must have 15 hours of darkness a day for approximately 10-12 weeks.

Starting in late September, an indoor plant should be moved into a dark closet or placed under a cardboard box or black plastic bag at 5 p.m. every day. Remove it every morning at 8 a.m. It should receive 15 hours of total darkness daily. The blooms will only set if the plant experiences these shortened periods of light for at least 10 weeks’ time. If light can get in through cracks in the closet or fabric, it will delay the bud set. Kept on this schedule, by the first of December, yellow blooms and red bracts will appear and the plant can then be placed in a bright, sunny location

Many of the same elements of care hold true for the beautiful blooming Christmas cactus. If you’re buying one now, it’s likely already blooming or about to bloom. After the holidays are over, with the right prompting, you can enjoy its flowers again next winter, too.

The name Christmas cactus is deceiving. As a member of the genus Schlumbergera, it is a tropical plant — nothing like the arid-loving desert cactus. In its native habitat of Brazil, these plants grow on trees and among rocks and thrive in shade and humidity.

Just as with poinsettias, after the holidays, water the cactus on a wet to dry cycle – water only when the first inch of soil is dry. Prune the cactus in the spring when it begins to grow again.

In September, like poinsettias, they require 12-14 hours of total darkness at night in order to set buds in time for the holiday season. The optimum temperature for bloom formation during this time is between 60 and 65 degrees. Do not water the cactus in October; begin watering lightly again in November.

So, decorate with these festive plants this season, and consider enjoying them throughout the year. Next fall, you, yourself can nurture them into another season of beautiful blooms.

Local Landscape Designer and Garden Coach Diana Kirby provides landscaping tips at http:/www.dianasdesignsaustin.com and writes a garden blog at https://www.dianasdesignsaustin.com

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:04-06:00November 22nd, 2014|Articles|Comments Off

Mellow and not so mellow yellow in my garden….

If you asked me about my favorite colors in the garden, I’d say: purple, lavender, blue, orange, yellow…and trail off about then. I posted this a few months ago and forgot about it — here are the names of all the yellow fellows in my garden:

Thryallis
Lantana Horrida
Lantana New Gold
Zexmenia
Lantana confetti
Cuban buttercup
Candlestick tree
Jerusalem sage
St. John’s wort
Bright edge yucca
Santolina
Daffodils
Calylophus
Damianita
Esperanza
Lemon Mallow
Iris
Hymenoxis
Gopher plant

I wouldn’t even put yellow in my top 3. And yet, as I look around my garden, it’s yellow that I see everywhere. It’s a major element in many of my beds, but it’s gotten there without serious thought to including it.

Let’s face it, there are many plants with yellow blooms that love our hot sun and dry days. So it’s always easy to find something yellow to add to a vignette.

And as I count the yellow bloomers in my landscape, I smile. Yellow makes me happy. That must be why I am surrounded by it. Subliminal intention.

As I was writing this post, I began typing the plant names, and then thought – why now make a contest out of it? Let’s see how many of these perky plants you can ID! I’ll edit the post when the guessing is done and post all the names.

Ready, set, go!

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:38:54-05:00October 27th, 2014|Blog, Sharing Nature's Garden, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Hill country garden charm in the heart of San Antonio…

The last stop on our visit to San Antonio gardens was another xeric garden, filled with drought-tolerant plants, both soft and sculptural. You can come along on the first two gardens of tour with me to see Melody’s and Heather’s gardens here.

Then we toured the garden of Shirley, who blogs at Rock, Oak, Deer. I ‘d seen Shirley’s garden through her camera lens many times, yet when we arrived, I was surprised to find that she wasn’t gardening in the country, but in a suburban neighborhood. Her style and plant choices created an oasis that made the rest of the world seem far away.

Well-placed plants serve to let the grasses and yuccas and perennials all shine.

Shirley uses repetition in her garden to create a dramatic effect.

Definition draws the eye through the space.

In the back yard, the focus is on perennials and grasses. Her rustic shed with its cedar posts and porch make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The arbor on the right is the entry for a deer-proof fence, protecting delicate plants and vegetables from the curious and hungry deer.

Leading to the shed, this circle garden is filled to the brim with flowing perennials and grasses.

Her unique rock garden design is home to a lovely collection of yuccas, cacti and agaves.

Rustic art and pots are scattered about to add interest throughout the garden.

The river rock path guides you around the plant-filled stock tank and circle garden to the shed.

Garden art on a rustic table is tucked away in the shade.

Whimsical elements make true garden art from a simple grapevine.

A collection of sweet somethings brighten up the front of the shed.

Because deer are frequent guests to the back yard, extra protection for new or special plants is a must. This rough cedar fence fits right into the landscape.

Up on the the large, shady deck, succulent planters adorn the windowsills.

All around the deck, pots and paraphernalia bring color to the shady spots.

Even the outdoor fireplace boasts a collection of perky little pots.

Since we’ve toured Austin gardens often with Shirley, it was a special treat to wander through her garden with her. The entire garden was intentional and peaceful. She’s clearly mastered the art of gardening with the rocks, oaks and deer that she writes about. Special thanks to Shirley and her husband for hosting us in your garden.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:04-06:00October 26th, 2014|Agave, arbor, barrel cactus, Blog, cacti, deer, garden art, garden decor, grasses, paths, pots, Sharing Nature's Garden, succulents, xeric, yucca|0 Comments

Another beautiful San Antonio garden to share…

The second stop on our recent visit to San Antonio was Heather’s garden from Xeric style. Her style is certainly xeric, yet with many soft grasses, draping perennials and ground cover, it has a delicate feel. You can see my post about the first garden here.

Purple fountain grass frames a collection of other grasses and yuccas.

The sun was blazing hot that day, so taking photos was a real challenge. These yuccas were enveloped in a blanket of pretty purple trailing lantana, but it’s hard to see that here.

In this his view of the front of the house you can see that her landscape is well matched to her contemporary style house.

The pots scattered around were also full of drought tolerant native and adapted plants like this cactus, grass and silver ponyfoot.

Another special touch greets visitors at the front door. The sleek orange planter echoes the color of the front door.

This beautiful grass and its inflorescence shine against a backdrop of cacti paddles.

Retro/modern chairs next to the orange door and planted on the front porch complete the look as you enter the house.

Another beautiful agave, a grey weberi, I think, softened by a fuchsia salvia. Two plants that can really handle the heat.

In the shade of the back yard, we were treated to a show by her chickens, who were intrigued by the visitors to the garden.

Also nestled under the tree – a wonderful hammock for lazing about and pondering garden projects.

I was taken with this bed that included drought tolerant plants like the bulbine, with a lovely cairn painstakingly placed in the middle.

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Don’t forget the whimsy. This bright seating area was decorated with several plants in unique pots — plastic tub trugs!

I always celebrate Dia de los Muertos since I worked once a week for a year in my company’s Mexico city office. I learned to understand and came to love this unique celebration of the lives of lost loved ones. Needless to say, these beautiful ceramic plates caught my eye.

And yet another special touch — cacti planted in a pipe suspended on the fence.

Okay, so you’ve seen these in gardens, right? These are made from bamboo given to Heather by her neighbor and she spray painted them orange, her theme color. How clever. Now if only I knew someone with extra bamboo!

I was taken with this simple, elegant pot in front of the garage. I don’t know which I liked more — the beautiful pot or the cascading firecracker fern.

And here’s our friend, Lori, of Gardener of Good and Evil, who has found the perfect spot from which to survey the garden.

Heather professes that she’s stingy with water and is always on the lookout for plants and methods that conserve our precious water. Her garden was the perfect example of the beauty of a truly xeric garden.

Thanks, Heather, for sharing your beautiful garden with us!

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:04-06:00October 24th, 2014|Agave, Blog, cairn, garden art, garden tour, garden tour 2014, grasses, pots, San Antonio, Sharing Nature's Garden, sun, xeric, yucca|0 Comments

Diana C. Kirby

About Diana C. Kirby

Trends driven by awareness

November Tip: Keep poinsettias blooming

Keep poinsettias blooming to next year

Mellow and not so mellow yellow in my garden….

Hill country garden charm in the heart of San Antonio…

Another beautiful San Antonio garden to share…

Escape in the garden