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

About Diana C. Kirby

Diana Kirby is a lifelong gardener and longtime Austinite, who loves the Central Texas climate for the almost year-round opportunities it offers for active gardening and seasonal splendor. Known as an impassioned and successful gardener, Diana began by helping friends design and implement their landscapes. Soon, she was contracted as a professional designer by a popular local landscaping installation firm, where she designed landscapes for residential and commercial clients for several years. In 2007, her new passion blossomed with the launch of her own firm, Diana’s Designs. ... Diana is a member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, the Garden Writers Association of America, and she writes a monthly gardening column for the Austin American-Statesman. Diana teaches the Landscape Design classes for several county Texas Agrilife Extension Service Master Gardener certification programs and speaks about gardening and design for garden centers and other groups. Learn more about presentation topics, availability and speaking fees.

October Tip: How to plant trees

crape-myrtle

As the nights finally begin to cool, ushering in what we call fall in Central Texas, it’s the right time to begin planting trees. Planting in the fall and winter enables new trees to become established over the dormant cold season – putting their energy into growing strong root systems that will enable them to take up water better and handle the heat of the following summer.

How to plant

It seems so simple: dig a deep hole, shovel a lot of good compost into the bottom and plop in the tree, right? Wrong. Many well-intentioned homeowners inadvertently make planting mistakes that can kill their new investment.

So, it’s important to understand the process and follow the right steps.

Read the full article to learn more about planting and watering your new tree.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:04-06:00October 24th, 2014|Tips|Comments Off

Plant trees now for successful growth

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Lacebark

How to plant

So, it’s important to understand the process and follow the right steps.

First, dig the hole and set the soil aside as you will need it again. Don’t remove the tree from its container or burlap bag first and then leave it out in the open air while you start digging, hit a rock, take a break, take a nap or forget about it entirely. And, if you can’t dig the hole when you bring home the tree, be sure to water it regularly in its container until you have time to plant.

The hole should be about 2 to 3 times wider than the root ball and the soil on the sides of the hole should be broken up a little with a shovel or other gardening tool. Make sure the sides of the hole aren’t slick because this can discourage drainage and drown your tree. And, with our Central Texas clay soils, this roughing up of the edges is also critical to encourage upper roots to grow out into the soil from the side.

Do not dig the hole any deeper than the depth of the existing root ball. The bottom of the ball needs to sit on undisturbed soil. The tree should be planted at the same level as the original container or the soil at the top of the root ball. Setting it on loosened or amended soil will make the tree settle and sink too far into the hole.

Before placing the tree, take a look at its root ball. It should be firm and not broken. If its roots encircle the root ball, you’ll need to gently loosen the pot-bound roots a little. Left alone, they will continue to grow around instead of outward, girdling and eventually killing the tree. Always handle the tree by the root ball, and not the trunk.

Once you’ve placed the tree, backfill the hole with the original soil that you set aside. Do not add fresh soil or compost. Amended backfill can slow tree development and prevent it from establishing a widespread root system. Do not add fresh soil to the top, either. Adding soil above the original container level and covering the flare of the trunk will cut off oxygen to the roots and can cause the tree to rot.

Be careful also not to compress the soil when you backfill the hole with the original soil; the tree needs both water and air. Then, water the newly planted tree slowly until you have saturated the roots and the hole is soaked.

Once the tree is planted and watered, create a ring of mulch several feet in diameter around the tree to help avoid runoff of precious water. This will also help to protect the soil, insulating it from extreme heat or cold. Do not mound up the mulch like a pyramid against the trunk of the tree. Create instead a doughnut-like ring. Keep the mulch closest to the trunk at about an inch high, leaving the area immediately next to the trunk bare. Pile the outside of the ring about 4 inches high.

Watering your tree

New trees require more water than established trees. The most common cause of death for newly planted trees is over or under watering during the first year or two after they have been planted. It can take that long for their roots to get established. Remember, as the tree canopy grows, so will the root zone, so the tree should not be watered fast and hard at the base of the trunk, but rather gently and slowly around the root zone under the canopy. Soaker hoses and drip irrigation are excellent methods for slow, deep supplemental watering of trees. Depending on your soil and rainfall, new trees should be watered once a week for the first few growing seasons. They should be allowed to dry out between watering; you can check the moisture level by sticking your finger or a tool into the soil under the tree mulch to see if it’s still wet or not.

There is no standard watering rule, but many experts recommend 10 gallons of water each week per inch of tree caliper. So, a 3-inch caliper tree would need 30 gallons of water each week. Trees should be watered at this rate even through the winter, because their roots continue to grow all year long. Obviously, you should adjust for rainfall.

Different trees have different needs, so watch for any signs of water stress – too much or too little – and adjust your watering accordingly. Native and well-adapted trees or those with smaller leaves may be happy with a slightly less water. Bear in mind that site conditions like soil type, rockiness, or steep slopes should also be considered as you are caring for your tree.

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|2017-11-29T23:27:04-06:00October 24th, 2014|Articles|Comments Off

A little garden trip down the road…

Last week I went on a jaunt to visit some of our blogging friends in San Antonio. They’ve come to Austin periodically, so it was time to venture south to see them. Our first stop was Melody’s beautiful and spacious garden. After a treat of delicious mini muffins and ginger cookies baked by her lovely daughter, we stepped into her sanctuary. The first view is a wonderful pool, surrounded by pots and plants that gave it a rustic, more natural look.

To deal with foraging deer, this fence guards Melody’s vegetables, herbs and some perennial favorites.

Garden art like this gazing ball catches your eye as you meander through the perennial garden.

Depending on which way you walk, this beautiful arbor marks the beginning or the end of a delightful path.

A shroud of vibrant green vines clothe the wooden structure.

This long view emphasizes the beautiful, though tough-to-photograph day with its bright light and deep shadows.

And then there were the gorgeous plants, like this salvia madrensis, one of my faves.

And then there were the gorgeous plants, like this salvia madrensis, one of my faves. Clever uses of ordinary things added such a nice touch, like this cracked cement birdbath repurposed as a planter with a small figurine in the center.

Carrying on with the wooden theme, this vignette beckons deep in the path and offers a place to sit and ponder the garden.

Pots like this one, overflowing with bougainvillea, are scattered throughout the garden landscape.

Another striking salvia, Wendy’s wish stands out among lower layers of perennials.

From the distance, the arbor is quaint, but standing underneath, it’s quite grand.

I almost passed this dragonfly by as he was well camouflaged by backdrop of the fence and the surrounding plants.

Another long view across the landscape.

Across the yard, this rustic trellis serves as a home to a vine and a birdhouse.

Coral vine adorns this rustic limestone wall to the tool shed…though it’s really more like a tool house.

Inside the safety of the high fence, a collection of tasty hibiscus grow with impunity.

Sunlight streams in to light up this seating area.

More friendly and welcoming plants in the garden.

My tools don’t look like this!

While not a blogger, we tried to convince Melody to blog so we can keep up with her garden, but we didn’t succeed – yet! Pam Pennick, of Digging, and our hostess, Melody, as we’re saying our goodbyes.

Thanks to Melody for graciously opening her home and garden to us for a wonderful morning.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:04-06:00October 23rd, 2014|arbor, Blog, bougainvillea, garden art, garden decor, garden seat, garden tour, garden tour 2014, hibiscus, pool, salvia, salvia madrensis, San Antonio, seating, Sharing Nature's Garden, Wendy's wish salvia|2 Comments

September Tip: Consider Euphorbia for our climate

Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow'

In Central Texas, rain brings gardeners out into the streets to dance. And dance I did, last week.

But I know that the drought isn’t over and the sun will return to beat upon our backs. Most summers, we live in a clay, cracked-earth and sometimes scorching environment. Not the best conditions for gardening.

So, I am always on the lookout for another plant that will thrive here. At the moment, I am taken with several species of Euphorbia and am trialing several of them in my garden.

The genus Euphorbia contains more than 2,000 very diverse species of plants. They grow around the globe in warmer climates; some of the succulent species are very similar to cacti and can handle the heat and drought challenges of Central Texas gardens.

Read the full article here.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:04-06:00September 20th, 2014|Tips|Comments Off

Consider Euphorbia for our climate

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Euphorbia rigida aka ‘gopher plant’ or ‘silver spurge'

In Central Texas, rain brings gardeners out into the streets to dance. And dance I did, last week.

So, I am always on the lookout for another plant that will thrive here. At the moment, I am taken with several species of Euphorbia and am trialing several of them in my garden.

Euphorbia rigida has emerged as my favorite thus far. Popular in many hill country gardens, this perennial plant, also known as ‘gopher plant’ or ‘silver spurge,’ is drought-hardy plant and will survive even the toughest conditions. Native to the Mediterranean basin, it thrives in full sun and has low water needs. It likes drainage but will do fine in rocky soils as well.

Growing 2-3 feet wide and 1-2 feet tall, gopher plant is evergreen and produces bright chartreuse blooms with red bracts in early spring. The pretty, long-lasting little blooms seem to pop out all over this semi-spiky grey plant. It’s Mother Nature’s answer to neon in the landscape palette.

If you have a large space to fill, it will seed out and spread but is also easily controlled. They begin growing upright and then bow down to the ground in a delicate mounding form. With their sculptural shape, these Euphorbias look nice paired with contrasting soft native plants like salvias or grasses.

Happy in a rocky, hill country wild environment, it also has the added bonus of being deer-proof. That’s because it contains a milky sap that can be caustic and irritating to both the skin and eyes. Be sure to wear rubber garden gloves when pruning or handling them. But it’s worth the extra caution if it keeps those pesky deer away.

These leafy Euphorbias are often called “spurges,” because their common name is derived from the Latin word expurgare, which means “to purge.” The sap of some of these plants has traditionally been used as a purgative, or laxative.

Some of the other Euphorbias growing my garden include Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’ and Euphorbia amygdaloides.

Ascot rainbow has dramatic variegated foliage – grey leaves with a bright yellow edge. And it can take our heat and full sun. Its growth habit is more upright and the leaves are not as close together as those of the gopher plant, though the blooms are almost identical. It is slightly smaller than that of the gopher.

My Euphorbia amygdaloides didn’t fare as well this summer. Its struggles were caused by operator error, however. Filling several empty spaces in a bed, these plants were supposed to live in the shade of another new, but larger plant that didn’t make it. Because this species is shade loving, it choked when left out in the open with full sun. It will be moving sometime next week to a friendlier location with dry shade. Its leaves darker green and the stems are a striking deep red. This variety can spread quickly, so give it room or be prepared to prune periodically.

With more than 2,000 species, there are many more that can do well in Central Texas, including smaller plants suitable for pots.

Some of the other, more well-known Euphorbias include poinsettias, crown of thorns and pencil cactus.

So, if you’re looking for a xeric, drought-tolerant and deer-proof plant that will bring you hours of enjoyment in your landscape, give one of these a try.

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|2017-11-29T23:27:05-06:00September 20th, 2014|Articles|Comments Off

Bloom Day showcases late summer blooms in the garden…

Even though the thermometer hit 97 today, summer is beginning to wane here in Central Texas for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Carol of May Dreams Gardens invites us to share what’s blooming in our gardens on the 15th of each month, so here’s a stroll through my landscape.

Some of the heat-loving perennials are on their second set of blooms this summer. Plants like lantana, salvia, sage, are putting on a dog days show while the sun is still high in the sky.

I recently made a return trip to the Arbor Gate Nursery in Tomball to collect some of their wonderful garden art. I came home with two ceramic fish and two blue/green glass ribbons to add to the one I bought on my original visit. Now I need to plant just the right things to create an appropriate vignette for them to “swim” around in. But I had to put them in the garden somewhere until then, so here they are.

I also ordered some clever pieces online — these three faucet flowers are guaranteed to be ever-blooming varieties!

The seem to feel right at home with the blooming Turk’s cap.

These monstrous salvias that are dwarfing the fully mature bright edge yucca are Amistad salvias that I transplanted last fall after they were under performing in another spot with too much sun. Here they get morning sun and evening sun and they seem to be thrilled with the switch. Had I known they would get THAT happy, I’d have found them a spot further back in the bed!

One little surviving bat-faced cuphea. I planted them amongst many other things that are deer resistant, hoping to hide them. But alas, the deer are smarter than I am, and I almost never get to see an actual bloom before it becomes a snack.

This curve around the bend of the front bed is lined with society garlic – something the deer never eat!

These Salvia leucantha, or Mexican bush sage, love the hot, dry sun of late summer here in Central Texas.

The society garlic border confetti lantana and one of my bird baths.

A few new additions to the front walkway bed this year, the foxtail ferns and zinnias have done well. But the rock rose in the upper left corner has been rudely stripped of its pretty pink blooms by you-know-who.

The front bed, or the Hideous Bed, as we call it, is definitely not hideous. These plants thrive in hot, dry conditions so they can take it here. But last weekend’s rain did help them with an extra boost. Here you see thryallis, santolina, a variegated yucca and homestead verbena.

And a different angle that also includes damianita and a salvia greggii.

To the right of these photos is a swath of blackfoot daisies — they’re natives that grow in rocky outcroppings of the Hill Country.

Across the drive is another dry bed that enjoys a little shade. Here is new gold lantana, salvia greggii, a sago palm, and in the pot — a variegated false agave.

Stunning liatris is a riot of lavender color.

Large pots in the back by the pool have orange narrow-leaf zinnias and potato vine.

…And homestead verbena.

The Duranta erecta (lavender color) is full of blooms – below – and fruit — above. Though all parts of the plant are poisonous, so don’t be tempted to eat the fruit.