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Goodbye sweet Maggie roses, hello tasty fall tomatoes…

I know that I planted the two ‘Maggie‘ roses before April of 2009, the second set of plants to be placed in the deep raised bed behind the pool. I looked carefully at their growth habit, having just removed monstrous Italian jasmine that I’d hoped would not scale those heights quite so quickly. (I do know that they get that big, I was just in denial that they’d be in such a hurry about it.)

And the Maggies were happy there. VERY happy there. They grew, and grew and grew. They grew up to the ledge on the back of the pool – about 3 feet. And then they grew another 4 feet.

They have the most delicious rose scent. It was heavenly and it was the primary reason I brought them home with me.

They were beautiful. And then they were ugly. They grew so much and so fast, that deadheading, pruning and generally keeping up with them became a monstrous chore. And then the black spot and leaves falling like rain. They were not only 7+ feet tall, they were about 8 feet wide. And constantly leaning out over the edge into the path behind them.

I tired. I really tried. I pruned and pruned. My crew came and pruned and pruned and pruned. It was work. And then it was expensive.

And I never liked them towering behind the pool wall and water sheer because the rest of the pool and cabana area is filled with tropical plants.

So a few weeks ago I made the agonizing decision to let them go. (That’s a gardener euphemism for rip them out.)

I didn’t do it (not with tendonitis in both arms, are you kidding me?). They were monsters. And I couldn’t watch.

But when they were gone, I breathed a sigh of relief. After all, I don’t grow roses because they are a lot of work to keep up properly.

So, while looking at the bed with the giant hole in it, my husband said, “why don’t you pot some fall tomatoes in that nice, deep soil?” Just what I was thinking. (I can’t rotate them enough in our veggie garden and out spring crop s…. was bad.)

So, I planted three tomatoes and lovingly covered them with shade cloth for these 100+ temps to help them get established. They will grow past the pool wall, but it will be late fall and then they’ll come out. Next spring new perennials will find a home in this spot. Wonder who will get the honor?

But that’s a deliberation for another day. I’ll have all winter to think about it.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:13-06:00September 2nd, 2013|Blog, fall tomatoes, maggie rose, pool bed, roses, Sharing Nature's Garden, tomatoes|0 Comments

Garden fest delights…

A gaggle of garden geeks took over the Zilker Botanical Gardens on Saturday and Sunday for the annual Zilker Garden Fest.

Mom and Dad and I were there bright and early when they opened at 10 a.m. Saturday. Two wagons in tow, we were prepared to fill them to the brim.

The festival includes everything garden, not just plants. These gourd planters were among the most creative things I saw.

Love these little birds — I keep thinking I want one hanging in my garden and wish I’d gotten one now that I see my picture!

And then there are the beautiful gardens — being surrounded by all the beautiful plants and vignettes of Zilker would inspire anyone to buy plants and stuff!

East Austin Succulents had a great display of their plants. I bought one – keep reading and I’ll show it to you.

More of beautiful Zilker Garden.

The plant I didn’t get. I browse a little first and then sometimes go back to buy things – sadly, someone else had already snatched up all three of these.

But this aeonium did come home with me and found its happy place in a tall copper pot.

This is another of my finds. I know it’s made for a window – but I’m dying to hang it somewhere in my garden for the light to shine through it outside.

I was wowed by this ceramic art – I kept eyeing the turquoise and copper flower tile, but left without it this year.

Mom and Dad — we’ve been going to this Festival for more than 20 years together. It’s my favorite event of the year in Austin – a city full of great stuff to do.

Here are more goodies from other festivals and my sentimental memories of our outings there with my now-grown son, when he bought my Mother’s Day gifts there for years as a young boy.

The rose garden was amazing – this was my very favorite rose.

I still want some ligularia in my garden, and I have some yellow columbines just like these … hmmm… now that’s an idea!

These baby blue eyes (Nemophila maculata) were everywhere – a perky ground cover erupting in bloom.

And off we went with our goodies…home to plant and hang and pot. Until next year…

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-10-27T12:18:13-05:00April 8th, 2013|aeonium, baby blue curls, Blog, Dad, garden art, ligularia, Mom, Mom and Dad, roses, Sharing Nature's Garden, son, succulents, Zilker, Zilker Garden Fest, Zilker Gardenfest, Zilker Gardenfest 2013|0 Comments

Gardener goodies…

Holidays are always fun when you’re a gardener. There is a never-ending supply of wonderful gifts for gardeners. From gloves to ceramic pots to garden art — even non-gardeners can find something fun to give.

And I believe you can never have too many bird feeders, houses, or baths. (More on that in my next post.)

So it’s always interesting to see what’s behind the gift wrap.

I love this little seat – it’s so portable and comfortable to sit on, and being able to tuck my hand tools in it is wonderful.
This is the most unusual gift I have ever received. My dear friend, Kristen, gave me this little package. In it? Rose seeds that are registered with a number, and waiting for ME to grow and name the rose. How cool is that?

I’m waiting anxiously to plant my seeds. I think they will get their start in the greenhouse, which is perfect for seeds this time of the year.

Naming my rose, will be another matter altogether. No pressure there! Any ideas or suggestions for names? There hundreds if not thousands of roses out there. The process will certainly have to include making sure the name I choose isn’t already taken.
This adorable birdhouse is just waiting for a new family to move in. I wonder who will find it appealing? Cardinals, wrens, titmice, finches? We’ll keep watch for our new neighbors!

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:24-06:00January 27th, 2011|Antique Rose Emporium, bird house, Blog, garden art, garden gifts, garden seat, gifts, Kristen, naming rose, roses, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Back-breaking…

Oh – it was a back-breaking day in the garden today.

I brought home 10 bags of mulch and compost yesterday in my DH’s truck, and he was going to haul it to the back in the mower and cart for me.

But a bad mower battery but a monkey-wrench in that plan. So after getting a new battery today and a mower driving lesson, I set about to haul 18 plants and 10 giant bags around to the back of our property.

Thought about taking a picture of the mower and cart, but I was too focused on getting the hauling done before it rained on me.

Which, of course, it did not, because it’s not ever going to rain here again — I’m quite sure of it!

So, I survived big rocks and a lumpy path and even backed the mower and cart on several occasions to get my #$%&*@ stuff where it needed to be.

The first photo is a bloom on my Tangerine Crossvine — I found it by accident while standing next to the corner bed thinking about what a good place it is for Oxblood lilies.

So, this is the bed I ripped the two giant, over-grown Primrose Jasmines out of last week. (Well, if you read my blog, you know that I didn’t really do it, I had it done!) As you can see, the grass is dead where the vines covered it up, so it needs to grow back up.

And, Dakota Blue, Missy Hound dog that she is, thinks this bed of dirt is JUST for her! She’s been digging holes in it, so I’m in a big rush to get it turned into a bed. And I sprinkled Cayenne pepper in it yesterday to try to keep her out. I think she got a snootful yesterday as I saw her rubbingher nose in the grass and pawing at it, so I am hoping that helps.
I got two big plants – a nice Sago palm and some black Elephant ears to be specimen plants on this corner that you see more often.
I am also planting two Maggie roses, since this is a full sun bed with no deer access! They smell just wonderful and I am so psyched about getting to have roses. They have bright pink blooms. I hope I can keep them happy in there. See the hold back there where Dakota was digging? A toad lived there. He’d be wise to move!

Across the yard, I have a nice collection of tomatoes coming. I had to shoot this up inthe air as they are in cages about 6-8 feet tall and trailing down!
And it’s finally cooled off enough for the nasturium to bloom a little. I just like having these little guys in my garden and some of my window boxes. They’re perky — and sometime we eat them!

And this, to my surprise, is a yellow Skullcap. I didn’t know that’s what I’d gotten until it started to bloom this week. I’m very excited, because it grows so well and the deer leave it alone. I’ve been looking for a lavender variety with no luck. I’ll keep my fingers crossed – sure wish I could remember at which nursery I bought this.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:52-06:00October 6th, 2008|Blog, elephant ears, nasturtium, new bed, roses, Sago, Sharing Nature's Garden, skullcap, tomatoes|8 Comments

A little bit of this, a little bit of that…

See my little pretties? I visited some local nurseries to talk about donations for the Garden Bloggers’ Spring Fling and couldn’t help myself! Heck – I was at 3 nurseries today and they were full of eye candy! I bought a beautiful Texas Scarlett Japanese Quince at one, and three roses at another. Annie at the Transplantable Rose inspired me with her pots and talk of roses. I pulled one out when we moved in here – it was in the wrong place and not doing well. And then, last year, some construction required that we pull out a huge, lovely pink climber that I was in love with. It went high into our oak trees. So, I missing some roses and I decided to remedy that!

Because I don’t have a full sun spot for them, I was somewhat limited in what I could purchase, so I am now the proud mother of an Old Blush Climbing Rose, Mrs. B.R. Cant, 1901 and a Martha Gonzales that I’m going to put in a pot like Annie’s! The other two will enjoy a nice morning to early afternoon sunny spot on the east side of the house. They are all supposed to be sun/part shade, so we’ll see if that’s accurate. I will have to take a walk to see them, but I will have them and can cut them and bring them in the house. I’m psyched!

Can you see the numbers on this thermometer here today? I think it’s skewed a little, but suffice it to say, it was warm today.
My mahonia is now in full bloom. But still enjoying the cooler weather – it gets kind of hot here for them if they get any sun and I have one that may have to be moved this year.

WOW! See my garden. All the dead stuff is gone. Including any last dead tomato bits that might have been lingering and calling to the dogs! They scaled the fence again before the garden got cleaned out and ate something — who knows what — there were only leeks and parsley in there other than dead scraps and mulch. Tomorrow I’ll show you the rest of today’s progress (it got too dark and I couldn’t take a picture), but the fence is UP! And, if they can scale this fence, then I’ll quit blogging — they’ll be in the Guiness Book of World Records and I’ll be a rich woman!

These are the leeks I pulled from the garden today. I guess I will make some leek soup and then sautee the rest. I am assuming I can just freeze them sliced up and sauteed for use in soups and stews and sauces later on. There are far too many for me to use right now! But I want all the garden beds tilled and new garden soil brought in and it’s just better if it’s empty when you do that.
Here are a few other things peeking up in my beds these days. Above are some lovely red Daylilies and below are the shoots of a black Elephant Ear.
Below are some beautiful yellow and orange cannas…well, that’s what they WILL be in a few months!
And these are a few of the shoots in my cloche inside. These are tomatoes.
I planted nasturtiums, they got so tall so fast I took them out of the cloche, and they instantly started to dry out and die. Help! They are bumping against the top of the other cloche, and turn black when they do that, but they clearly aren’t ready to be out on their own. Or, maybe I needed to get them sopping wet…Any ideas?