seeds Archives | Diana's Designs Austin

Tropical plumeria has a sweet surprise in the greenhouse…

If you ask me to envision myself in my happy place, you’ll find me on a beach somewhere, enjoying balmy breezes with a book in one hand and an umbrella drink in the other.

So when the weather warms up, I spend my time creating a similar happy place in my own garden. Around our pool, I plant things that are lush — some tropical, some native. The tropicals typically live in very large ceramic pots that overwinter in the greenhouse.

For many years, I’ve been growing plumeria, or frangipani. I’ve been given some by my parents, who brought them back from Hawaii, and from friends who have passed along pieces of theirs.

And, I’ve bought a few at the annual Zilker Garden fest from a vendor that has has an array of exotic plants that I am always enticed to bring home with me.

A deciduous shrub, Plumeria spp is a tropical plant native to parts of Central America. Most of mine are yellow, though I do have one or two pink varieties. The yellow blooms fill the air with the most amazing lemony goodness.

Mine are all still in the greenhouse, thanks to our late cold spells. While I was watering in there this afternoon, I discovered two giant seed pods. I haven’t seen them forming because this pot is in the very back corner of the greenhouse and I have to step up on some step stones to even see it. They are the two elongated brownish pods going to the left and up of the main green stalk and then down to the right, cutting the photo diagonally. Cool, huh?

The plumeria tree blooms in the summer and features waxy, showy flowers consisting of five petals in a funnel shape. When the flowers begin to wither, they are replaced by long, slender fruit. A nonedible seedpod, the plumeria fruit reaches lengths of between 6 to 12 inches. So, I must have had a bloom in the greenhouse over the winter that I didn’t see and now … voila!

You can propagate a new plumeria tree from seeds stored in the ripened fruit. It takes 9 to 10 months for the seedpods to fully ripen. Then you can pull them from the tree and harvest the seeds.

So, if you think you’re in the market for some plumeria seeds in about 7 – 8 months, leave me a comment here!

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:38:53-05:00March 6th, 2015|Blog, frangipani, overwinter, plumeria, seed pods, seeds, Sharing Nature's Garden, tropicals|1 Comment

Seed-sowing season starts soon!

On my fabulous trip to Paris to visit my cousin this summer, I didn’t get to Giverny, Monet’s inspirational garden. While in Paris I enjoyed the impressionist exhibit at the D’Orsay museum, which included many Monets, Manets, Pissaros, and Sisleys, among others. The amazing ability of these painters to bring the canvas to life leaves me awestruck. I feel as though I already know Monet’s garden. (Don’t tell, but I actually have 5 Monet/impressionist coffee table books – my most recent chronicling the D’Orsay exhibit.)
So, when one of my bff’s went to Paris a few weeks ago, she kept my in mind as she toured Giverny. Yesterday she presented me with a gift from her trip — two beautifully packaged sets of seeds from plants growing in the garden there. What a special gift and I’m so excited to plant some of these seeds in my own garden.

Thank you, Maria, for your sweet and thoughtful gift. I hope I can bring you a bouquet from these flowers come springtime.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:05-06:00September 12th, 2014|Blog, gifts, Giverny, seeds, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Making room for spring…

It’s that time of year — the afternoon high temperature was up to 80 here yesterday. Thursday it’s supposed to be a high of 39. But at least we aren’t expecting a foot of snow like our friends up north.

But those warm, sunny afternoons make me restless. Especially when the extreme cedar pollen levels make it impossible to be outside. So, on my weekend list? Clean out some of the garden paraphernalia in the garage — including the old seed packets. I know that some were at least two years old, maybe older.

Why not, you might think, keep them and try them out? Maybe they’re still good and will germinate. And then again, maybe not. I’m just not willing to take that chance and have to start again or plant twice as many seeds to ensure some seedlings actually come up.

There they are – down in the garbage can – a plethora of vegetable and flower seeds. But don’t worry — they are going to be replaced, and soon. Saturday night I spent a nice, cozy evening trolling through veggie seeds and placed my order to get started in the greenhouse.

And that’s what spring is all about, isn’t it? A fresh start in the garden?

What will you be starting fresh with in your garden?

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:12-06:00January 21st, 2014|Blog, seeds, Sharing Nature's Garden, spring|0 Comments

Sweet dreams of seeds to come from gardening catalogs…

We’re having our long winter’s nap here in Central Texas. I can’t really call it cold here, but it is time for a break in the garden.

And that means…seed catalogs.

They’ve started arriving and I’m making a pile for a cold night, curled up in my chair with a cup of hot tea and a roaring fire.

Never mind that I already have a collection of seed packets large enough to start my own seed catalog, there are new varieties out there that are calling my name. Seeds that are faster to germinate, bolt slower, have sweeter fruit, are more drought tolerant, produce more vegetables, flowers, you name it.

If it’s new, a gardener’s gotta have it, right?

Right now, broccoli, cabbage, kale, strawberries, chard, lettuce, leeks, parsley, cilantro, and onions are taking up most of the veggie garden space. But I’ve always got room for bulbs and cutting flowers (I think!).

Room or not, there are seeds in my future — are there seeds in your future?

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:15-06:00January 7th, 2013|Blog, cutting garden, seed catalogs, seeds, Sharing Nature's Garden, winter, winter vegetables|0 Comments

Seeds are stronger than you think!

As we felt the wrath of tropical storm Hermine last week, I was most worried about all the tiny little seeds I’d so carefully planted just a few short days before.

I had visions of them floating away down the road to the neighboring town of Buda.

Then I had visions of them simply drowning in the mud-filled beds.

And finally, I had visions of them surviving, but scattering and intermingling so that I would never know what was what.

Guess what? They liked the rain. So much so that some of them popped their little heads up in just 4 days!

These are bush beans with their pretty little copper marker made with my nifty spiffy label maker. (Do you have one? I love mine!)
And these tiny little guys are going to grow up to be Brussels sprouts.
While some of the plants are a little water-logged, many of my plants have emerged rejuvenated after the storm. This ice plant is bright and cheery.
This heavenly hibiscus loved the deep, long drink.
The Hyacinth bean vine blooms burst forth after the heavy rains.
These plants aren’t in the direct path of the rain (although we had lots of sideways rain), they loved the humidity of the storm.

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:40:12-05:00September 11th, 2010|Blog, fall garden, rain, seeds, Sharing Nature's Garden, storm, tropical storm, vegetable garden, vegetables|0 Comments

A bowl full of love…

We are so enjoying our variety of lettuce and greens from the garden. We had salad this weekend with Sweet Mixed Greens, Oak Leaf Lettuce, Watercress, Parsley and radishes from the garden.

Also growing in the veggie garden right now:

Sweet 1015 Onions
Strawberries (blooming, no less!)
Bright Lights Swiss Chard
Flat leaf & Curly Parsley
Cilantro
Green Cabbage
Daikon Radishes
Beets
Carrot and Leek seeds have been planted — (I hope they are growing. We’ve had warm enough days and some rain coming today — maybe we will see some growth next week – cross your fingers for me.)

This weekend I also planted seeds to start inside the greenhouse – tomatoes, lima beans, peppers, lemon grass – are all sitting on a heat mat keeping them toasty warm. I’ve really missed the ‘get-them-started-early’ boat, but they will still be fun to have grown from seed myself.

It’s gray and very foggy here with storms forecast for later in the day. No gardening today, but tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and…are you sitting down? 78F. So I’ll work at school today and do some paperwork at home, paying my dues for what I hope to be a glorious day tomorrow.

Have a great Monday.

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:42:34-05:00March 8th, 2010|Blog, carrots, leeks, lettuce, seeds, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

seeds

Tropical plumeria has a sweet surprise in the greenhouse…

Seed-sowing season starts soon!

Making room for spring…

Sweet dreams of seeds to come from gardening catalogs…

Seeds are stronger than you think!

A bowl full of love…

Escape in the garden