Cindy Brummer: April 2008 Archives
1:30 PM Tue, Apr 22, 2008 | Permalink
Cindy Brummer
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Feelin' the Earth Day energy
Today is one of those days I long to be outside in the garden rather than working. It's overcast and warm, but not blazing hot... so it's a good time to be weeding or planting or something that adds green to the yard.
Ahhh... in a perfect world, right?
This weekend, we decided to celebrated my husband's new job with a trip to my favorite local nursery, and I actually managed to restrain myself from bringing home everything I saw.
Since my seed-starting efforts were flat, we picked up more seedlings to fill in the last remaining spaces in the garden -- cherry tomato, verde tomatillo, watermelon, 2 summer squash and cantelope. MMMMMmmmm...
And check this out, since we've been harvesting and eating the chard, the remaining leaves have gotten huge! They're gorgeous!
Next weekend, I'm hoping to start on a long-planned and long-procrastinated garden project. I often mow the lawn, and I REALLY hate mowing between the garden beds in the front. My plan is to dig up the grass for paths rights around the beds and fill in the space with decomposed granite. Eventually, I would like to put a short fence around the garden just to dress it up a bit, but that's way down the line. I figure it will take me weeks of digging before I should even order the DG.
I should have some very strong arms by the time I'm finished digging, too.
12:34 PM Tue, Apr 15, 2008 | Permalink
Cindy Brummer
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Cool caterpillar
I was sitting on my front porch last weekend, eating watermelon, when I noticed some drooping branches on some dill that bolted in the front garden bed. I examined the plant a little closer, and was delighted to find at least three fat and happy caterpillars chomping down on the dill.
I have planted tons of things in the front specifically to attract butterflies and their larvae, so I was really excited to see the caterpillars. It was also a really cool opportunity to show my son real caterpillars.
I'm not really sure what kind of caterpillars they are. I did a quick scan of What's that bug? and found an photo that looked really similar of a black swallowtail butterfly caterpillar, which I don't recall seeing in the yard last year. I've ruled out Monarch, Queen and Hackberry, which I've seen in the garden before.
If you know what it is, write in a let me know!
10:36 AM Mon, Apr 07, 2008 | Permalink
Cindy Brummer
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Bloom of a century
Aziz Laurent sent this photo in of a Century plant in the garden that is about to bloom.
Apparently this agave is about 10 years.
"I shall send a photo of the flower once it has opened," Laurent wrote.
I'm looking forward to that. Century plants are really impressive plants to begin with, but when you add that bloom stalk, it's just amazing.
I wouldn't say the bloom is all that beautiful in the traditional sense, but the magnitude and the time it takes to bloom make it gorgeous in my opinion.
Can't wait to see that photo, Aziz.
3:29 PM Wed, Apr 02, 2008 | Permalink
Cindy Brummer
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My favorite tree
A friend of mine was wandering around my yard recently, looking at all the shrubs and trees I had planted and asked me -- "Which one is our favorite?"
I pointed to the tree pictured on the right, the one I named "Eve." It's an Eve's Necklace -- a delicate tree native to Central Texas with blooms that look like necklaces that only last a few short days in the spring.
When I planted "her" just a few short years ago, she was tiny. The tree barely reached my stomach. Now it stands much taller than me, but her branches still sway softly in the wind.
Every time I go to my favorite nursery to buy a tree, I consider another Eve's Necklace. (I only don't because I love variety in the garden.)
Eve's Necklaces can be hard to find, but they are recommended for planting in the Austin area. They have very light water requirements once established and are very tough in droughts (just don't expect much growth).
I was worried last summer that all of our rain would hurt her, but the tree took advantage of that rare year by doubling its size in just a few short months.
Wow!
Eve is planted in my backyard, and is shaded part of the day by the giant pecan tree -- and it makes an excellent understory tree.
One day, when the tree grows much larger, we plan on building a bench under Eve, so we can enjoy her shade and her brief blooms.
