South Central Texas Native Plants....Waking Up!
3-2014
Those of you that have read this blog for long, know that I'm Serious about my garden.
38 years of Serious.
I know the challenges that my garden brings, just like All gardeners have challenges,
and still...
we All keep at it!
This posting, was done because of some Facebook conversation today,
in celebration of our
State Flower...the Bluebonnet.
Bluebonnets are in the same family as many of your beautiful, Lupines.
In the Hill Country where I live, temperatures can be 8 degrees lower than San Antonio,
which is just a few miles down the road.
Over the years, we have watched as we head out IH10, the Interstate to California,
that after we pass
Loop 1604 to higher ground, the temperatures, as it were... drop like a rock.
So, when I head into the metropolitan area of San Antonio,
gardens can be a good bit farther "along",
than mine.
That's the Fun of living where I do.
I'm also actually thinking of this posting as a gift,
to some friends who are
"SOTIREDSOTIREDSOTIRED" of snow!
Not sent as a Bragging, but rather sent in LOVE.
I'm hoping that you will Remember, and send us a photo gift,
when we are in the serious "scorching" days of August...
The kind of endurance testing "scorching", that if you EVEN THINK of saying your 80 degree days are
SO HOT...
we will be LIKELY...to Bite your heads Off! :)
So...my gift to you....a few Texas Natives...that are Waking Up!
Texas Bluebonnet
Lupinus Texensis
...find a field of these and you will notice Two things...
an Amazing Aroma and Children, having their pictures taken :)
Mexican Plum
Prunus Mexicana
I jumped the gun a bit with this Mexican Plum photo, as it is just before peak bloom, but I couldn't wait!!
I promise that my neighbors, have driven past this Spring bloomer for years, and never once stopped their cars, to get out and smell the most AMAZING grape fragrance!!!
But Laura and the Bees will be there together, Smiling and Sniffing away !
I've actually thought about placing a sign under it saying...
"Have you Smelled this tree, today?" :)
Texas Redbud
Cercis Canadensis var. texensis
We can also successfully grow, in our shallow soils and rocky alkaline limestone,
the Mexican Redbud and the Oklahoma Redbud.
There is even a White...Redbud.
I wonder why we don't call it a... Whitebud? ;)
Agarita
Mahonia trifoliolata
Sadly, home builders and home owners, Remove this beauty.
If they had ever smelled the flowers or seen the HOST of bees and butterflies pollinating their little hearts out, maybe they would have been slower to remove it only to replace it, with something that requires water and attention.
Close you eyes and imagine warm Butter and Honey...that's what an Agarita smells like to me!!!
As I approached this plant to take it's picture...at 20' away, I could already smell it!
So, there Dear Ones... Those still Buried in snow,
is
My Texas photo gift of Early Spring to you.
Reminding you to HOLD ON!
It wont be much longer!!
I will Remind you, when our temperatures are down from 100plus to 85 degrees at 10 p.m.,
and our plants to survive, have long since gone into a self induced temporary dormancy...
to Please Send Pictures of your Lavish Gardens.
And remember...No Bragging!
I love that you come here to read my blog...
xoxoLaura
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