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Monday, March 19, 2012

Planting in the Island Bed, and a Welcome Visitor

I was having so much fun outdoors this weekend, either with the horses or in the garden, that I didn't get around to blogging at all!

I've been on the lookout for hummingbirds, as other Houston garden bloggers have reported. I haven't seen any yet, but I was thrilled to notice this little visitor in the garden.


I had a hard time getting a clear photo as it was flitting about and it was breezy too, so it seemed to be getting buffeted by the wind.  I remember verbally chastising it at the moment I snapped this photo. 

"You silly thing, there's all that milkweed blooming there, what are you doing on the Indian Hawthorn?"

It wasn't until I looked closely at this photo that I realized that it *was* on a milkweed, that was poking up through the shrubbery in the front border.  Perhaps I'll see some caterpillars this spring?

Most of my work this weekend was in the back garden.  I spent a few pleasant hours planting an array of flowering plants in the island bed.


 Of course, it still looks pretty sparse, but I hope when it fills in the butterflies, bees and hummingbirds will enjoy it.  

A quick list of ingredients:  Senecio cineraria (Dusty Miller), "Early Bird Frosty" Dianthus,  Salvia splendens, "May Night" Meadow sage, and Artemisia "Powis Castle".  So there's a sort of red, white and blue theme going on (if you don't count the daylilies I already put in there.)

Also in the island bed is the tiny Sam Houston peach tree we planted last year. We've been watching it closely because while other things in the garden have been leafing out, there wasn't anything happening with the peach.  This past weekend, we were excited to notice a couple of blossom buds and some leaves on it.



Around the corner in the veggie garden, things are starting to pop. This is our first experience with a veggie garden, so I'm sure it will be an adventure - hopefully not one of the nightmare variety.


Eric says he doesn't remember planting as many peas as have sprouted, (ditto the cucumbers) and he certainly doesn't remember dropping any on the lawn -- but there are two growing there next to the garden, so they must have jumped out! 

A couple of years ago, a friend was re-doing some of her garden beds and was moving some Brunfelsia - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow - and asked if I wanted some rooted cuttings.  Naturally I said yes!

However, of the two she gave me, one promptly died and the other just sort of sat there with no ambition. 

It didn't bloom last year, but at least it didn't die. 


As I looked around the garden on Saturday, I noticed it was blooming for the first time, a beautiful purple color.



I had heard about this plant's blooms changing color, but since it had never bloomed for me before I had never witnessed. But this evening, when I got home from work, I checked on them and they were definitely lighter in color.




 They should be white, or almost white, by tomorrow evening.  I'll have to remember to snap a photo.

Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.

6 comments:

Steph@RamblingWren said...

I'm planning a butterfly bed exactly like your island bed. So far I have 2 out of the 3 B's (bees and birds). Now if I could just get the butterflies to come to my garden:)

Lucy Abbott said...

Jayne, I love the island bed. It is so great to see a new area completed. I’m sure it will fill in quickly and be a mass of color for the butterflies.

Jayne said...

Good luck with your bed Steph. My problem was trying to thin down my wish list so everything will fit! I may still go ahead and tuck annuals in here and there where there's a bit of room -- zinnias etc. should pull in the butterflies :-)

Jayne said...

Thanks Lucy, I hope it will.

Carol said...

I was actually going to e-mail you today to see when I should be putting up the hummer feeder. Guess it's time! Everything looking good at your place. We are getting ours in shape and hope to post pictures on my blog soon. Happy planting! Carol

Jayne said...

Thanks for stopping by Carol. I haven't seen any hummers myself yet, but I keep hoping! We spent a lovely day in the garden today too. Isn't it a wonderful weekend?