March!?!?!

I have to keep checking the calendar- March?  It is March?

Where does the time go?  I am happy though as it means spring is almost here!!!  I for one am ready.

It is amazing how things have changed in the past week- things are blooming, butterflies are flying around, bees are buzzing around, "sticks" have come to life.  Spring is such an amazing time with all the new growth and awakening!!!

 The citrus are loaded with blooms and the fragrance is intoxicating. 

 The peaches are blooming away as are the plums.

 The 'Galaxy' Magnolia blooms are beautiful and incredibly fragrant.  This was a new plant for me, it was a special order,  I loved watching and enjoying the blooms it while it was with us.  

 The Dwarf Bottlebrush are always a favorite- the blooms are so vibrant!!!

 The Lavender.... who doesn't love Lavender???????

Finally a bloom of the 'Galaxy' bloom opened- the bees were all over it- it was wonderful!!!

Hope you enjoyed the blooms!!

Little of This and A Little of That

The Gopher Plant in the front container has been booming like this for weeks now.  Every day it gets prettier and prettier.  The bees love this little guy so he's a great pollinator to have in your garden/yard- I have several people that tell me they plant these as well as Mystic Spires to attract them for pollination in their gardens.  Gosh! I feel like I haven't posted in forever!!

 Hard to not love the Mountain Laurel bloom.  I have heard a lot of people say they haven't seen em blooming yet, but they are blooming like CRAZY all over my neighborhood.  Some are loaded with blooms- I love it!  Down on South Lamar in front of the Odd Duck Restaurant there is a really pretty one but I keep forgetting to stop and photograph it.

 The Spanish Lavender….aaahhhh the Spanish Lavender.  This is probably my favorite bloom.  I know, I have lots of favorites but I really really like this one.  I think it wins….

 The Harry Lauder Walking Stick is loaded with blooms.  Such a crazy fun little guy.  

 The Senecio is so easy and so fun to grow.  I love it's color combo with the other succulents too.  It's like an amplifier of sorts for the colors.

The Arizona Cypress are hard to beat.  My personal favorite is the 'Blue Ice', I prefer their color but all are nice.  So there you have it, a little of this and a little of that.  I can't believe it has been so long since I have posted.  Promise to be better!!!!

Mixed Bag

Here is kind of a mixed bag of things I have been taking pictures of lately- hope you enjoy!

The above is a bloom spike from one of the agaves I have in a display pot- though I love the bloom it makes me sad cause I know it is the end of the road for the little guy.  I might pull him out and redo the pot and just pop him in the ground.  Who knows.  I can't decide.

 The Japanese Maples are so dainty- I just love them.  Such a pretty color and nice contrast I think.

 These little guys have not disappointed.  The Flowering Quince are full of flowers and the bees are very excited I might add.

 I never ever tire of the Spanish Lavender.  Of all the Lavender, it is and probably always will be my favorite.  I love the rich purple and the lavender together. 

And last but not least the Gopher Plant.  They are covered in blooms and covered in bees.  I am just happy the bees are hard at work and that we have plenty of blooms for them.

Just a little bit of this and that.  Hope you enjoy!  

Where Does the Time Go???

 I can't believe it is already November!  Where does the time go??

Here is one of my most favorite combos I have done lately.  I think I am the happiest with this collection at least right now.....

 

I am posting some of the beautiful things that have been blooming lately- I love this time of year, I guess that is where the time has gone, I have been outside and not at the computer!

The Mexican Mint Marigold are STUNNING - full of color and the scent of licorice.

 It is fall, so true to the name, the Fall Aster are blooming like mad.

 The Mexican Flame Vine on the back fence is blooming away- I took this like a week ago but it is as beautiful if not more so right now- the Antigonon is mixed in with it and both are growing happily on fence in the full sun.

 The Mountain Sage is full of blooms.

 The Spanish Lavender are an old time favorite of mine.  Tried and true- I just love them.  Such an intricate bloom- they are just gorgeous. 

 The Lion's Tail are blooming- I can't decide if I like them like this the best or when they are in full bloom.  The Monarchs have been all over these today also.  I tried to get a photo but only had my phone with me today and they didn't come out very clear so I didn't include.

 The Firespikes are starting to bloom- I LOVE these- they are such great plants for the shade too with a HUGE bloom and burst of color. 

 here is one of the pots I put together showing off the Lions Tail.  Such a great plant. 

 Here is little miss thing being lazy.  Too cute- had to share.

And to follow, little Coop mimicking her- they are so neglected, you almost feel sorry for them.

April GBBD 2013

Happy GBBD April 2013!

It has been a cactus fest lately- they are blooming left and right!!

Such vibrant colors- pinks, yellows, reds....

The blooms are so big- that's what I love about them, but then, the little ones pack a lot of punch too- see below....

This one little cactus cracked me up- looks like it's a smiley face hahaha

He's all of 6 inches tall but a really heavy bloomer- every day this week had one to five blooms on him. 

I just was partial to the smiley face.  

The Texas Betony is blooming away.  I put some in the front bed and it is doing just fine blooming away.  Tough little guys that I think don't get a lot of attention but they are pretty.

The Helen Borcher Peaches have started blooming this week, well, I guess they started last week but didn't look photo ready until this week with all the wonderful rain we have had.  Yes, rain- we've gotten some this past week and it was fabulous!!!!

 The Icebergs continue to bloom away.

 The Spanish Lavender- oh the Spanish Lavender.  It is wonderful.  

Covered in bees and smells divine. 

Hope everyone is having a great GBBD!!!!

Please visit May Dreams Gardens to see what's blooming all over the world!

And Then There was Rain!!

Yes, we got rain!  It was wonderful.

Parts of Austin got hail, but I think just about everyone got rain.

Today it is supposed to be a high of 60 and then slowly start creeping back up.

Spring has definitely sprung!

 The Dianthus in the front bed is blooming like crazy.

 The Spanish Lavender is blooming and fragrant as ever.

 The Bottlebrush are blooming away.

 The Lady Banks are doing their thing.

The China Snow Trees are solid white full of blooms.

Everything is so happy and showing off as if screaming- Look at me!!  Look at me!!

Then you have little Agaves trying to compete doing all they can do to show off next to the blooms- I love these little Squid Agaves- they look perfect in pots with little spillers.

Going to make one of those up today in a little pot.  

Just trying to decide which spiller to use!

Today's Favorites

First of all I would like to send out a huge thank you to Lancashire Rose, and her incredible post on her blog, Rock Rose, about the nursery.  If you have not visited her site, it is by far my favorite one to read.  I look forward to her posts daily and she is an inspiration.  She takes incredible photographs and always leaves me with more information about plants, gardening and the combination there of.  http://wwwrockrose.blogspot.com/ 

I don't really have a theme today, I just went around and photographed the things that stood out to me today.  I don't think I can ever nor will I ever get tired of the Spanish Lavender.  I have it right by the door and do this on purpose so that I can see it pretty much all day long.  It is so fragrant and full of bees and butterflies and is just a happy plant.  We had sold out of them over the weekend but luckily for me, got more in this morning.  My day is complete.  =) 

 I think this is the most bizarre plant.  It is pretty yet fierce.  It has the berries and pretty little red flowers but will "bite" you and it means business.  It is called Mahonia baeli.

 The Copper Canyon Daisy...aaahhhh the fragrance.  Love them.  These arrived this morning and I put them in two place just so I can see them from basically every point in the nursery.  They are just happy flowers.

 The Yarrow Paprika- beautiful bright little blooms.  

I will end today's post with the bloom spike of the Yucca rupicola twisted leaf.   I have (im)patiently been waiting for this to open.  I can't wait to see what it does.  Today was the first day it looked a little different- hopefully it is ready to open soon.

Not too Windy for the Bees and the Butterflies!

Well I got some shots I am happy with today. Who knew- as windy as it was today they were still very active. The white butterfly was all over the Lavender Provence. He was so light and the lavender itself so light it was hard to capture a striking photo of the both of them. The bees I think showed up great on the Milk Weed as well as on the Spanish Lavender. I got that one other butterfly on the Mystic Spires Salvia. He was really interesting. It was as if he had "horns" on his wings. It was odd. He was quick too. He was all over the place.