Fall is Coming!

Fall is coming!  I promise, it is.  I don't know about other parts of the country but here in Texas, namely Austin, it is hot, hot and did I mention it is hot?  I for one am ready for fall and the cooler temps.  I thought I would share a few photos of things that have been blooming in the nursery lately - hope you enjoy!

 The bees don't seem to mind the heat.  They are all over the place which is wonderful.  In this shot they are on the Russian Sage, which is a personal favorite of mine.  I love the colors.

 Aaahhh, the Panicum 'Northwind'.  I know I am not supposed to have favorites, but.... this is one of my favorite grasses.

 The Passion Vine are always a hit- the showy blooms are so intricate and delicate.  I have so many photos of these blooms- just can't get enough of them.

 We do a few specialty Hibiscus, this is one of them.  The blooms are huge and the flowers bright- definite showstoppers.  

 This is my favorite Portulaca.  I mean look at it!  What's not to love???

This one is a hard one to photograph as it isn't the showiest of plants and blooms but the fragrance- if only there were a way to capture the fragrance.  The Almond Verbena- intoxicating.  

 This is turning into a post of my favorite things I am noticing....  this is my all time favorite annual- such a bright pop of color and fun texture and bloom.  We have a few different Celosia, but I am partial to this one.

 The Neobuxbaumia and their crown of blooms- what's not to love?!?

And I will end with some 'Topsy Turvy' Echeveria blooms and a photo of a hummingbird.  

Funny story about this little guy.... I was chasing him for what seemed like hours to get a good shot of him as he zipped around the nursery, and then he stopped and sat on this line right next to me and just hung out for about 5 minutes.  Just sitting there.  He was so close- it was so neat.  I could have reached out and touched him.   It was truly one of the most exciting things to experience.  

 I have been really bad about blogging lately and for that I apologize.  I promise to make an effort to be better and post more often.  I have been posting a lot on Instagram - it is just so easy to just take the photo and pop it up there it has me spoiled.  Anyway, hope you enjoy!   

Spring is Near

Spring is near here in Austin, Tx.  We just finished a little run of freezing weather which was preceded by 78 degree days.  Texas weather.  Nothing like it.  I for one am happy it is over- we might have a little snap in the mid 30's but nothing like we just had.  It registered 21 at the nursery- that's cold for us.  I know our customers and friends from up north laugh at that, but for us, that is really cold.  Especially when we were enjoying such amazing weather days before.  

Posting a few photos I have taken the last few weeks- I admittedly have been bad about posting here and for that I apologize.  I am going to try to be better.  I have been posting on Instagram almost daily - it is just so easy.  @viverogrowers if you do Instagram.

Peach blossoms

 Tecoma, aka Yellow Bells, also Esperanza

 Kalanchoe bloom

 Wisteria bloom- wish this were scratch and sniff!!!!

 Kalanchoe

 Gopher Plant blooming

 Dwarf Bottlebrush

 Butterfly on Carolina Jessamine

 Succulent planter- took this right before I moved it inside last weekend.

Love this color combo of the sedum and the senecio.  

  Hope you enjoyed the pics!!

Happy Two Year Anniversary!

Two years.  My how time flies.  Hard to believe.  

To be fair, seventeen years in the industry, but two years here at this location and two years open to the public.  (And two years with me being involved.)  Had someone asked me two years ago if I was going to end up loving getting dirty, scratched up by agaves and poked by cactus on basically a daily basis, I would most certainly have answered "No".  Today, I would have to wonder, is there anything else I would rather do?

It is amazing to me how much I have learned in the last two years about plants.  What likes full sun, what likes shade, what likes both, the water requirements, how long it takes to establish a plant, the "funny names" of plants (the botanical names), what the deer do and don't eat (which I don't think anyone really ever can truly answer that one), perennial vs evergreen, and deciduous plants and trees.  

It used to all make my head spin, now I find myself calling things by the "funny name" and pointing out things growing in our neighborhood on our nightly walks to my husband, (who basically knows everything about plants there is to know) impressing him no doubt.  

 Before, I just used to admire pretty flowers and never really thought much about them or the trees other than if I liked it or not.  My how I have changed.... and I love it.  I enjoy watching everything grow and transform.

   I love the production aspect of it and watching all the babies grow.

It has been a learning experience and one that continues to educate me on a daily basis.  It is different every day- you just never know.  I love the variety of wildlife that appears in here as well- several varieties of butterflies, caterpillars, birds, bees, insects,  reptiles with a few field mice and raccoons here and there.  We have a few that have taken up residence- a Road Runner that hangs out in the back in the Olives.

Kermit the frog appeared one day in our fish tank and seems to be getting along with the fish- Bosephis, Huey and Casper, and then there are several hummingbirds that live in the oaks in the front and in the back.

I have learned that deer eat what they want when they want regardless of what the books say.  If they are hungry, they will eat it.  I get that.  I have found that they for the most part stay away from things that "smell", things that are fuzzy and love Hibiscus.  I also have learned that it seems to matter where you are as in some places they tend to favor Gold Lantana and in others the Purple.  Go figure.  Deer don't read you see, so they don't know what they are supposed to like and what they are not.

They sure are cute though.
So is our little visitor Noel who stops by around four o'clock on basically a daily basis.  I wrote about her earlier this week.  We are all happy the weather has cooled down enough for her to resume her daily visits.  We missed her!
Wow.  Two years!  Time flies when you're having fun!!