April 2011

Visit to P. Allen Smith Garden Home Retreat

April 30, 2011

Little Rock, Arkansas. Last time I was there was in the 70′s on a road trip to the Northeast. A few months ago, I was invited to attend a 2 day garden blogger’s event hosted by P. Allen Smith and his sponsors in Little Rock. About 24 prominent garden bloggers from around the country were [...]

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Garden2blog event begins!

April 26, 2011

Today is the first day of our Garden2blog event in Little Rock Arkansas hosted by P Allen Smith. Last night we all had some tense moments at the Capital Hotel when there was a Tornado warning that forced us all to take refuge in the Ballroom. Luckily it passed us by and we were soon [...]

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Macro Monday: Gazing at Gazania

April 25, 2011

Gazania striped (Gazania rigens) is an exotic flowering annual. This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and birds. It is drought-tolerant which will be a big help this summer in Houston. Flowers close at night and sometimes only partially open on cloudy days. Available in assorted color mixes and I found this one just beautiful. [...]

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Heads Up: Focus on Statuary

April 20, 2011

Heads up! While photographing the nursery at Buchanan’s Native Plants this week, I captured so many beautiful pieces of statuary and it reminded me how important these are in creating focal points in the garden. A focal point should be large enough to draw the eye in and anchor the space. Here is a collection [...]

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Macro Monday: Magnolia Maze

April 18, 2011

Magnolia blooms are beautiful from any distance, but when you look closely you can appreciate the complexity in these majestic flowers. Oh and they’re fragrant too.

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Japanese Maple in Filtered Sunlight

April 11, 2011

This Japanese maple tree is my favorite trees. It is planted outside my front door under a canopy of oaks. The filtered sunlight dances on these warm reddish leaves in spring. As summer comes along, the leaves turn green. If you look closely, you can see the green transition already starting along the main veins [...]

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Macro Monday: Blue Boy Vine

April 11, 2011

The verdict is in. Thunbergia battiscombei, also known as Blue Boy, Blue Glory, Clock Vine is a winner in my garden. It has survived the past two winters and has come back into bloom this spring. I don’t remember where I bought this plant/vine but I know I’ve had it for about 10 years. It [...]

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Live Oak Limbs: Contrast and Form

April 10, 2011

Here are photos taken this morning and I decided to experiment a little in Photoshop to desaturate the color. What was left really showcased the graceful limbs and strong architecture of live oak trees. Have you experimented with any of your garden photos?

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Bluebonnets Gone Wild

April 4, 2011

Thanks to the sowing of seeds last fall by a resident in our neighborhood, this corner is bursting with Bluebonnet blooms. Yes that’s right, we are not out in the middle of the country, viewing a field of Bluebonnets alongside a country road. We are in a suburban west Houston neighborhood where the wildflowers have [...]

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