October 07, 2008 I’m back! After a whirlwind weekend of packing, lifting, and unpacking, we’re settling into our new house. I will post pictures of the new yard soon, but all my attention so far has been focused on the inside of the house. Boxes still loom in the hallways …

October 01, 2008 The spider lilies (Lycoris radiata ) are blooming again. Or I should say were blooming. I dug up most of the bulbs yesterday to bring to the new garden. But of course I left some behind—a surprise gift for future owners. All material © 2006-2008 by Pam …

September 30, 2008 Mr. McGregor’s Daughter and the Chicagoland bloggers have set the date for the Garden Bloggers Spring Fling 2009! Fellow garden bloggers, mark your calenders for May 29-31. I fully expect that the 2nd annual Fling will be bigger and better than when we Austinites kicked things off …

I’m moving to a new house this week, and I’ve vowed to take my prized ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave (Agave ovatifolia ) with me rather than leave it to the vagaries of fate …

September 28, 2008 I see hummers in my garden every day, and when I have my camera handy I always try to get a shot. They’re skittish, though, and don’t appreciate the paparazzi. I should be more patient and lie in wait, but inevitably a weed will catch my eye, …

September 25, 2008 After mounding taller and taller all summer, finally reaching 5 feet across and 4 feet high (even with a late-spring trim), Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha ) takes its star turn across the garden stage in late summer. Long spires of fuzzy purple blossoms tip each stem, …

September 24, 2008 Like this bee on blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum ), I’ve been buzzing around the garden, dividing a few plants and taking down garden decor, all while keeping the garden looking good for prospective buyers. (Hello? Are you out there? The stock market may be scary, but it’s …

September 22, 2008 The 2008 Blotanical Award nominations were announced yesterday, and — yowsa! — Digging is on the ballot for Best U.S. Blog, Best Drought-Tolerant Blog, Best Photography, Most User-Friendly Blog, and Blog of the Year Award. I’m honored to be nominated along with so many great bloggers, many …

September 21, 2008 Last week I posted about punctuating a fine-textured garden with bold-leaf or boldly shaped plants. Here’s another one that I use to set off the fine leaves of Salvia greggii , Cuphea ignea, Bulbine frutescens , and ‘Powis Castle’ artemesia: Yucca recurvifolia , or softleaf yucca. I …

September 19, 2008 Not counting the Garden Bloggers Spring Fling 2008, the best local garden tour I’ve ever been on is Austin’s Open Days Garden Conservancy tour. Two years ago I visited every garden on the tour and ended up making a post about each one; click here for my …

September 19, 2008 Not counting the Garden Bloggers Spring Fling 2008, the best local garden tour I’ve ever been on is Austin’s Open Days Garden Conservancy tour. Two years ago I visited every garden on the tour and ended up making a post about each one; click here for my …

September 18, 2008 If, like me, you are trying to grow water-thrifty plants in central Texas, you soon find that most of them have teeny-tiny leaves—think salvias, Mexican oregano, cupheas, native daisies, penstemons, etc. Teeny-tiny leaves, along with waxy and hairy leaves, are the xeric plant’s defense against water loss …

September 17, 2008 The Good: This is my favorite seed, that of ‘Duchess of Albany’ clematis. I love the color, the texture, and the shape of these tousled-hair seedheads. Don’t you just want to reach out and ruffle it? The flowers that precede them are pretty, but I believe I …

September 17, 2008 The Good: This is my favorite seed, that of ‘Duchess of Albany’ clematis. I love the color, the texture, and the shape of these tousled-hair seedheads. Don’t you just want to reach out and ruffle it? The flowers that precede them are pretty, but I believe I …