New Austin garden blogs springing up
Pink bluebonnet ( Lupinus texensis)
In case you’ve assumed that everyone in Austin who might possibly start a garden blog has already done so, just hold on a minute! There are two new ones I’d like to introduce you to.
The bizarrely titled Horselips’s Horse Sense comes to us from Randy in upper-east Austin. You may already have seen him over at Conscious Gardening’s regular “nursery crawl” posts. I met him recently at the City of Austin’s Green Garden Certification class, and he’s a really nice and funny guy. I hope you’ll check out his blog and say hi.
Purple oxalis ( Oxalis triangularis)
Kelly, a brand-new blogger at The Not So Big Garden, introduced herself to me at Shoal Creek Nursery recently, having recognized me from my sidebar picture. (This happens more often than I’d ever have guessed, which I find a tad disconcerting and yet flattering. It also leads to my meeting some interesting people and fellow garden geeks.) Kelly is growing a drought-tolerant garden in north-central Austin and would like to connect with other local xeriscapers.
Native spiderwort ( Tradescantia occidentalis)
Two more shout-outs. If, like Kelly, you’re interested in xeric plants that are native to Texas, check out the website for the Native Plant Society of Texas. Prairie Point Bill is the webmaster for NPSOT, and he’s posting about interesting and beautiful Texas natives like acacia and evergreen sumac, as well as non-xeric, water-loving native ferns. Be sure to check out the post on ball moss too.
Austinites, if you’d like to get involved with the Native Plant Society of Texas, check out the Austin NPSOT’s website.
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Pam – thanks again for passing along new blogs and being our community organizer!
It’s always good to have fresh faces in a group, don’t you think? —Pam
How great that there are even more Austin bloggers!
It’s crazy, isn’t it? —Pam
Thanks for the mention of my personal website and the NPSOT one too. The NPSOT website is still a work in progress. I’m trying to make it more of an educational and informational tool, for both members and visitors.
NPSOT is primarily a network of local community organizations. There are currently 31 local groups all over Texas. Austin has a very active chapter, as does nearby Williamson County. We also have a state headquarters in Fredericksburg, a quarterly print magazine, and an annual three-day symposium. This year the symposium will be in Wichita Falls.
Thanks for the info, Bill. —Pam
I met both Randy of Horselips and Cheryl of Conscious Gardening at the recent Landscape Design Study Course at A&M. Both of them are planning on attending Chicago Spring Fling … Texas should be well represented!
How fun that you were all able to meet, Cindy. Yes, the Texans are headed to Chicago! —Pam
Beautiful photos of beautiful flowers 🙂
Thanks, Marie. —Pam
Thanks for the links! The NPSOT site is great. I’m not in Austin, but I am out in College Station (8b) with its excellent horticultural program, soil labs, and agricultural extension office. I work for Texas A&M University in the research department … unfortunately, not plant research.
Stupid me, I’m learning about all these other blogs and resources AFTER I bought my seed and started all my gardens this year. Now I’m learning about all these cool things that I could’ve done … oh well, at least my blog will provide plenty of laugh-track material for everyone else this year.
I don’t think anyone will be laughing at what you’ve accomplished, Karl. Enjoy the blogging and other web-related resources out there, and we’ll be enjoying your garden online too. —Pam
Hi Pam, I looked at the ball moss article. It was as I thought it was but I was glad to be able to read about it. Having just come back from TX I had seen lots of it. I have wondered if one cut off a clump of it if it would survive. I didn’t see a place to leave a comment at the article. Thanks for introducing us to new bloggers.
Bill told me that he hasn’t set up the NPSOT site to accept comments at this time. I’ll bet you did see a lot of ball moss while you were in Texas, Lisa. —Pam
The Austin blogging community is truly inspirational–I wish we could get some more LBB garden blogs going.
I hope you can too, Susan. It’s great to have a community of fellow garden bloggers nearby. —Pam
Love that first photo of our simple bluebonnet. You managed to make it look rather exotic, per usual! I just now posted a photo of my purple oxalis blooms, but mine are looking down instead of up!
Brenda
A pink bluebonnet does look exotic to my eyes, Brenda. I’m still not used to that color. —Pam
What a great network of bloggers you have there in Austin!
And look at that … pink bluebonnets! As you know, I grew the blue ones last year. I haven’t seen seed for the pink.
I was under the impression that the pink would revert back to blue this year, especially since I grew pink and blue together last year. But much of the seed remained true, and I have a new crop of pinkbonnets. —Pam
Thanks for introducing us to the new Austin bloggers. Is your Aggie bluebonnet from last years seed? I was wondering if they bred true.
Yes, it’s one of several seedlings I dug up last winter to bring to the new garden. I got a mix of mostly pink and a couple of blues. —Pam
Welcome new bloggers. Ain’t it great! H.
I think so. The more, the merrier! —Pam
What is it about Austin that leads you all to blog? Madison has a healthy garden community in terms of societies, nurseries, classes and tours. But very few bloggers! Is it something in your water — or would that be lack of water? Seriously, is this just a natural thing or did you all do something to get a group going?
‘Tis one of the mysteries of the universe, Linda. But that hasn’t stopped us from speculating. For theories and just plain marveling over the phenomenon, see my posts on how Austin leads the nation in blogging, a roster and description of local garden blogs, and Vertie’s rant on how difficult growing conditions leads to passionate blogging. —Pam
I garden and have horses in New Zealand. I love your blog – even though I have never been to Austin! The photos are always that little bit special and very inspiring, and I grow many of the same plants that are showcased in your stories. Can’t wait for the next installment.
Hi, Kerole. How interesting that you grow many of the same plant as I do. I grow many (though not exclusively) native Texas plants, and I’m wondering whether those have made it to nurseries in New Zealand. Thanks for commenting and for your kind compliments. —Pam
Hi Pam. It’s been said (so I have it on authority) that western Oregon is the gardening capitol of the world. From the number of garden bloggers in Texas, I’m thinking you’re in the gardening capitol of the world. Maybe I should put a blurb in our local newspaper.
Hi, Grace. I can see why the Pacific Northwest might be considered the gardening capital of the U.S., with its mild climate and plentiful rain, but of the world? What about good ole England? 😉 But yes, please do put a blurb about us Austin garden bloggers. It might stir up a real competition for garden-blogging capital of the world–ha! —Pam
Dear Pam,
Totally cool that the Austin Garden Bloggers’ network keeps on growing. Thanks for having your finger on the pulse of the gardening community and keeping us posted about new members.
~Dawn
You’re welcome, Dawn. It’s a fun hobby. —Pam
You can’t beat those natives to get some survivability in our gardens. Like you I must try other plants that peak my fancy, albeit with mixed rewards.
When starting my blog it was so nice to be able to get good advice from Austin bloggers like yourself, MSS and Garden Girl/Punk Gardener. Although I don’t know you per say, I would recognize you immediately if I saw you. And boy would you be in for some conversation.
Ha! Yes, I bet I would, Bob. I agree that having local garden blogs to reference has made a difference in how I garden, and it’s led to some valued friendships as well. —Pam
New bloggers and so much showing in your garden right now. I am so enjoying the pinks and purples and really all that is blooming. The sunset is gorgeous also.
Are you still under snowcover, Layanee? If so, I’m sure there are green shoots trying to push their way through it! —Pam
Hi again. Most of the plants we have in common are of the generic garden variety, but I do grow some Texans too I think. Agaves and yuccas do well here – I have a lovely variegated A. americana. Jerusalem sage, black eyed susans, blanket flowers, sedums, and miscanthus grasses (my Adagio is a total thug) all have a place in my garden. I also grow Mexican oregano and Mexican bush sage (also a thug!). I would love to try Nolina texana – but I can’t seem to find a stockist here as yet.
We do grow a lot of the same plants. My Nolina texana is about to flower. I could attempt to collect some seed for you. Does New Zealand have strict rules about receiving seed through the mail? —Pam
Oh no – not more to make me jealous … 🙂
Not at all, Sue. Just more to enjoy! —Pam
Hi, Pam
I haven’t visited your site in quite a while. Keeping up the Master Gardeners website seems to keep me busy (that, and a job, too). I wanted to say thank you for your info about the camera you use. I recently purchased a used one on Ebay, and I’m having fun playing with it. I am following your advice to “Take lots of shots to get the one or two you’ll use.” And this morning I got the one I could really get excited about – California poppies dripping with rain drops early in the morning before they open. Thanks! Carol in Kerrville
Hi, Carol. Thanks for stopping by again. I’m sure you’re as excited as I am about the rain, and poppies dripping with it would be a sight for sore eyes. —Pam
Pam – You are one of my favorite bloggers! Thank you for sharing your wonderful garden. Stop by my Blog sometime up NORTH. I started some seeds inside for the first time this year and loving it!
Hi, Bren. Thanks for reading Digging. I tried to visit your blog, but a message said the URL “wasn’t open without an invitation,” or something like that. —Pam