The great unfurling
Petals unfurl seemingly overnight, new blossoms appearing each morning. Every garden stroll is a small voyage of discovery right now. This week I’m seeing masses of dainty, lilac spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis).
A single summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) with flowers like dancing ladies in white ballgowns trimmed with jaunty, green dots.
‘Amethyst Flame’ iris, brought along from my former garden and blooming much better this year after being moved to a western exposure in the front garden.
Texas mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora), close enough, almost, to give you a whiff of grape Kool-Aid fragrance right through your screen.
‘Blue Elf’ aloe, whose tubular orange blossoms offer a siren song for returning hummingbirds.
Mexican honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera), putting on a festive show of orange under an orange-red Circle Pot filled with succulents.
An orange Hover Dish hovers under a crepe myrtle, filled with flowering Texas sedge (Carex texensis) and columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha). Rain lily bulbs are tucked in there too.
Gopher plant (Euphorbia rigida) is still glowing in the side garden, although the pincushion foliage of Yucca rostrata ‘Sapphire Skies’ steals the show from certain angles. OK, from all angles.
Insects, after slumbering through winter, are unfurling too. This is one of several argiope spider egg sacs I’ve observed in the front garden. A tiny hole has been punched through the sac. Is this where spiderlings emerged, or did a bird get them, as I’ve read happens to most egg sacs?
And in tribute to the welcome, soaking rains we received last weekend, here’s “Tempest in a Teapot,” a water-evoking wind chime from Living Desert, now called Living Desert Ranch, given to me years ago by my husband. Isn’t it fun?
__________________
I’d love to have your vote in the Better Homes and Gardens 2015 Blogger Awards. The Gardening category is listed first this week, and you can vote as much as you like. Thanks for your support!
All material © 2006-2015 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
I am coveting your wind chime – it hits just the right spot between whimsy and function. And speaking of evocative – with all these orange and purple blooms I’m beginning to think of late March/early April as Nehi Soda time. (for those of you too young to recall – Nehi Grape and Orange Sodas were beverage mainstays of a misspent youth in Central Texas).
I’ve been keeping an eye on two spider egg sacs hanging from an agave out front since last August, but I hadn’t gotten close enough (and didn’t know) to look for holes. I’m definitely going to check them out for signs of escape (or incursion!) next time I’m out. Just like kids to leave home without checking in first!
I didn’t notice the hole until I viewed the photo on my computer, Deb. I searched online for info about how the spiders hatch, but I couldn’t find any pictures of what that looks like. I kind of feel like this hole is too perfectly formed to be an escape hatch, and that a bird poked its beak in there. —Pam
Oh, I don’t remember you ever posting a photo of that teapot before! I love it. A cross spider must have left eggs inside my greenhouse last fall, I’ve got babies everywhere.
I don’t think I’ve ever shown it before, Alison, even though I’ve had it for years. When we moved into this house, I hung it under an eave by the back patio, in an unfortunately easily overlooked spot, and never got around to moving it. I’m not sure this is the best placement either, but at least it’s at eye level for now. —Pam
I’m with TexasDeb in admiring that teapot! How have we managed to miss it? Just proves that we’ll never get enough of your wonderful garden.
I’ve been remiss, Vicki. I love the teapot! See my reply to Alison above. —Pam
A turn of phrase (especially yours) can make one see something in an entirely new light. I have just gained a new appreciation for Leucojum.
Thanks, Ricki. 🙂 —Pam
Oh be still my heart. I love seeing all these early blooms. This means they won’t be too many weeks before I have some of these blooming away in my garden. Love the tempest in the teapot too.
Spring is heading north. Won’t be long, Lisa! —Pam
Lovely iris. They were always my grandmother’s favorites. I don’t have enough sun for this old-fashioned beauty but I have crested iris in the woodland and Japanese roof iris tucked into a bed with dappled sun/shade. Your garden has great style, always enjoy a blog visit. See you in Toronto?
Yes, I will see you at the Garden Bloggers Fling, Marian. I look forward to meeting you! I grew up not far from Greenville, S.C., in Greenwood, so I have a special affection for all the S.C. bloggers who Fling. 🙂 —Pam
Love the teapot and the FLOWERS. I’ve still got ice, but hoping promised rain will at least show me a little muddy earth.
I know you northern gardeners must appreciate spring so much more than we Southerners do — and we appreciate it quite a lot! Hope you get ice-thawing rain soon, Commonweeder. —Pam
Becoming supremely beautiful one bloom at a time. I so want to smell that one tree.~~Dee
Open a container of grape Kool-Aid, Dee, and you’ll know just what it smells like. This is the fragrance of springtime in Austin for me. —Pam
It does seem like spring is ‘unfurling’ a bit at a time. Looks like more in your garden than mine.
Love the windchime. But, that photo of the Summer Snowflake against the blue pot, is stunning.
Thanks, Linda. The plants are going bonkers now. —Pam
Thanks for sharing your spring…since I was unable to visit. The Justicia is something, so is the thought how so much grows and blooms overnight.
Especially at this time of year, and after a winter of good rain. —Pam
Thanks for sharing your spring garden. We are just a little bit behind you. My snowflakes just popped open. I didn’t comment on your new mirror installment but that looks great, also.~J
Thanks, Jeanette! —Pam
I can see that something is quite different from here in Norway, but still something is the same. Lovely flowers! I guess the climate here is not fit for all of them. Have a lovely day! Best wishes from Anne-Kristin in Norway
I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting your beautiful country, Anne-Kristin, but I imagine our climates are indeed quite different. Our hot, subtropical climate jumps early into spring, then quiets down for summer (a long summer!) before roaring back for fall. I bet your summer is glorious! It’s fun to see such differences on garden blogs, isn’t it? —Pam
Congrats, Pam! Well-deserved!!