Texas nolina & more thirsty bees
Cousin Itt has a new home. I brought this potted Texas nolina (Nolina texana) from my old garden right before we leased the Unsold House, and it has been sitting on a wheeled cart in the back yard for a couple of weeks as I pondered where to put it.
Texas nolina, also known as basket grass or sacahuista, is a xeric, slow-growing native plant that can be easy to overlook. It forms a grass-like clump of long, thin leaves, and the springtime ivory-colored flowers appear on low stalks tucked among the leaves (for an image of nolina flowers, click and scroll down). I’ve seen Texas nolinas growing wild in sun and shade along the hiking trails of Wild Basin. When planted on a slope or in a container, the leaves cascade like a waterfall.
If you look for one in local nurseries like Barton Springs, be aware that there is also Lindheimer nolina, another Texas native, which is similar though taller, and whose flowers appear high on a bloom stalk. I grew it in the old garden too. Both make good container plants because, like cacti, they can go long periods without watering.
I decided Cousin Itt would make a good focal point for one of the sight lines across the stock-tank pond. You can see it behind the rooster on the far side of the pond.
Speaking of the pond, the bees are thirstier than ever. I’ve counted up to 17 bees bellying up to the trough at one time. It’s quite the happy hour location.
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Those bees are too funny. I wonder if any of them have had a dunking? I have lots of bees here but have never seen any of them go to water.
Yes, a few have fallen in and had to be rescued. Others manage to climb out on a lily leaf. —Pam
I guess your new garden is the place to bee. Now, when are you going to give your new garden its own name?
All in good time, Carol. For now “new-baby garden” suffices. I’ll know it’s growing up when a name occurs to me. —Pam
Cousin It and the bees all looking very charming in your garden!
I would love to find a grass I could use in a pot here. I guess a native blue stem would grow in a pot and look good. It doesn’t cascade though. It stands tall and straight. Hmmmmm…. Poor little bees. They seem to love your pond.
Grasses do look good in pots. Nolina is not actually a grass though. It’s a member of the woody lily clan that includes agaves and yuccas. —Pam
Pam it appears you found the perfect spot, a good reminder that it pays to be patient and wait for inspiration. What an excellent bee shot! You should win another award for that one.
Those bees are too much! So nice of you to give them their own water trough. I’ve never seen anything like that before.
Cousin Itt makes a nice addition to the new baby garden! Hey, only 39 days till October 1st, Pam! Can we make it?
Yes, we can! (We must.) —Pam
Everything is thirsty … and about to get thirstier. I can’t imagine how they would all be if we weren’t watering them.
Pam, are the bees also still coming to your birdbath or have they forsaken it for your pond? Our bees seem to come and go now, depending on whether we get rain (I hesitate to mention rain to anyone in Austin!). Texas nolina is such an easy-peasy plant. I remember learning that the original inhabitants of central Texas used to make baskets out of it.
They mostly prefer the pond, Jean, although a few still use the birdbath. Yeah, no real rainfall in Austin for ever so long. And yes, I’ve read that Native Americans made baskets from the nolina’s leaves as well. —Pam
The bar is…OPEN! My goodness.
Love the photo of the bees, Pam. Excellent photography. Keep them coming…
They are bellying up to the bar! It’s a great photo Pam! Cousin It is great looking in his new home….This week I go hunting for a round stock tank…The oval models are the thing up here! gail
Those Bee’s are still fascinating to me, lol.
Jake
Hopefully my Nolina will recover from near death to someday look as gorgeous as yours. Poor neglected thing. I love your bee photos — I’m finally seeing bees visit my pond. They land on a rock at the waterfall, rather than on the lily pads (the hornets and wasps have claimed those, I guess). Very odd, but I’m not complaining!
Hi Pam, I love where you have placed Cousin It, your eye is so well trained. Those bees are amazing, we have had bees at the pond edges where the gravel slopes down into the water, but never in those kinds of numbers even thought the garden is loaded with bees of all sorts. Your stock pond is a true oasis. 🙂
Frances
Love Cousin It. Always have. Very pretty. Every time I see those bees belly up to the bar, I’m so grateful you put in that pond. I think I should do one too. Will try for next year. On my slope, will need to level it for sure.~~Dee
Oh, Pam, it is so lovely. The pond looks so established – like it’s been there for a long time. I’m so glad the bees have it as a resource – and I love Cousin Itt. Congratulations. I hope your drought breaks soon – just the right amount over a little time so everything has a chance to soak it all in.
What an AWESOME picture of the drinking bees! I’ve never seen such a thing … incredible! I think that’s another award winning image for you, Pam!
xoivette!
the picture of your thirsty bees is wonderful. love it.
Pam, the bee photo is amazing. Not just the fact that they’re lined up like that, but that you caught it! I rarely have camera in hand when I need it. You should get an award for being prepared!
I never thought about how things like grasses and cacti would be for containers. I am always so bad about watering my pots. Maybe I should think about changing my plant palette to suit my habits!
Awesome bee pic!