Garden stirrings
The freeze-damaged aloes (Aloe maculata) may have lost most of their fleshy arms, but check this out: they’re sending up flower spikes for spring anyway. Go, aloes, go!
Here’s another one with just a couple “limbs,” but look at the size of that flower spike. These plants are so freeze-maimed that I ought to replace them with pups I saved in the garage. But I just don’t have the heart. They’re trying so hard.
We had a new fence built along the east-side property line last week. The old fence lasted about 14 years, but it was leaning and rotting. We followed the trend and went with a horizontal-board fence this time.
Update: Everyone is asking about the stacked paver pedestal. The spacers are 12″ square concrete pavers, stacked between 18″ square pavers. Make sure you put in a solid foundation for it, like several inches of tamped paver base or decomposed granite, so it doesn’t tilt over time.
The stock tank is fully planted up with Ursula the variegated whale’s tongue agave (recovering from the December deep freeze and then being wrenched out of its rootbound pot), plus lots of oxblood lily bulbs and a few rain lilies, a soon-to-be unifying field of silver ponyfoot…
…and a dash of color from native four-nerve daisy (Tetraneuris scaposa) and winecup (Callirhoe involucrata).
The stock tank gets significantly more sun since the ice storm took out a bunch of big limbs on the live oaks. It’s easy to be OK with that now, when temps are mild(ish). More sun, more flowers after all. I hope I feel the same way this summer.
I love this time of year in the garden. All the promise of spring is in the air, even as reminders of last season still hang on a little longer. Here’s to new beginnings, which is what the garden is always about.
__________________________
Digging Deeper
Experience the Surreal Garden at Zilker Botanical Garden, an enchanting neon-art display throughout the gardens, with food and drink, music and dancing, surreal performers, and interactive art sculptures. Surreal costumes encouraged! 25% of event proceeds benefit the Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy. Runs April 6 (VIP Night), April 7-8, and April 13-15, from 6:30 pm to 11 pm.
Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Season 8 kicks off in fall 2024. Stay tuned for more info!
All material © 2024 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Those brave little aloes deserve a chance. I wouldn’t have the heart to toss them either.
It’s great to see signs of spring. Especially looking forward to the stock tank coming into its own.
Me too, and I think it’ll happen fast with the early spring we’re having. Now if we can just get a few good rains.
REALLY ADMIRE:
1. that awesome new fence – really in keeping with the changes you’ve made over the years to both house and garden…
2. the BRILLIANT pedestal under the turquoise pot! sure, i’ve stacked the same square pavers to make pedestals before,
WHY did i never think of inserting spacers?! Consider yourself copied immediately (and by the way, that metal lizard
looks awfully familiar!)
3. yes, the against-all-odds grit of the aloe…her sisters in SA are pulling for her 🙂
4. your own positive attitude after such destruction in your garden…i’m sure the plants will respond to it and soon all will
be at maximum gorgeousness again!
and one last cheery thought: how many fewer bags of oak leaves will you be hauling this year? glass half full? 😉
LCP, I appreciate your look-on-the-bright-side take on the trees! The same thought had occurred to me, but I’m not sure I’m coming out ahead on the leaves considering how much effort and time we’ve spent hauling and cleaning up after fallen limbs – ha!
I wish I could take credit for the paver pedestal, but I copied that myself from an online magazine article from somewhere. The spacers are 12″ square concrete pavers, stacked between 18″ square pavers. The lizard enjoys his new sunny perch!
As the great Tom Lehrer sang: “Plagiarize, plagiarize, let nothing evade your eyes. But remember, call it research!”
Good one, Peter! And also, there’s nothing new under the sun. We’re all bouncing ideas off each other all the time. The key is to make it uniquely yours in some way.
I love the plinth you made for the turquoise pot! What did you use for spacers?
Happy to see some signs of spring. BTW, my Moby clone is doing well. I have protected him from the freezes.
I’m glad your Moby Jr. is doing well and you’ve taken such good care of him! The plinth spacers are 12″ square concrete pavers, stacked between 18″ square pavers.
Your photos are a lovely tribute to nature’s resilience.
Thanks, Kris. Nature always offers plenty of interest and beauty.
Hi!
I’m new to your site — and — new to Austin area ..
Love the photo of the “yard with a new fence” -is that yours?
Do you design yards (cause mine needs it!) for drought resistance?
Or — would you advice?
Thanks Much!
Hi Pam, and welcome to Austin. I’m not offering design services currently, but you’ll find Austin has lots of landscape designers. I believe Barton Springs Nursery is also offering design services now. And check out the PBS TV series Central Texas Gardener for design ideas from local gardeners.
Those Aloe maculata are AMAZING! As is your new (“plagiarized”) pedestal.
Thanks, and yes, I’m cheering those aloes on.
I love horizontal fencing. I would love to have it here at our home, but the HOA would have a fit – plus my hubs would not understand at all the unnecessary expense! Your fence looks amazing!
Your aloes are so plucky! It is incredible how much will – to – live some things have. Do you think they will ever regain their graceful beauty? Are they one of those succulents you can cut the top off and root? I hope they survive into old age!
These two survivors are already pretty old. I do think they’ll put on new growth, and they’re still making pups. So we’ll see!
Hi Pam! Your new fence is quite handsome, I must say! Is that a round mirror on the fence or is it a port hole? Have you decided on a new shed color yet?
Thanks, Ginny. That’s a mirror with a corrugated metal frame. I’m still mulling over my shed paint options. 🙂
Pam, would you share where you got the wonderful bird nest in your latest post.
So many great things in your yard.
Thank you,
Barbara King
Birds are talented artists! It’s the real deal. 🙂