Can the Rain Save Us?

The temps have been something to behold in Central Texas this year, with weeks of triple digit heat already. It's like a repeat of last summer. Stepping outside is like walking into a blast furnace. Stand on the asphalt and you can feel the temperature go up a notch or two more (that's why shade trees are so good for the city). The plants are getting brown, wilted and crispy. The grackles are standing still in the yard with their beaks open and panting.

But we were treated to a summer rain, which is very rare during this terrible drought, this past Tuesday. It brought us 1 inch of rain at the Grackle!

It also brought out the mushrooms, their fruiting bodies waiting to explode from the mulch.

It perked up these purple coneflowers that have somehow survived the crispy afternoon sun.

And just that 1 inch filled my 2 empty 75-gallon rain barrels to the brim. It feels good to be able to save that precious rain and make it go much further over the weeks.

That's a fleeting rain that you really have to appreciate around here. The temperatures are already back up in the 100s, with little moisture in sight...

Front Hardscape: A Virtual Design

Often, landscape designers and landscape architects will take real photos of the spaces they will be working on and layer tracing paper or vellum over those photos to sketch out their ideas. It's a great way to see how all those overhead drawings will turn out in perspective. I've done the same thing here for the developing front garden plan, only using Photoshop and Illustrator, to see what some of these walls and walkways might look like.

The materials aren't represented here--just the shapes. Here's what the front walk might look like:

And the walls and front stairs from a couple of angles:

I'd definitely like to someday have a gate/arbor at the entrance. And I'm thinking of using drystack limestone, like that pictured below, for the wall.

Of course, no design or material is set in stone just yet. I'm dreaming away. Ah, dreams. [The before photos are in the previous post.]

Front Garden: Brainstorm Part I

I've been dreaming about doing something to the front yard for a while, sketching out 1,000 plans, dreaming out the window, pondering. And though the resources (i.e., cold hard cash) still are not abundant, I'm beginning to get much closer to the Do It Time. I can feel it in the hot air.

The first part of the project will be to re-established a front wall. (Here's the one I took down during winter.) There have been times that I've wanted to wall the front yard in with tall walls and call it my private haven. I absolutely love courtyard gardens and walled front gardens, especially after my travels to Mexico and New Mexico. Oh, wow, that still sounds so nice.

But, I've decided that a smaller, more suburb-appropriate wall will make more sense. Just something about 2-3 feet tall and limestone to match the house. A little something to mark the barrier and give the space some architecture. The courtyard feeling will have to come later, as I plant shrubs, small trees and perennials to make a green hedge. I'm still looking for that enclosed private feeling, but I think it could be softer. If everyone in the 'hood had tall front walls, I'd be all over it, but it would be too out of place and isolating within the current fashion.

Last weekend, I staked out the potential wall, path and stair locations with wood and string. This string marks where I'd like the new front walk (pictured from the front door):

Unfortunately, the circular brick walk is history. It has its moments, but I'm more a fan of the straight, take-me-where-I-need-to-go walkway. There's definitely something to be said for dallying about a meandering path, and for making visitors pause to appreciate the garden. But, I just can't feel how it would work here, so I'm going with my gut.

Squint the eyes and you can make out the front wall here...

For the Birds

Lately, the hummingbirds, or at least one hummingbird, has been zooming about the garden like the Jetsons. I haven't been able to catch the critter on film, but I can capture a couple of the plants blooming right now that we've put in to attract hummingbirds .

There's the desert willow (on its second bloom of the summer):

The flame acanthus (just beginning to bloom):

The turk's cap (which seems to always be blooming):

And speaking of the desert willow, I trimmed a branch off today and found this beautiful praying mantis hiding amongst the long slender leaves:

My Great Outdoors

Our "natural modern patio" is being featured on Apartment Therapy as part of their "My Great Outdoors" series.

Cool!

Snake in Eden

This 3-foot long Blotched Water Snake visited our yard late last week. A beautiful creature that is always confused with cottonmouths. This one is non-venomous, but it flattens its head out to look more menacing when threatened. After a pause, it disappeared into the garden, probably on the hunt for gulf toads. Cool!

Tomatoes Suck

There, I've said it.

Yes, it's one of the New World fruits that changed the culinary trajectory of the entire world. Yes, they can be juicy, sweet, tangy and wonderful. And, yes, tomatoes are one of the most commonly grown fruits in the garden.

But I've decided that I am DONE with growing tomatoes. That may sound a little drastic, but year after year, I try to grow them, from 'Celebrety' to 'Early Girl' to 'Juliette.' And each year they fail me (or I fail them). I've come to now see them as a waste of my time.

If it's not the squirrels, nabbing every blushing pink tomato off the vine:

It's the stink bugs, sticking their probosci down into the tomato and pocking it with hard little bite marks:

My plants may get large:

But largely, they are a waste of water and time. Tomatoes, I am done with you, my friends. I will see you at the Farmer's Market. Until then...