31 March 2009

Be Fruitful and Multiply

This is our 3rd spring in this garden - the longest I've ever "owned" a garden. (Don't ever let a garden hear anything about that ownership thing. It'll show you who is boss real quick.) And this spring, I'm happy to see things flourishing in a different way than ever before. They are growing bigger and filling in their space. Some plants, like the purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) and cutleaf (or Engelmann's) daisy have seeded out and are growing all around the garden. This is what I've been waiting for.


Purple coneflower just coming into bloom in the "woodland" garden. Everything else, from cutleaf daisy (foreground in right corner) to Texas betony, ruellia, sedge, and violets are growing gangbusters.

In Wisconsin, I always heard the adage: sleep, creep, then leap. New plants slept the first year, settling themselves in. They grew at a creep the second year, just experimenting with their home. And then the third year, by golly, they lept into action after establishing healthy roots. Well, I'm not so sure if that old adage works here in Texas since our seasons are so different (any experience Texans willing to weigh in?), but I'm beginning to think so. This 3rd year is kicking some butt. Yeehaw.


The Jerusalem sage does not disappoint. These garish yellow clusters of flowers emit a real sultry smell too.


Surprise! I caught the lyre-leaf sage with a bloom or two. Not the show I was hoping for, but maybe that fourth year will be the charm.


Gulf coast penstemon is just coming into bloom. Looks great with the yellow columbine.


And the peach is in bloom too.

6 comments:

Sheila said...

It looks lovely!

mss @ Zanthan Gardens said...

My Jerusalem sage is looking very nice at the moment but I've never noticed a scent. The first thing I'm going to do tomorrow is run outside and smell it.

I think the "sleep, creep, and leap" adage applies here in Central Texas...*if* your plants survive three years in a row. Between drought and flood, unusually warm years when nothing freezes and unusually cold years when everything does it's hard for plants to settle in. If you plant xeric, we have a flood and it rots. If you plant tropicals, then drought. It's a constant adventure.

Pam/Digging said...

I agree with the third-year adage.

After your post about the lyre leaf sage, I decided I couldn't leave it behind in my old garden even if it isn't the showiest plant. So now I have some again, and perhaps it'll even bloom despite the transplant.

TexasDeb said...

I think plants are like people. Once they get their roots really deep in, they like to stick around and show off a little.

mss hits the nail on the head - between the flip flop of settings - now we are a "desert" - now we have a "monsoon season" the survivors DESERVE to show off.

I didn't know the Jerusalem Sage is scented either. This afternoon once the pesky oak pollen counts lower a bit I will run out and try to sniff mine. Alert the media!

Rock rose said...

I thought of you when I was looking at my lyre leaf sage today, because I remember the comment you made about the missing flowers some time ago. I noticed some of mine are really flowering well. The ones in the shade are not quite so colorful. MAybe they like more sun than I thought.

Lee said...

Hi LR-

I'm happy to report that my lyreleaf are blooming pretty nicely now too. I think I spoke too soon! I really like their pale blue flowers--they almost outcompete the Gulf penstemmon for show.

Thanks for thinking of me. Glad to hear yours are blooming well!