Sunday, May 11, 2014
Time to begin posting again
It's been a long long time since I last posted. So, I think it's time to begin again. Ann is retired now and we have the opportunity to travel together. We have our second motorhome, it is a 32 foot long. Our plan is to do quite a bit of traveling this summer. We will be going to Missouri in a couple more weeks and my intentions are to post blogs with photos as we travel. This will be a new exercise for me so I am looking forward to trying it out. Stay tuned for future blogs.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Drought
The drought last summer killed the St. Augustine grass in the yard. Planting Buffalo and Blue Gamma grass seed.
Pictures to follow.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Yard Update
The project has grown since I last posted. We decided to put in a cactus/succulent garden. This area gets the hot sun from noon until sunset. Ann loves them and we believed it will be good a good addition to the front yard. I was also able to cap-off three sprinkler heads to this area.
There are 23 different plants in this cactus/succulent bed and 11 different species.
The corner bed over the drain is turning out nicely; the rosemary is beginning to cascade over the wall. I believe they will help soften the area as they grow larger. The shrimp plants are from cuttings from our daughter Rebecca's yard in Houston.
The large bed toward the street is shown below. It now has 90 plants of 27 different species. Only 4 plants were purchased this year, the rest are transplants from other parts of the yard, gifts or starts from cuttings.
Almost all the plants in the yard are native and adaptive plants that need little water once established. I have redone the sprinkler system in all the beds. If I need I can water these young and/or transplanted plants.
The bed closest to the house has 81 plants of 23 different species. There is still a large palet for planting in this bed.
I believe that I want to build and arbor that would have a swing under it in the upper right of the above picture. It would be up close to the property line. Muscadine grapes could be used to cover the arbor and would make for a wonderful place to sit and meditate.
Below are a couple of pictures from the back yard. I planted a one square foot raised kitchen garden. It is 4X8 feet and has 32 plants for the kitchen. Also a picutre of my almost ripe tomatoes.
There are 23 different plants in this cactus/succulent bed and 11 different species.
The corner bed over the drain is turning out nicely; the rosemary is beginning to cascade over the wall. I believe they will help soften the area as they grow larger. The shrimp plants are from cuttings from our daughter Rebecca's yard in Houston.
The large bed toward the street is shown below. It now has 90 plants of 27 different species. Only 4 plants were purchased this year, the rest are transplants from other parts of the yard, gifts or starts from cuttings.
Almost all the plants in the yard are native and adaptive plants that need little water once established. I have redone the sprinkler system in all the beds. If I need I can water these young and/or transplanted plants.
The bed closest to the house has 81 plants of 23 different species. There is still a large palet for planting in this bed.
I believe that I want to build and arbor that would have a swing under it in the upper right of the above picture. It would be up close to the property line. Muscadine grapes could be used to cover the arbor and would make for a wonderful place to sit and meditate.
Below are a couple of pictures from the back yard. I planted a one square foot raised kitchen garden. It is 4X8 feet and has 32 plants for the kitchen. Also a picutre of my almost ripe tomatoes.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Black Swallowtail Butterfly Chrysalis
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Dill Plant Community
The front yard continues to develop and there is a new area added to the South of the driveway. Pictures will be posted soon on the progress. Today I wish to share the community that has developed in the dill plants that I have been growing as host plants for the Black Swallowtail Butterfly. (Click on images to enlarge)
This plant was started in early January and since mid-February has been a home for aphids, Ladybugs, caterpillars and other folks. It has been amazing to watch the development of the different creatures living there. First the aphids showed up, soon followed by the Ladybugs. At the same time the Black Swallowtail was laying eggs on the plant. Below are photos of some of the activity observed.
Dill Plant
This plant was started in early January and since mid-February has been a home for aphids, Ladybugs, caterpillars and other folks. It has been amazing to watch the development of the different creatures living there. First the aphids showed up, soon followed by the Ladybugs. At the same time the Black Swallowtail was laying eggs on the plant. Below are photos of some of the activity observed.
Ladybug
Ladybug Eggs and Aphids
Ladybug Larva with Caterpillar
Ladybug Pupa
The Black Swallowtail caterpillars have been growing nicely in community with everyone else. Here are a couple of pictures of their development. I'll post more about them as they become butterflies.
Newly Hatched
More Mature
If you want to save some money plant a dill plant and cancel your cable tv. Dill has much better programing than cable.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Front Yard 20090307
Well, the 12 yards of mulch was still a bit short for covering the entire area. So I'll need more mulch, but that's a good thing, gave me some time to evaluate a walk-way system for the areas. Did spend time the last two days planting plants as a beginning to the planting process. Used grasses from the back yard that needed to be thinned and shrubs from the front of the house where I want to de-emphasize the more formal landscape structure. I have used Yaupon Holly, Mexican Honeysuckle, Zebra grass, silver blue stem grass and boxwood.
This has been a great process, I have interacted more with my neighbors in the last week than in the last year.
This has been a great process, I have interacted more with my neighbors in the last week than in the last year.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Limestone Edging in Place
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