Yes, more of EVERYTHING! Rocks, beds, plants, WORK....
But not as much work as James did last week when he gathered up big limestone rocks from the sewer line project on our street (yes, he called City Hall and got permission first). He spent most of the afternoon, hauling what turned out to be a rather large pile of rocks! It was raining that day, too, so he had to deal with wet stuff and mud. But that didn't deter our determined, hard-working guy!
A few days later, he laid out new beds in the back yard and filled the areas with mulch. Last Tuesday, we headed to Austin, visited four different nurseries and bought more....
From Texas Grown Plants....
Texas betony
(I've been wanting another one of these.)
Heartleaf skullcap
...
Salvia greggii 'Orchid Delight'
Lantana 'Cream Spreader'
(also–not pictured–a Salvia greggii 'Red')
Salvia greggii 'Compact Orange'
Wedelia hispida
Lantana x 'Purple Trailing'
Salvia greggii 'White'
Pigeonberry
(I LOVE pigeonberry!! We bought a second one and a rock rose, too.)
...
Blood weed 'Silky Scarlet'
(Asclepias curassavica)
(This butterfly week–which I planted near blue mistflower in a front bed–won't likely overwinter, but I HAD to buy one for all the queens. Milkweeds are caterpillar
host plants for queens and monarchs.)
Dwarf goldenrod 'Golden Baby'
(I was really excited to find this short version of the fall-blooming native!)
Rollin' in Thyme & Dough
Yellow bush daisy
Euryops pectinatus
(nonnative)
American beautyberry
A gift from Kaye Northcott, my former editor at
Texas Co-op Power magazine
* * * *
AND HERE ARE OUR FINISHED BEDS! Nature, you take it from here!
This morning, I was out making my rounds, refreshening hummingbird feeders and greeting everyone. When I glanced over at the plates we keep in the Sanctuary, I spotted this little guy, lounging in the moisture. I'm pretty sure it's a juvenile Gulf Coast toad. We've seen several around in the back yard, all about this same size. I think it's just cool when they find the plates of water that we set out.
As you might guess, I have pals all over our Wildscape. But a few I greet on a daily basis. Like this little green praying mantis on the Jerusalem sage. I noticed him a few weeks ago and have kept almost a daily watch on him. He's doubled in size and getting bigger every day. One of these days, he's gonna figure out that if he moves to the nearby blue mistflowers, he'll have a guaranteed diet of queen butterflies!
Snowberry clearwing moth
But not as much work as James did last week when he gathered up big limestone rocks from the sewer line project on our street (yes, he called City Hall and got permission first). He spent most of the afternoon, hauling what turned out to be a rather large pile of rocks! It was raining that day, too, so he had to deal with wet stuff and mud. But that didn't deter our determined, hard-working guy!
Texas betony
Heartleaf skullcap
Salvia greggii 'Orchid Delight'
Lantana 'Cream Spreader'
Salvia greggii 'Compact Orange'
Lantana x 'Purple Trailing'
Salvia greggii 'White'
Pigeonberry
Blood weed 'Silky Scarlet'
Dwarf goldenrod 'Golden Baby'
Yellow bush daisy
American beautyberry
Wow, look what I spotted when I was checking on the butterflies up in the live oak–a pair of LARGE click beetles (uh, mating)! "I've never seen those before!" I exclaimed to James. They were feeding alongside the butterflies. I checked on Bugguide.net, and I think they're a click beetle known as Alaus lusciosus. They're really beautiful insects. I was impressed.
