Wednesday, April 2, 2014

March 2014 End of Month View

Sometimes we gardeners are so focused on what remains to be done that we forget how much progress has been made.  This is why I enjoy looking at the changes through past photos, and just one of the reasons I'm joining  The Patient Gardener for the End of Month View for March.

March is one of the best months for gardening in our climate and we are typically in a big push to get large projects finished.  Plants put in the garden now get a chance to grow in and gain strength before the heat of summer sets in.  This year March has been cooler than usual, but the weather has been great for gardening except on a few days when high winds kept us indoors.

The Salvia greggii blooming along the street are an especially welcomed sight after our cold winter.  These tough native plants are evergreen and resume blooming as soon as the weather warms a bit.  By design the front view does not change much through the seasons, providing an enjoyable view throughout the year.



I'd prefer all the Salvia greggii bloom at once but these along the driveway always lag a bit despite my attempts at selective pruning.  Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha) has been added to the mix after I noted how beautifully they blend with the Gulf Muhly in professionally designed gardens around town.  It will take a while to show the results and should be quite pretty in the autumn.


The Four-nerve daisies which were along the driveway have been transplanted to the island where they show up much better.  I enjoy these almost everblooming native wildflowers which held their blooms all winter and will continue to smile brightly through our hottest summer days.


The iris are in full bloom around the oaks nearer the house.


Spring cleanup and renovation in the side yard is underway.  The perennials have been cut back and the bougainvillea have moved to their summer homes out in the garden.  It's time to plant around the new stone path but I still haven't made up my mind....


No March report from South Texas would be complete without our native Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) which are naturalizing in the buffalo grass lawn.


The new cedar post fence shows them off well.


One of the first plants in the new deer-proof garden behind the fence is this 'Moy Red' rose developed by Ying Doon Moy at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens.  The rose was shared by my friend Melody.  Dr. Moy's story is an inspiration and I'm thrilled to have this gorgeous rose in my garden.


That's the view from our gardens for March.  Thank you to Helen at The Patient Gardener for this helpful meme which encourages us to take a look back to review the changes and progress in the garden.

17 comments:

  1. It is so nice that plants are waking up and growing. My S. gregii hasn't bloomed yet, but hopefully soon. Love your bluebonnets!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's just the start of the season and your garden is looking great already Shirley!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've had people come to a screeching halt to comment on Salvia leucantha. It's an annual here. Love your new stone path. Everything looks mahvelous dahling.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Looking good. You are so right about focusing on what needs to be done without remembering all the progress that has already been made. I need to stop sometimes and just look. Here in the PNW we also try to get our projects done and plants in the ground in early spring so that the spring rains can water things in before our dry season starts in late June/early July. It doesn't get hot here like it does in Texas, but it is 6 to 8 weeks of no rain whatsoever.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your garden always looks wonderful Shirley! Hooray for bluebonnet time again!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good point about looking back at photos to see the progress! I was doing that the other day and was surprised at how much HAS been done on my corral project. I just keep trying to imagine what it will look like when it's all grown in but actually, it IS grown in compared to last year. Glad your Mr. Moy rose is happy in your garden! May it be so for many many years!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Everything looks so nice, Shirley. We'll sure miss you at the plant swap! Stay well.

    patty

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looking good. I especially enjoy the 2nd photo's view - the dry woodland effect overall and nearer the house, and the way you layered the plants in the foreground, so soothing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'd say things are looking great in your gardens. I just love the arch of the trees in the side garden and the stone pathway leading to them. Looking forward to seeing what you do with that area.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your March garden is a breath of fresh air--literally for you and figuratively for those of us still shivering in the north. That red Rose placed near the rock is perfectly situated. And the Bluebonnets--lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for the photos and review. You have a nice place and garden down there. Looks inviting to me. JC

    ReplyDelete
  12. Four-nerve daises! Is there no end to the variety of wonderful plants you can grow that I've never grown – or even seen. I must expand my collection. And those trees hanging over your fine stone path create a scene from central casting. Delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love the trees around your house. They have so much character.

    I love your spring flowers too. Our iris aren't in bloom yet and no bluebonnets here, unfortunately.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for the tour, lovely to see your house and gardens in some long shots again. Everything looking so nice and the new rose seems very happy with its new home :-)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you all for your wonderful comments! I find them so inspiring when I need a kick to get out in the garden.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Love your garden! Especially daisies with rocks. Especially love the scene of the new cedar post fence, it's wonderfufl!!! IfI had a garden with soil (not a balcony) I would have made a natural garden like yours!

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a sweet view especially at the end, with the bluebonnets, rocks, rose, and fence. It's looking very springy in your garden now.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for stopping by. To comment simply open the Name/URL option, put in your name or initials and skip the URL.