New friends

So, I stopped at Red Barn Garden Center a week or so ago, and went a little crazy. I had a running list of plants I wanted to pick up for the west-facing mulch bed we built last year, and I snapped up several of them... and more.

Japanese Aralia, Heartleaf Skullcap, Columbine, Salvia Mystic Spires (a relative of Indigo Spires) and Tropical (or Scarlet) Sage bring up this side of the bed, which was formerly occupied only by two tiny transplanted Columbines and the Cedar Elm.

At the other end, I planted a couple of Yellow Shrimp Plants and another Salvia Mystic Spires to join the other occupants (Knockout Rose, Blanc Du Bois Grape, Pavonia/Rock Rose, Texas Lantana and those newly planted Crinums.)

 

Here's the view from the middle of the bed. It will be fun to see these plants grow up and take over the now mostly-mulch space.

 

A wider view shows the whole bed, which doesn't look like much yet. I have faith.

Here's a closer look at that Scarlet Sage. 

Over in the dirt rectangle left by the transplanted garden box, Natalie and I scattered some wildflower seeds from Native American Seed. Winecups seedlings are slowly emerging. There's Black-Eyed Susan and a bunch of others in the mix.

The Crape Myrtles are leafing out.

That Wisteria I had almost given up on? It's leafing out, too!

Here are a couple of pictures of the towering Chinese Tallow that we are having removed (by Austin Tree Experts) within the next couple of weeks. I'm confident in my decision, and there are things I won't miss (like the hard pollen spikes and cracked-open seed pods that clutter up the yard every year). It's an invasive tree. Still, it has been a reliable shade tree, with attractive foliage, and I've enjoyed watching the wildlife in its branches.

At its base is a small watering hole for birds, squirrels and butterflies.

Back to all things new--on the same Red Barn trip,  I picked up several succulents to replace the ones I lost in this year's freezes. Kelanchoe, Hens and Chicks, Echeveria, some kind of Sedum, and Dragon's Blood liven up the pots now.

Catmint is perking up nicely. I've told Rachel she has to withhold the scissors until this one gets big enough that the leaves are spilling out of the pot. She loves to cut on this plant, and it didn't seem to mind last year.

The chimney garden--all of my Leucojum (Snowflake) bulbs were blooming at one point. I think three are blooming in this picture.

I had to catch the Texas Redbud while it was blooming. That never lasts more than a couple of weeks before the green leaves start to take over. I think perhaps it's not completely happy in this spot, but I love to look at it from the kitchen window.

Meanwhile in the garden box, strawberries are plumping up. This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago. A couple of these are big and turning red now.