Category: Flowers

Jul 22, 2010

Red

Before buying my first house 12 years ago and having a yard and flower beds of my own, I didn’t really pay much attention to flowers, plants, grasses.  I didn’t know their names, and didn’t take the time to appreciate a really pretty and well tended garden.

Since then, I’ve really come to enjoy gardening, over the years planting many beds of my own, trying different plantings.  I’ve tried my hand at vegetable gardens as well, but they always seem to fall victim to the unbearable heat of our summers.  Native flowers and plants are much more fun to grow — they seem to thrive in this crazy weather.

A few years ago I discovered that geraniums do really well outside here and have planted several.   Unless there’s a really hard freeze, they make it through the winter just fine.

This is a shot of a geranium I planted in the bed this year — a pretty deep red.

Jul 18, 2010

Baby echinacea up close

I weeded the flower bed yesterday, and it’s much easier to see the new buds and foliage.  This is bud #2 from the purple coneflower.   I don’t know what it is about closeups that captures my interest.    This one was too hard to pass by.

Jul 16, 2010

Crown of stars

I do enjoy taking photos of the flowers in the garden.   But at the risk of posting yet-another-zinnia photo, I decided to play with the color on this shot that I took during my walk out back today.

Jul 9, 2010

After a rain

The purple coneflower that I planted a month or two ago has started to bloom.   I have tried to grow these in the past and they never took.  Maybe it’s due to the preparation of the flower bed that I did this year – compost, mulch and fertilizer.   Works wonders.

It’s been rainy today.  I got this shot this afternoon in between rain showers.   I like the water droplets on the tips of the petals.

Jun 25, 2010

Another zinnie

Another week flown by.  Got a lot accomplished, but lots more to do.

I had a bit of an inspiration-less day today.   Meetings start at 6:30 every day, and run through the early evening.    It’s refreshing when I can finally log off for the day.

Walking around outside seems to take bit of the fogginess out of my head.   I know I’ve been posting lots of flower pics, but I enjoy sharing them.  Here is another zinnia.

I really like this Canon PowerShot D10.   I’ve found it takes great close up shots.  But, not so great wide shots.   Or, it could be me.  I think it’s time I dig out the manual.  Maybe I’ll flip through that this weekend.

Tonight we are enjoying a quiet Friday night at home.   We’ve got the original “Flipper” movie queued up on the DVR.   Yes, that’s right — the 1960’s movie about the dolphin.

Oh, by the way… just 6 months from today until Christmas (!)

Jun 24, 2010

Butterfly's eye view

The lantana is booming this year.   The butterflies are all over their little bunches of flowers.   They do look mighty tasty, don’t you think?

Jun 23, 2010

Volunteer

For the last couple of years sunflowers have mysteriously appeared in the flowerbed out back.  I assume they were seeded by birds on their way back from the feeder… or maybe those pesky squirrels.   They’re a nice addition to the garden.

This one is about 4 feet tall so far and has a number of buds ready to pop.

Jun 21, 2010

Summer!

Today is the Summer Solstice — gateway to the REALLY hot temperatures for us.   Tis the season for sprinklers!  Our herb and flower beds will need some extra H2O to get a break from the heat from here on out.

I watched the spray of water go back and forth for a while and thought about what was going on the first day of Summer a year ago.   We had just returned from a most excellent week-long trip sailing through the Abacos with Lori & Dave.   The remodel on our house had started while we were away.  We returned to a house full of boxes, dust and workmen;  and no kitchen or laundry room for the next 6 months.   Whew!  I’m really glad that’s behind us.

As for Summer 2010….bring it on!

Jun 20, 2010

Pretty blue flowers

I have work-work to do today, so Monte’s gone to the lake by himself.     For a change of scenery, every now and then I need to get up and take a walk outside.

This is a shot of some blue plumbago that I planted a year or two ago.   I like plumbago because of the pretty blue color, and how it contrasts with the orange flowers that are nearby.

Also, it’s pretty much indestructible in the Central Texas heat.

Jun 17, 2010

Peace out

This week is flying by…I can’t believe tomorrow is Friday.

I have 2 potted Peace Lily plants.   Both came from the same original plant, which I’ve had for over 14 years (wow!).   When I first moved to Austin, my mom sent me a plant basket as a house-warming (or at the time, apartment-warming) gift.   In it were 3 small plants — a peace lily, an ivy and a fern.  The last 2 are long gone, but this guy has stuck with me.

With the great light in the game room and foyer in this house, they’re thriving.  I love the blooms.

Jun 3, 2010

Zinnies

The rain has been kind to my gardens.  This is the patch of zinnias that Monte planted from seed in February/March.   They are clearly benefiting from all the time  Susanne spent during her visit in December  to weed, compost, till and prepare these flower beds.  They’re feeling the love.   Thanks Susanne… you’ll have to come back soon and see them in person.

We’ve already been cutting blooms to enjoy inside the house.   I love fresh flowers!

May 31, 2010

Climbing vine

Happy Memorial Day.   After two days on the lake it’s nice to lay low.   I had work stuff I needed to get done today, but found time to talk a walk out back and water the flowers.

This is a shot of the morning glory that I planted from seed.   I got this garden obelisk several years ago and have tried to grow a climbing, flowering plant on it several times in the past, but each time it has died.   This one seems to have legs and I like to go out in the morning to see the blooms.

I didn’t get a flag pole mounted for this year.  Hopefully I can do that before the 4th of July.  For now, though, on this Memorial Day, let me just leave you with this:

“It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press.  It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate.  It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.”

– Charles M. Province, US Army

May 28, 2010

My lovely hibiscus

After being out of town all week, I was looking forward to check out the garden and flowers.   So, I took a walk out back with my morning coffee and my camera.   There are so many pretty blooms.

There are 3 hibiscus plants along the back of the house and they always put out a ton of blooms.   This is a picture of a Rose of Sharon — hibiscus syriacus.   Google tells me this is the national flower of Korea.    That’s nice, but I like having it here in Central Texas.

May 18, 2010

Petunias

I’m a big fan of perennials.   They make gardening a lot easier.  I’m sometimes surprised at what comes back every year.  This petunia is 3 years old.   It sits outside every winter and dies back to nothing but dirt in the basket.   This last winter was particularly cold.  I didn’t think it had survived.  Yet, every spring I’m pleased to see it pop back to life with one little green leaf.  It doesn’t take long for it to fill up the basket once again.

I think I’ll get a bunch more of these in lots of different colors — since I am apparently unable to kill them.