Archive for April, 2009
I give up - the Virginia creeper has won the battle. Several years ago, we took out all the grass in our front yard and planted a garden of drought tolerant understory trees, shrubs and perennials. I thought I had pulled up all of the Virginia creeper so that the more “preferable” perennials could take its place. In one corner, I planted a flat of 4″ lyre leaf sage. Three years later about a third of the yard was Virginia creeper and lyre leaf sage. This was not my plan! Through the years, I have managed to control the sage, but nothing I did could keep the creeper in check.
A couple of weeks ago I took some time to contemplate this year’s plan of attack. As I stood by the curb, I was suddenly struck by how lovely the blue blooms of the few remaining lyre leaf sage looked standing tall through the bright green lush growth of Virginia creeper. I loved it! Some Texas Gold columbines have reseeded themselves in the same area. They too look so pretty. I have a great stand of cedar sage in my back yard. I am going to transplant them to the front. Their red blooms, too, will look great through the creeper. I cannot believe I am saying this - but I am also going to plant some more lyre leaf sage. I can hardly wait until next spring!
This past week I attended an event sponsored by REAL School Gardens at an elementary school in Grand Prairie. Members of the school’s “Green Team” gave us tours of their garden. They were so proud of it, and rightfully so. Afterwards, we were inspired by author Jane Kirkland’s program “I saw a Bald Eagle Soaring over My Grocery Store.” In ten years, Jane has switched from being a computer book author to being a naturalist. It all began when she looked up one day and saw a bald eagle!
This morning I spent some time weeding and thinking about Jane’s program. In one short hour, I watched a ladybug looking for something to eat, and some very fat swallowtail larvae devouring the rest of what was just a week ago a very lush stand of fennel. Anoles were sunning themselves on a paddle plant; a large lizard was doing the same on a rock wall, as were the dozens of turtles on the banks of the lake. Cardinals, wrens and mockingbirds were singing and I heard briefly the sound of a purple martin overhead - they continue to ignore the house that has been ready and waiting for them for many years. A baby blue heron was “fishing”. I inadvertently found a mother duck and a nest of six eggs; no weeding in that part of the garden for a while. I found many worms in the soil, the result of years of organic gardening.
It was a great hour. Had I not been outside, I would not have noticed all that was just outside my back door.
Whenever we have family and friends for dinner, I take a few moments, walk through our garden and look for “flowers” for a few vases. Quite often, I use shoots of umbrella sedge to fill a set of 3 skinny vases. There is always a rose by the kitchen sink. I needed something for a side table the other day. Previously I had used a small stem of hellebores. I was impressed with how long it lasted. This time I tried columbine. It is a real winner - not only as a cut flower, but also as a garden plant.
There is no grass in our very shady front yard. We rely upon drought-tolerant plants that take care of themselves. Several years ago, I planted two or three Aquilegia hinckleyana “Texas Gold” columbines. Over time, there are now probably a dozen or more, standing about 18 to 24 inches tall. I love the lacy-looking bluish-green foliage. The butter yellow, long-spurred blooms last at least six weeks each spring. They even have a slightly, sweet fragrance.
No wonder we list this as one of our top ten plants for the shade…
Many years ago (actually it was 1992, the first months of being in business), I had my first proud shipment of antique roses in place ready to sell. I walked out one March morning a month after they had arrived and noticed that they were covered in aphids! My first instinct was to spray them with the recommended pesticides I still had in stock - malathion and orthene. They were not doing the job and in the meanwhile, I was getting sick each time they were applied. I resorted to having the young man working for me do the applications. No success. It was then suggested to me to release the beneficial insects, ladybugs and green lacewings to take care of them. I did so. Three days later, all of the aphids were gone!
I learned quickly that certain plants attracted aphids–roses, daylilies and butterfly weed being the most common culprits. Very early on Monday mornings you can find me ordering plants for the week. Quite often, I would notice that the daylilies were covered in aphids. I would fetch a bag or two of ladybugs from the refrigerator, sprinkle them amongst the daylilies, return a couple of days later, and see no aphids. How much easier can it be!
When our grandchildren were much younger, we would always have an Easter egg hunt amongst the plants at our Arlington store. One April morning, the picnic table that our employees use at lunchtime was covered with thousands of ladybug larvae. These little “gators” eat more aphids that the adult ladybug. I was quite amazed.
So to those who say that the ladybugs fly away…these larvae, the accumulation of many years of releasing ladybugs to take care of those pesky aphids in the retail store, are proof positive that they will stay to help take care of your garden for generations to come!