Piggy round-up

We got these new metal flying pigs last week. They keep moving around the nursery, shifting position like those giant flocks of blackbirds. Lately they have been bunching up in a circle. Now I see why. Iris, our old cat, has been rounding them up.

After she gets them in a tidy circle, she lays in the middle, as if they were protecting her. For the past two afternoons, we have found her lying smack in the center of the piggy round-up. It is too cute!

Fairy Garden Re-Do

We are open on Easter Sunday but not too busy so we decided to change up the fairy gardens. It looked like a tornado had hit the fairy garden as we began to remove the overgrown shrubs. It got us to laughing. We didn't quite finish so we'll share the new look later this week. It is amazing that the things we pulled out had grown all winter in those pots and survived the cold quite well. We just transplanted those plants and added in a few new things. It's fun to have some mature items still left in the gardens. It gives them a mature feeling just like in the landscape.

Clematis Ramona

Clematis vines are funny vines. They pop out strong in the spring and are exquisite when they bloom. Then they usually become insignificant the rest of the season. I like that about them. Other vines in Texas are a little too rowdy sometimes, climbing over everything in their path. I have fought cross vine and passion vine for years in places I have planted them and then changed my mind. They will be with me forever. I never feel that way about Clematis. They are sweet and lovely (except for the fall flowering Clematis paniculata-it is another story to be told). I plan to mix 3 shades of purple and lavender together in the garden this year and see if it becomes as beautiful as I think it will. Sharon

Clematis Henryi

Louisiana iris

 Louisiana iris are one of the sturdiest perennials to have in the garden. They need a fair amount of water or a boggy area but are so reliable it's amazing. They come up early, multiply quickly and faithfully bloom each spring. What fun it is to be able to count on them making a show.

Inaugural Second Saturday Art Jam

The artists, merchants and restaurants along FM 279 from Blue Moon Gardens on the east to Ben Wheeler on the west, banded together to form the 279 Artisans Trail. Our first venture, the second Saturday Art Jam, had its debut this past Saturday. All up and down 279 were demonstrations, live music, good food and visiting artists.
Our featured artist for the day was Midge Jackson. Midge has been a friend of our for years and is such a talented lady. She teaches several of our workshops here: soap making, body care, knitted jewelry, bread making. Plus she is a very accomplished fiber artist: spinner, knitter, weaver.

Midge taught a knitted jewelry class here which Sharon and Debra both took. Sharon was already an avid knitter, but Deb was new to knitting. Now they are both making gorgeous knitted jewelry. Midge creates fabulous jewelry with copper wire and beads. Here is a look at her jewelry.

Next month our featured artist is Judy Pritchett, another long-time friend of ours. Judy has been a master weaver for years and teaches weaving at TJC. She will have her woven items for sale, as well as some fascinating mixed media pieces she is constructing now. Come out on May 14 to visit all the businesses along the 279 Artisans Trail.

Potted Plants

The tall Jatropha plant in the center of this pot is new to us this year. We have seen it growing in the Galveston area before during the heat of summer and it looked great. The shade of red goes so well with the red Geraniums and the Dragon Begonias. Planting containers is such fun. Not only do you have to think about the colors you like together but also whether the plants have the same cultural rquirements. Do they like the same amount of sun and water? It is usually the goal to create a combination that will last the whole summer. When you get it right it is always a thrill. 

Color Combinations

Growers are putting together stunning combination planters and baskets now. A few years ago, specialty nurseries were the only ones planting combo pots, but now there are growers specializing in this niche.

Million Bells basket

Here are some of the combinations we have enjoyed this year. I wish I could say we put them together, but we don't have the time during the height of the season. It will be another month before we start potting our own combo pots.

This is a nice, sunny combo. The yellow petunias are lovely and fragrant. Too bad they won't last through the summer. The different foliage textures worked well here also.

We loved this stunning use of color. Dark purple, red and orange. Opposites on the color wheel make for nice contrast. Varying  flower sizes and foliage shapes for good texture.

This last one has a new 'black' (actually dark purple) petunia. Too dark for an effective bedding flower, but a very interesting shade for a mixed container. The grower paired it with pale pink Million Bells. I thought it needed a richer partner. I stuck in a 'Red Spread' lantana and believe it makes a more dramatic statement.