“Oh My Gourd, that Gourd is Gourdeous”

ESPatch Jun 20, 2015 3 comments

We threw a few gourd seeds into this container a few months back and with all the rain they went ballistic.

The first tiny gourds were met with excitement,

when we checked in on them the other day…

…the conversation immediately went to “so what are we going to make with them?”

I did notice that some of the smaller gourds have been cut from the vine this past week and I fear they are not for the creation of tiny tribal drums, decoration, or drinking vessels.

I think you know where I am going with this.

Moving quickly along…

Rain on top of rain on top of rain on top of Lamar Blvd.

It is a good thing these steps had a hand rail.

Pathways have turned into rivers many times over the past few weeks and I cannot recount ever emptying out the rain gauge so many times.

Some things never change even though his dimensions do.

This enormous sun flower had it’s stalk flattened and split by the rain and wind.

It continued to grow and curled around an old cedar stump before shooting up two feet to deliver this impressive flower.

This pokeweed volunteer,

Phytolacca americana

has got very large at the base of my post oak.

I will let the berries mature for the birds.

Seems like yesteryear.

My sago palms have also responded to the moisture influx,

with lots of new growth,

and another one of these to put under my trench coat:

https://www.eastsidepatch.com/2013/07/trouble-with-the-old-strobilus/

This high-rise came with some permanent residents.

I guess these two Largus nymphs have not found my ‘Macho Mocha’ mangave yet.

I found this odd looking purple martian-mold earlier this year on an old post oak branch,

and now this striking tan growth, complete with velveteen texture.

These are about as interesting as lichen :-)

“He’s wittering on about mold and lichen again dear!”

see_no_evil

See no weevil, hear no weevil, speak no weevil!

Okay, not so much a weevil as a whole bunch of bordered plant bugs (this time largus nymphs).

The adults attacked this plant earlier this year.

What is it with Largus bugs and ‘Macho Mocha’ mangaves?

Stay Tuned For:

“Carry On Camping”

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“Bridge Over the River Why?”

ESPatch May 2, 2015 7 comments

I love the city brush pick-up…it is like I am getting away with something.

I think this is because I am used to paying for dumpsters when I am doing installations.

This is what large brush pick-up looks like in the Patch after I have attacked my loquat trees, vitex (yes I still have it) and bamboos. If I have to stoop to walk under it, it ends up here.

I do have lots of perimeter screening foliage that contributes to the street pile,

and there are always the high-maintenance pecan trees.

My two favorite hand-tools for taking care of such brush business:

It took half an hour to remove my brush pile.

Moving Along…

Just when I thought he couldn’t look any more ridiculous,

he goes and grows these!

I came so close to snapping them off and adding them to the brush pile but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

…“stupid cactus man with his stupid large and small ears”.

Looming high above the cactus man is this burgundy sand cherry which really pops with color set against a dark back drop like the shade of my post oak.

Spring color that looks like fall.

This wall of jasmine is made up of two types,

The white is Confederate and the yellow is Star of Toscana.

Both are great for screening and for spring fragrance.

Remember the curvy flower stalk on this ‘Macho Mocha’ mangave?

Here it is now, standing proud at about the 6ft 4″ mark.

The rust colored flowers

not only look good,

they also rotate to the touch in all directions…amazing.

Bridge over the river why?

Well, to add structure of course.

This large back garden in south central Austin did not always look this big and airy.

A number of Large ligustrums were imposing and possessing the space making it feel dark and claustrophobic.

Ba-ba DOOK!…Brrr.

They were the first to be exorcised by the teeth of a chain saw.

Here is the design visualization I generated for the client:

Before:

After:

Eliminating the understory ligustrums immediately opened up the space visually.

A weaving dry-creek bed slows water-flow and breaks up two flagstone patios on either side of the bridge.

Cast iron plants, sabal minor, fatsia Japonica and bamboo muhly will soften up the shady scene as an understory planting.

Loquats and clumping bamboos will add perimeter height and interest when mature.

After finishing the rear of the property, naturally we consolidated the front.