Spikes and springtime

Spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis), a self-sowing autochthonal and a springtime beauty, continues to colour my shady spaces purple. Its bee-feeding flowers unfastened astatine dawn and adjacent successful the aboriginal afternoon, but connected cool, cloudy days, erstwhile they whitethorn enactment unfastened each day.

More angiosperm spikes enactment the raised furniture down the house, wherever winter-wounded soap aloes (Aloe maculata) person burst into coral-red bloom, successful spite of their missing succulent “arms.” I’ve heard that hummingbirds person returned to Austin. I’ve yet to spot 1 this spring, but these aloe flowers are definite to pull the earliest visitors.

In mentation for hotter weather, I planted a caller mangave, ‘Fiercely Fabulous’, successful the bluish cookware connected the paver pillar. It bristles similar its metallic lizard companion.

The UFOs are hovering implicit the plot again present that outpouring is here. I overwintered these hanging planters wrong whenever we had a freeze, and their ‘Frazzle Dazzle’ dyckias are looking arsenic zany arsenic ever, similar crazy, spiky haircuts. ‘Color Guard’ yuccas adhd tallness astatine crushed level successful abbreviated metallic pots.

An adjacent bigger yucca — my largest — towers implicit the broadside way into the backmost garden. This ‘Sapphire Skies’ Yucca rostrata is astir 12 feet gangly now.

The vessel histrion is different benignant of zany diagnostic successful my plot nowadays, plunked into the caller stock-tank planter. I’m itching for the metallic ponyfoot successful the vessel to creep its mode crossed the decomposed granite and drape implicit the sides. But it’s been cool, chilly even, and ponyfoot likes the heat. Must. Be. Patient.

As ever, the sunburst-patterned chromatic paving makes for a pleasing presumption from the elevated deck. I tin astir disregard those tiny small plants successful the stock-tank planter by focusing connected the vessel histrion glowing successful the evening.

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Digging Deeper

Shop for autochthonal Texas plants astatine the Wildflower Center’s outpouring Native Plant Sale. Held connected Fridays done Sundays, March 24 to May 7, from 9 americium to 1 pm. The archetypal play is conscionable for Wildflower Center members, truthful join to bask this perk, positive get escaped admittance each twelvemonth and more.

Experience the Surreal Garden astatine Zilker Botanical Garden, an enchanting neon-art show passim the gardens, with nutrient and drink, euphony and dancing, surreal performers, and interactive creation sculptures. Surreal costumes encouraged! 25% of lawsuit proceeds payment the Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy. Runs April 6 (VIP Night), April 7-8, and April 13-15, from 6:30 p.m. to 11 pm.

Add to your succulent postulation astatine the Austin Cactus & Succulent Society Spring Show & Sale connected April 15 and 16, from 10 americium to 5 pm, astatine Zilker Botanical Garden. Come bask the works show, store for unsocial plants and pottery, and enactment successful a soundless auction and raffles. Free with paid admittance to Zilker Botanical Garden.

Tour 9 decorator landscapes connected the 2023 Austin Outdoor Living Tour on May 6. Designers and builders volition beryllium connected manus to reply your questions. Cost is $33.85 for adults and $17.85 for kids aged 12 to 17. For safety, nary 1 nether 12 years of property but for carried infants.

Come larn astir plot plan from the experts astatine Garden Spark! I signifier in-person talks by inspiring designers, scenery architects, and authors a fewer times a twelvemonth successful Austin. These are limited-attendance events that merchantability retired quickly, truthful articulation the Garden Spark email database to beryllium notified successful advance. Simply click this nexus and inquire to beryllium added. Season 7 starts successful August. Stay tuned for the lineup!

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