May 15, 2014

Where It All Starts + Texas Quilt Museum Garden

Wow, what a storm! I got more rain in 2 days than in 5 months. Certainly reminds us to trim limbs out of power lines and remove defunct, troubled trees that even Sunday’s winds felled around town.

Also around town, native Datura wrightii is bee busy. And yes, every part is poisonous to us, so don’t stick it in your mouth. Or any plant that’s not confirmed edible!

I spotted this Indigofera kirlowii in a garden we taped last week.

It’s been on my list, so I’m thrilled with her report: no problems in her dappled shade. It drops leaves after a freeze but comes back on the branches. She’s even planted it in a neighbor’s garden that gets overhead and western sun where it’s successful, though with paler foliage. She notes that it does like looser soil.

On CTG, we meet all kinds of gardeners. One thing they have in common: respect for their soil.

Successful gardeners acknowledge “the soil that brung them,” but nourish the liveliness underground for good performance on top.

Vegetable gardens need extra help, of course, especially in raised beds. Life-renewing compost is essential.

George Altgelt at Geo Growers has taught me a lot about soil. This week, he joins Tom for the underground secrets to garden health, especially when hot dry days return.

Lavender is very picky about soil. They are all so lovely and very drought tough, yet many end up in the compost pile. Trisha improves our success factor with tips on soil and water.

It depends on variety, too. She gives us the pros and cons on English, English hybrids, French and Spanish. One French that works for us is Lavandula dentata ‘Goodwin Creek.’ Trisha notes that it’s not as frost hardy for us, but its dark purple blooms are long-lasting and prolific.

Spanish lavenders have the showiest blooms, are winter hardy and more tolerant of our heat and humidity. They’re not good for culinary use, but great for bees. And their spicy scent and lush foliage pay their way in the garden and in the house.

In Temple, Master Gardener Mary Lew Quesinberry affirms that hers made it through hard freezes just fine, though she also loves ‘Provence’.

For sure, different varieties on any plant can be confusing, along with our downfall if we pick the wrong one. For Betty and David DeVolder, they planted a field of native Indian paintbrush.

But then yellows and whites showed up! Daphne explains what happened: a recessive trait showed up, just like bluebonnets that come up in maroon or white.

Varieties certainly made a difference for designer Mitzi VanSant when she created the Grandmother’s Flower Garden at the Texas Quilt Museum in La Grange.

The project started when cousins Karey Brensenhan and Nancy O’Bryant Puentes, founders of the International Quilt Festival in Houston, renovated two historic buildings for an ever-changing gallery of contemporary and historic quilts.

Since quilting a quilt and a garden are so alike, they wanted a garden in the empty spot next door. Mitzi designed a fragrant four square garden with drought tough perennials and annual color to reflect waterwise plants from the 1880s to 1930.

Austin artist Duana Gill designed the intricate mural.

Most exciting: they’ve received their North American Butterfly Association certification and soon expect certification as aMonarch butterfly Waystation. To celebrate, until the end of June, they’re featuring Butterflies and Their Beautiful Kin and A Flutter of Butterfly Quilts!

Be sure to have lunch at Bistro 108 for home-made noms!

Take the tour now!

Thanks for stopping by! Next week, meet the Beatles. Oh, wait, I mean, BEETLES. Linda

Comments