March 05, 2024
The candy, grapey perfume of Kool-Support wafts on the breeze right now of 12 months in Texas. Purple flower clusters that put wisteria to disgrace dangle from Texas mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora) timber. Bees go mad for these purple pom-poms, and so do I.
Each time I spot a Texas mountain laurel in full bloom, I’ve to cease for a sniff.
This one was not possible, nonetheless. The bees had claimed it for their very own.
They had been buzzing and burrowing into these luscious flowers, accumulating all of the pollen they may discover. Fortunately, I acquired whiff of grape sweetness whereas standing a number of ft away.
In my very own backyard, the dwell oaks are dropping their leaves with a view to push out new leaves for spring. “Fall” mingles with spring. The Mexican plum is decked out in cottony white, and the orange crossvine on the fence is able to pop. On the similar time, leaves flutter down like confetti at a parade, carpeting the bottom with a slippery, brown layer. Quickly the dwell oaks will flip vivid inexperienced with new leaves, after which the messy pollen drop will start.
It’s the seasonal sample, and all you are able to do is embrace it, whereas shaking the leaves off your hat earlier than heading again inside.
Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana), with its spicy-sweet clusters of white flowers alongside satin-gray branches, is value a deep sniff each time I move it.
Bees love these flowers. They had been working the upper branches after I took these images, leaving the decrease stage to me.
Mexican plum is at peak bloom proper now, with a blush of pink showing on the flowers. Quickly inexperienced leaves will flush out, and the petals will drop.
All of the extra motive to get exterior day by day for a sniff.
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Digging Deeper
March 16: Attend the third annual Budding Out Plant Sale & Pageant on 3/16 on the John Fairey Backyard in Hempstead. Uncommon and distinctive crops from the backyard’s nursery and from choose plant distributors will likely be on the market. Further choices embody artwork, ceramics, jewellery, meals, music, and displays. Admission: $5 for members, $10 for non-members, kids beneath 12 free. Hours: 10 am to 4 pm; members get early admission at 9 am (memberships out there on day of occasion).
March 30-31: Come see the Austin Cactus & Succulent Society Present at Zilker Botanical Backyard on 3/30 and three/31, from 10 am to five pm. Features a plant present with specimen cacti and succulents, handcrafted pottery, every day silent public sale and hourly plant raffles, and skilled recommendation. Admission is included with paid admission to Zilker Backyard, $5 to $8 for adults, $3 to $4 for youngsters (beneath 2 free).
April 6: Come out to Austin’s Mayfield Park on 4/6 for the Mayfield Park Gardening Symposium & Fundraiser, 8:30 to 11 am. This annual profit for the park features a raffle, plant sale, and backyard audio system.
Could 4: Discover “good backyards, excellent swimming pools and pergolas, and out of doors rooms and gardens” on the ATX Outside Residing Tour on 5/4, 10 am to three pm. Panorama architects, designers, and builders will likely be readily available to reply questions. Tickets are $33.85 for adults, $17.85 for youths age 10-17.
Could 11: Save the date for Austin Residence’s Nice Open air Tour on 5/11.
June 1-2: Take a self-guided, 2-day tour of ponds and gardens in and round Austin on the annual Austin Pond and Backyard Tour, held 6/1 and 6/2, 9 am to five pm. Tickets are $20 to $25.
Come find out about gardening and design at Backyard Spark! I set up in-person talks by inspiring designers, panorama architects, authors, and gardeners a number of occasions a 12 months in Austin. These are limited-attendance occasions that promote out shortly, so be a part of the Backyard Spark e-mail listing to be notified upfront; merely click on this hyperlink and ask to be added. Season 8 kicks off in fall 2024. Keep tuned for more information!
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