Blog
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Bluebonnet Seeds Are Already Starting To Form
Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) are annuals and therefore need to reseed each year. Last year I scattered seed in the fall. However, given how many plants I have here now, I should not need to buy seed again if I let these seed themselves. The easiest way to do that is just to leave the plants… Continue reading
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Two Plants I Thought I Had Lost, And A Visitor
Mexican OliveI didn’t realize it at the time, but of the trees I have planted here, my Mexican Olive (Cordia boissieri) was at greatest risk during the winter freeze when temperatures got as low as 16F. The strongest factors in choosing plants here have been that they are preferably native and highly resistant to heat… Continue reading
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Genista Broom Moth Caterpillars Eat Bluebonnets, Too
I have twice had populations of Genista Moth (Uresiphita reversalis) caterpillars on my Texas Mountain Laurel tree (September 2023, November 2023) behind the house. On both of those occasions it was more important to me to protect my young and somewhat stressed tree and so I picked off caterpillars as I found them. I only… Continue reading
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My Texas Mountain Laurel Tree Continues To Surprise Me
My little Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) was the first tree that I planted here last spring. For any plant, I expect the first year after installation to be primarily spent growing a healthy root system, and I don’t mind if it doesn’t bloom in its first season. However, this particular tree’s first year has been filled… Continue reading
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Volunteer: Texas Indian Paintbrush
I have seen Texas Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja indivisa) in large groups beside roadways in Central Texas, often alongside Bluebonnets. I hadn’t seen them up close before now, though. In my reading about this plant, I found two interesting facts. First is that the colored structures are actually bracts (a type of modified leaf, not a… Continue reading
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Convergent Lady Beetles
Convergent Lady Beetles (Hippodamia convergens) are common throughout North America and I see them often here. They are welcome garden visitors because they eat aphids. The photo above is of a pair in my Texas Mountain Laurel tree, presumably in the process of making new Convergent Lady Beetles. And here’s another one I saw a… Continue reading
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New Spring Growth: Flame Acanthus
I have two baby Flame Acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii) here. They lost their leaves during the winter but are growing back nicely. I bought them too late last year to see blooms, so I’m hoping for that this year. Hummingbirds love this plant. Continue reading
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Volunteer: Yellow Sweetclover
Burclovers are plentiful here, but I pull them out because they are very invasive and their seeds are annoyingly barbed. In contrast, this is a Yellow Sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis), which is also a volunteer non-native, but I am allowing this one to stay. I only have a few of them, they will help with nitrogen-fixing… Continue reading
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New Spring Growth: Desert Willow
A Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) tree was planted here last spring and it seems to be the perfect tree for my particular situation because it thrives in poor soil and dry conditions. It moves gracefully in the wind, and the blooms last summer attracted not only insects but also hummingbirds, which was a bonus I… Continue reading
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Volunteer: Texas Ragwort
There are few volunteer Texas Ragwort (Senecio ampullaceus) plants here (not to be confused with Ragweed, which can trigger allergic reactions for some). It’s fairly tall (about 2 feet). I didn’t notice until after I uploaded the second photograph in this post that there was something feeding or resting on a flower on the right… Continue reading
About Me
Nature Lover.
Inquisitive Observer.
Student Gardener.
I invite you to join me on my journey to convert my sterile (from a nature point of view) new house lot to a healthy and diverse ecosystem, as I make discoveries, mistakes, and hopefully progress. I am not an expert or professional. The project started in February 2023 and the location is Seguin, Texas, USA.
Rewilding My Lot 