Blog
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Flowerpot Parasol
This was a surprise in my front flower bed a couple of days ago. A day later it looked like this: It’s a Flowerpot Parasol (Leucocoprinus birnbaumii), and it is perhaps not surprising that it has appeared after we have had significant rain following a drought. Most likely spores have been in the ground or… Continue reading
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Another Disruptive Rain Event
Apparently I have a history of causing flooding rain events to occur just after I have sown seeds. It happened six days after I seeded native grasses in the spring, and this week the day after seeding wildflowers in my front lawn (which was also two days after leveling the front lawn with extra soil… Continue reading
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A Big Day In The Back Yard
I had been looking forward to this day for months! Seven cubic yards of enriched topsoil were delivered here earlier this week by Maldonado Nursery. In preparation, the inner part of the back yard has had Bermudagrass removed or killed with the intent to plant or seed a variety of native plants. (The outside edge… Continue reading
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Wildflower Seeds In The Front Yard
I am taking advantage of the front yard having quite a bit of bare soil after the leveling project, to add some wildflower seeds to the front lawn area. This is a bit of an experiment, but if it works, in the springtime there will be an area in the center of the lawn that… Continue reading
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More Leveling Of The Front Lawn
A few weeks ago I experimented with leveling my very unevenly laid Bermudagrass front lawn. For that pilot project in one small area I used soil that I had purchased in bags, and to spread it, the back of a regular rake and then a special leveling rake. That project went well, and now I’ve… Continue reading
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Salvaged Plants
At the Park West Pollinator Garden, where I regularly volunteer, this week we were cutting back some of the more enthusiastic plants. Two of those were Horseherb aka Straggler Daisy (Calyptocarpus vialis) and Lyreleaf Sage (Salvia lyrata), and since I was familiar with both from my Houston garden I thought I’d bring some sprigs home… Continue reading
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The New Fall Aster Is Open And Ready For Business
I only planted a Fall Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) a week ago, and already since then it has burst into bloom and is being visited by pollinators. In the upper left of the photograph above is a bee, genus Megachile. Most, although not all, of these bees cut small pieces of leaf to line their nests,… Continue reading
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Nature Gardening vs. “Neighbor” Gardening
This ant pile is underneath a Texas Barometer Bush (Leucophyllum frutescens) in my front flower bed. It’s not in my way and the plant seems happy, so I’m leaving the ant bed in place. I’d rather support what nature is doing than make the garden “picture perfect.” The ground here is badly compacted from the… Continue reading
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Defining Areas For Two Small Trees
The Mexican Olive (Cordia boissieri) and Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) trees were planted earlier this year, and each had vaguely defined mulch circles already. In order to more clearly separate these trees from the seeding activities that will happen near them, I’ve given them each a stone circle and added fresh mulch. Here’s the… Continue reading
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A Defined Circle For The Desert Willow Tree
The Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) tree here was planted in the spring in an area that was bare earth. I knew that I wasn’t planning to develop that area until fall, so in the meantime I have just been keeping it largely clear of weeds. However, fall is here and there will soon be soil… 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 