spring
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A Breakfast View Of The Back Garden
I like to eat breakfasts outside — there’s always something interesting to notice in the garden. In the wintertime I’m probably in the front porch where I can get some morning sun, but as the year progresses I’m more likely to be behind the house. On this recent morning, the light was good under cloudy Continue reading
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Trees With New Leaves
This post describes two more trees that have put out new leaves for spring. (I am still waiting for Mexican Olive and Barbados Cherry to wake up.) Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana). This was the first year for this young tree to bloom but the second year for it to grow leaves in spring. As the Continue reading
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More Plants Waking Up For Spring
More new growth in the garden! Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora). This is one of the plants that started to make new growth in February only to have those tender shoots freeze back a couple of weeks later. This time it’s taking off for real, although it looks like there might not be any blooms Continue reading
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Red Buckeye Making A Fresh Start
I planted a tiny Red Buckeye tree in April 2024. It had leaves when I planted it, but those leaves had all gone by July 2024. That did concern me, but then I learned that these trees tend to drop their leaves early, by mid to late summer. That made me hopeful that it would Continue reading
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Mexican Plum Tree — Good News After A Winter Scare
My Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana) tree has been here almost two years. Last year it only produced leaves; this year I hoped for blooms as well. Spoiler alert: yes, there are blooms. That alone would make me happy, but given that this tree was sick during the winter I am even more thrilled to see Continue reading
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Signs Of Spring
Spring is my favorite time of year. Almost on a daily basis I can see new life forming, either for the first time or emerging from its winter rest. This year, just when we thought we were finished with freezing nights, we had another round in February. So a few things that had already sprouted Continue reading
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Thunder Turf Spring Mowing
Thunder Turf is a blend of three short prairie grasses (Buffalograss, Blue Grama, Curly Mesquite). Clearing Bermudagrass away from an area around the perimeter of the back garden and seeding these native grasses was an early months-long project here. This grassy area is now quite well established. It’s not pure, in that I know Bermudagrass Continue reading
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Bluebonnets — Good News and Bad News
I have been looking forward to this year’s display of bluebonnets in the “meadow” in front of the house since there are a much greater number of plants than last year. Last year’s plants produced plenty of seed and I’ve been watching the hundreds of new plants grow since November. They stayed close to the Continue reading
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Trimming Standing Cypress
There is a defined area towards the back of the garden that includes three trees (Desert Willow, Mexican Plum, Red Buckeye), one shrub (Rock Rose), and the rest of the area is filled with taller annual or biennial plants (some seeded, some volunteer). Last year the plants predominantly filling that area were Standing Cypress (Ipomopsis Continue reading
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Trimming The Clump Grasses
Around the perimeter of the back garden there is a strip of Thunder Turf, a blend of three short native grasses. Those grasses grow low to the ground and get mown a couple of times a year. Toward the back of the garden there is an additional area for native grasses (the triangle in the 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 