Gecko Hollow

I haven't been great about writing this July in part because of the weather, but also because I've had my Mom visiting from Kansas City. I thought it would be a nice bonding exercise to take her out with me to garden and see what I do, so we swung by Howson Library where I recently began taking care of the beautiful Grow Green garden designed by one of my best friends, the
wonderfully talented Elizabeth Drozda. Then we went to the County Extension Garden to install new signs for the Master Gardener's garden where I recently created a gecko hollow, we are in the midst of becoming certified as a habitat with the NWF. Then we went over to Zilker to prune and care for the Green Garden there, part of the cities Watershed Project and also a new gardening venture. Although I didn't garden as a child much due to the gypsy nature

of my traveling family, we visited gardens throughout Europe and spent oodles of time in the Black Forrest camping and hiking and I have so many wonderful memories of spending time

in nature with my Mom.

This week I took my daughter with me to work in the gardens and we had some super adventures. At Zilker "Arnold the Armadillo" scurried out from a huge mound of purple cone flower and sent a shrill of terror and then delight through the garden as he made a crescent shaped path along the wall...we followed him quietly until he found his hole and went back under for shelter. Then we were visited by a nearly foot long skink which was chased down by two rabble rousing boys...the skink made it to safety, thank heavens.

If it's too hot in your garden, swing by Zilker and check out the beautiful blossoms and cool Japanese Garden and Koi ponds...it's still relatively cool even by noon. Heck, take your Mom!

If you don't make her prune roses, she'll probably have a lovely time:) Or if she's into it, I'd love to put some volunteers to work!