A Stroll Through Zilker's Green Garden on the Summer Solstice

In spite of the heat, I don't think the garden could be more lovely and I have to share the blossoms with you. This isn't a story, it's my job, one of them...and sometimes, it's the best place to be. This morning you could hear the Northern Cricket Frogs singing in the pond and, one visitor told me that there were more butterflies in my little meadow than in the Butterfly Garden. When you work alone for hours on end, words like these are pure sweetness.

Wooly Butterfly Bush

Purple Cone Flower, like a dream.

Lions Tail, that I planted in November...just five of them in 4" pots!

Buddleia or Butterfly Bush

A symphony in lavender... Society Garlic, Majestic Sage and Mexican Oregano.

This is one of 3 rock mounds in the "Little Meadow," (I call it that because I designed it to be viewed by a child) when you kneel down all the flowers are eye-high and it's quite dreamy, especially when all the butterflies and dragonflies are dancing in the morning sun.

I transplanted some Polygunom from the ground in the Master Gardener greenhouse and it's taking over nicely. The little ones always get a kick out of the glass rings.

Zexmenia

Echinacea

I just love these flowers, as do the butterflies. If you love butterflies, please join me tomorrow night, June 22nd at Zilker Botanical Gardens for the Butterfly Forum at 7pm; the speaker will be teaching us how to identify our beautiful garden guests.

Thanks for taking a stroll with me, if you haven't been out to the gardens in awhile, may I suggest you go early...no later than 8am, and bring water!

Happy Gardening

Grow Green Festival

Sunday was the Grow Green Festival at Zilker Botanical Gardens and we introduced the new guide for Austin with some 45 additions including roses, succulents, agave's and palms. We had a nice turn out and the day was just beautiful! Here are a few shots of the Green Garden, which is the one I tend and is maintained not by Zilker but by the Watershed Department of Austin. It's a demonstration garden, featuring native and adaptive plants that have low water requirements.

The quiet spot...when I take a break from working, I sit here and meditate and wait for a hummingbird or butterfly or anole or something else just as magical to visit.
The intensity of this flower is unbelievable! One day I'd love to have a simple sage garden...because there is nothing simple about it, I have over 15 varieties at home.

This is the wildlife habitat that is maintained primarily by Wildlife Stewards...the pond needs some work but the critters don't seem to mind.

Just one of the beds...the first one I worked on a few years ago now when I was a volunteer.

This is a row of Rock Rose in front of Muhly Grass, I love the contrast in texture and can't wait for the roses to bloom!

Last year we removed Iron Plant from around St. Francis because we'd lost a tree due to the hail storm so he is now in full sun. Behind him are Wine and Cheese Irises...still waiting for blooms.

The February star, Flowering Quince...destined to please on Valentines Day every year!

The fabulous ever blooming creeping purple Lantana!

How many names can one simple flower have? Bitterweed, Four Nerve Daisy, Hymenoxys...I first bought it at the old TexZen nursery with a tag that read "Desert Flower" maybe that's why they're not around anymore....my favorite is TDYF, or what gardeners call...flower.that damn yellow flower!

Butterfly Weed!

We have beaucoup Bulbine!

And, due to a super mild winter...the Mexican Honeysuckle made it with no frost damage at all!

Come by the garden sometime and say "Hi." Or better yet, volunteer with us on Thursday's and learn more about Green Gardening, Texas style!

Happy Gardening!

Zilker Garden Update

Susie, Tom, Me and Mary Ann after the first planting day.

We finished putting in the new garden today at Zilker. A task that has been months in the making. I took over the gardening position in June and have been clearing/cleaning/planing this one area for awhile now. It's a small corner that lost a large tree last spring due to the hailstorm.

We decided that this area would feature some of the new plants on the '09 Grow Green Guide for Austin...and some other bling! The glass mulch I picked up from the City's Recycle Plant off Todd Rd. You have to call ahead, but it's FREE. Bring a pick-up, and buckets when you go.

We put in three glass rings, two with Agave Americana or Century Plant from my home garden and one with a baby Queen Victoria. Both features in the Yucca/Agave/Succulent/Cacti/Sotol section of the new Guide...which should be out in February '09.

Susi has been my most devoted and hardworking volunteer this Fall, I don't think she's missed a Tuesday yet! Today I had 6 wonderful helpers!
Tom's another regular, he's a fellow brewer and devoted gardener!
When I asked Zilker to remove some of the trees in the area (I later found out had been poisoned by an attempt to control root growth on other nearby trees) I was told that this area was once an Indian Burial ground. I would love to know if this is true...I haven't found any hard evidence but in respect to lore, we used all of the rocks (and there were many) to make 3 large mounds...which I think is one of the more interesting features in the new space.
Agave Victoria Reginae in glass mulch.

Beautiful brown butterfly (if anyone knows the species please fill me in!) on Century Plant.

Butterfly Weed

Lions Tail

Polygunum ground cover.

There's a lot of space to let the babies spread. We've got Wooly butterfly bush, Gulf Muhly Muhlenbergia...the purple fuzz on top grass, Engleman's Daisy, Calylophus and a Spanish Dagger in the corner.

That's little Firecracker Fern around the Spanish Dagger.

Sotol's have been added and we also planted a few Nolina's elsewhere.

I just love the way the glass sparkles in the sun!

This was my favorite shot of the space...room for shadows. We also added more plants to other remaining beds. There is now a rose section beyond Rock Rose, so we added a Belinda's Dream and a few Martha Gonzales...two tried and true Texas performers but there are many new additions on the list. There will be a Grow Green Festival at Zilker Park this coming February and I hope you'll come out, pick up the new guide and check out our space. I couldn't have done it without my dedicated volunteers, Thank you so much! You make my time in the garden even more special! Happy Gardening!