 An arctic blast swept across the southeast this week, including the greater Houston area. We covered what we could. I was mostly concerned about our cool-season vegetable garden. It had been painstakingly sowed, lovingly tended, and was growing beautifully. I still don't know what has and has not survived--it's all still covered. But that's not what this post is about. Instead, I'd like to boast on behalf of our Snow Queens, plants that not only made it through the frigid temperatures and snow but looked good doing it! Camellias! They're shaking off the snow just fine. Of course, we did plant Yuletide camellias (Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide'). They're bred to flower in winter, but still, it's been far colder than our norm. I thought the blooms might just drop off, but nope! They don't seem the least bit disturbed by the snow. Azaleas also surprised me. I did not expect anything serious to happen to the plants, but the blooms? They'd been flowering out of season due to the mild December weather. Not all the flowers survived, but Rhododendron 'Fashion' and some of our encore azaleas sailed smoothly through the freeze. Of course, cool season annuals like snapdragons, pansies, and violas have been their usual stellar selves. It amazes me that they grow abundantly during summer in milder climates. They don't even seem to notice the freezing weather conditions. Well, at least what's showing seems to be fine. Some are completely buried under snow. Still, I have a good feeling about them. The snow this week has kept me from actively pursuing the rehaul of our welcoming garden. I've been writing instead. But next week? Who knows?
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 Ever since reading Gordon Hayward's wonderful book The Welcoming Garden almost twenty years ago, I've called our front gardens just that. Problem is, I don't think our current arrangement looks particularly welcoming. It looks more like an ongoing experiment--which it is! But surely that's most gardens. Right? Bottom line, our Welcoming Garden needs work.  A few weeks ago, I began the quest in earnest, pouring over gardening books, searching Pinterest and the rest of the internet, finding nothing I felt would work in our outdoor space. Mr. Hayward's book, one of my favorites, offers timeless wisdom and practical advice that I still refer to. It's our garden I'm struggling with. Anyway, one day, indulging in a few minutes of Instagram, I happened upon a post from Linda Vater's lovely Potager Blog. Inspiration struck!  To be sure, I won't be able to replicate it exactly. For one thing, we're not on a corner. For another, I'm not sure how much I want to wrestle with our HOA. Lastly, we have large trees with hefty roots that thwart plantings. Nevertheless, I should be able to introduce a few of those elements into our little landscape.  Due to the oaks, both canopy and roots, grass struggles year-round. To be sure, I would choose native trees over grass any day. We have four live oaks in our front garden which, considering the size of the space, is four too many. Obviously, we didn't plant them. They were well-established when we bought the property. But I wouldn't remove them now, even if the HOA would allow it-- which it would not. I love trees and so does the local wildlife. Oops--as they say, I digress. The point is that while grass doesn't grow well, there are certain shrubs that might work. Do you see where, in the upper photo, there's an arc on either side of the walk at the front? I could create arcs, too, and fill them in, fill the whole space. I could experiment (that word again) with a couple of topiaries for interest. I'm not sure I would want to add deciduous shrubs, but I should consider all my options. Wouldn't a full--abundant--welcoming garden be lovely? My two favorite nurseries are almost an hour's drive from home and we're busy, so I'm not sure when I'll have the plants. But it will be soon. I'll let you know!   Happy New Year! Things are looking up for our garden. The cleanup was successful and the garden looked amazing for a few weeks. But my concern about weed seeds and even basil, sunflower, and purslane returning with a vengeance was well-founded. After all, they reigned supreme for several months. I don't like mulch, but I might have to consider using it at least in the flower beds. As for the raised vegetable beds, determination, care, and persistence are key (=weeding, weeding, and more weeding). I don't mind. At the end of the day, it's a small garden and spending time in it, especially in beautiful weather, is a joy. We've had plenty of cool, sunny, glorious days interspersed with lots of rain. Everything is staying pretty wet. The raised beds are holding up just fine, but the regular flower beds and the back garden in general are a soggy mess. For now, that simply means I have to remember not to traipse through the house in my gardening clogs/Crocs. But come spring, we'll have to monitor the situation. Perhaps we'll order a few pallets of grass. I'm pleased to report that with the exception of a single variety of lettuce, everything is coming up! A few varieties each of beets, chard, collards, cabbages, kale, and arugula, several varieties of lettuce, and, to my delight, leeks and radishes galore. I love radish greens almost as much as the radishes themselves. Leek and potato soup is one of my all-time favorites. I'm still working on a plan for the hedge. Joseph and I took out several aggressive, giant plants--roots and all, roses died, and a few ligustrums that seemed determined to rally after the deep freeze a few years ago finally succumbed. Aw, shucks, I'll have to buy a few plants. 😉 With the back garden somewhat under control, I've started appraising the front. I must say, I find it lacking. More soon!  |
Our GardenFor years, my husband and I worked at creating a series of gardens on our four-acre lot in a rural, Texas subdivision west of Houston. I have to say, it was a fantastic experience. Now, I have a pocket garden on a golf course. Archives
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