Berry Delicious

Posted on March 21, 2019 by Tina

I continue enjoying visits from the wintering Cedar Waxwings, Bombycilla cedrorum. An afternoon or two ago, I observed as they laid waste the berries on a neighbor’s Possumhaw holly, Ilex decidua, and wondered at that time why they hadn’t descended upon and devoured the berries on my Burford holly, Ilex cornuta, shrubs.

I wondered too soon.

A gaggle of waxwings found the shrubs and went to work–flitting, flapping, berries in beaks.

I assume waxwings ate the few berries that were on my Possumhaw–someone did– though I never actually saw any in that tree. The Burford holly shrubs are located in a more easily viewed spot. It was quite a show.

This one looked straight at me as he gulped a fruit, though probably didn’t see me. I was well hidden in another corner of the garden.

There are plenty of berries remaining; I wonder if they’ll return before they make their way northward?

The shrubs are also now blooming their tiny white flowers and the honeybees and hoverflies are at their pollination work.

There’s never a dull moment in the garden.

All Hat, No Petal

Posted on March 20, 2019 by Tina

All hat, no cattle is a contemporary phrase describing someone who’s showy, but lacking in substance. The saying is used to describe a person who talks big about a subject, but when pressed, can’t convey solid information or skills. There’s some dispute about the origins of the axiom, with some suggesting that it’s an old Texas adage, and others mistakenly linking it to the 1978-1991 television program, Dallas. The earliest verified notation of All hat, no cattle is in the March 1944 issue of Agricultural Leaders’ Digest 25, No. 3, with possible earlier references.

My twist on the pithy proverb is this: all hat (sepal), no petal.

The hat, in the form of the poppy’s sepals, is not quite doffed for the as-yet-unfurled petals. It’s a flower, but a flower currently unable to deliver its goods–it’s a flower wanna be, with promises of produce, but lacking in freight.

Here, the sepals are gone, having drifted away with a puff of breeze or the pull of gravity; no doubt they rest nearby.

The petals are opening for business, the flower awaiting its pollinators.

But peering into the heart of this poppy, there is no phony, fake entity; pollen and nectar are in place, ready for action.

The insect work of pollination and resulting future bloom procreation, will continue.

Check out Anna’s Flutter and Hum and her wonderful Wednesday Vignette for garden, nature, and other musings.

Spring Things

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Tina

In this post, there will be no philosophical musings, no preaching about pollinators or planting for wildlife. Spring is in full flush with fresh florals opening each and every day.

Spring being spring, it’s all about the flowers.

This cheery bit of yellow, Golden groundsel, produces a sprightly sprays of spring flowers and a year-round, drought-tolerant groundcover.

Golden groundsel (Packera obovata)

The Texas mountain laurel is famed for its beauty and fragrance. Spring breezes carry the iconic bouquet throughout Austin for weeks, though I notice the heady grape juice scent mostly after nightfall.

Texas mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora)

During daylight hours, I sigh at the stunning blooms and appreciate what it offers pollinators.

Migrating Monarch butterfly nectaring at the blooms.

The tubular flowers on Coral honeysuckle vine pop in spring, but there are always a few clusters gracing the vine throughout summer.

Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)

I finally found a home for Carolina jessamine in my garden. Requiring full sun, there is one spot in my garden–and one only spot–where this spring-only bloomer can grow successfully. Carolina is repaying me with a second spring set of blooms.

Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)

Trees bloom too! The catkins of the Texas oak tree vie for attention with new green foliage.

Texas red oak (Quercus buckeyi)

I like the lone double acorn cap, affixed firmly to the branch. It hung onto the branch through winter and is now keeping company with the catkins and the new leaves. I wonder if it’ll still be there in mid-summer?

It’s been easy to spot native and wintering birds as they perch in the bare-limbed trees. Going forward, those observations will become more challenging as the deciduous trees leaf out.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)

Of course, what is up must come down, and that is certainly true of the oak catkins. I’ll be cleaning the pond when all the oak catkins and powdery pollen is down and done. But walkways, patio covers, and roof gutters also need some tidying. Let the sneezing commence!

Shooting stars? Garden fairies? Nope, these darling dancers are the Yellow columbines beginning their blooming season! I’ll enjoy these charmers into late April or May, and so will their pollinators.

Yellow columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha)

Pink-tinged columbines, another Texas native, also provide a month or two of pretty pollinator action alongside their yellow compadres.

Wild red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Spiderworts dot roadsides, countrysides, fence lines, and my gardens with their purple-to-pink prettiness. There are many varieties of these wildflowers, but I only grow the Giant spiderwort. My specimens were on the verge of blooming when we were hit with a freeze–our only real freeze of this year–last week. Still, quite a few are open for business and more are in the process of developing. On the upside of enjoying fewer blooms this year is that there will be fewer volunteers next year requiring weeding. With gardening, it’s always good to take a positive spin.

Giant spiderwort (Tradescantia gigantea)

I garden in Austin, Texas (zone 8b) with mostly, but not exclusively, native Texas plants. It’s been a while since I joined in with Carol’s fun May Dreams Gardens GBBD, but I’m happy to renew my participation. Happy blooming!