New Zinnia July 6, 2014





I thought this zinnia was a particularly pretty color.  As I have written before, if you plant zinnias over a period of years they begin to make new colors.  I never planted seeds this color, they just show up.

Big Leaves July 6, 2014



 This is Moonlight Caladium.  I've grown these for several years.  Love them.  These are growing in the shade Garden.  I bought 10 bulbs and planted them in groups of three in a couple of places.  They are very showy considering I didn't plant very many.

 Below is an eggplant plant.  Not a single eggplant yet - hope I get at least one!  The rabbits ate all three of my eggplants down to stubs.  They have come back from the brink, but although I have had some flowers, none have borne fruit.

 Hojo Santo.  I have posted several pictures before, but I just think this plant is so pretty.

 This is a common old elephant ear.  The filtered sun shining on the leaves highlights the pretty vein pattern.

Castor Bean July 6, 2014

 I've been wanting to grow Castor Bean for a long time.It is an extremely fast-growing plant.  I planted these seeds in mid-May, and they are about 6 feet tall.   Castor Bean is an herb.  Castor Oil is made from this plant.  All parts of the plant are poisonous, but the oil from the beans can be heated which makes the oil safe to ingest.  Of course, I just think the plant is unusual and pretty.  The leaves are huge, and I love plants with huge leaves.  There are varieties that have a much redder color than this variety which makes them useful as decorative additions in the back of the border.

Weekend at the Farm June 28 - 29, 2014

Came up on Friday afternoon.  Went to Austin on Saturday to babysit Henry and Zelda.  Nathan and Jess were at the house when we got back to the farm.  They spent the night, and William and Kim and the babies came over on Sunday.  Babies everywhere!

• Didn't have time to do much.  Weeded as much as possible.
• Dug up a flower bed by the back door and pulled all the weeds.  Covered the area with leaf mulch.
• Pulled up some brown eyed susans that went to seed at the front of the Rose Garden.  I also pulled some up next to the arbor at the front of the Rose Garden.
• Pulled up the tomato plants in the Vegetable Garden and cleaned up some of the other beds.
• Turned over the soil and planted okra seeds in five beds in the Vegetable Garden.  Okra is about the only thing that will grow in this heat.  Eggplant likes the heat too.
• Planted some birdhouse gourd seeds on one of the arbors in the Vegetable Garden.
• Soaked some Moon Flower and Heavenly Blue Morning Glory seeds in water over night.  Planted them around two arbors in the Star Garden.  I meant to surround them with chicken wire, but the day got away from me.  Everything has to be protected from the rabbits.  
• Meant to dig up some Ox Eyes for my friend Janine but ran out of time.  Saturday I was in Ausitn and Sunday we were with my husbands children and their babies.  
• Watered as much as I could before I got too tired. 

Zinnias June 22, 2014

Hojo Santo June 22, 2014

Hojo Santo is an herb.  The leaves have a root beer scent, hence the common name root beer plant.  This plant can become invasive, it spreads by underground runners.  It will get quite a bit taller than my plant is right now - it is still early in the summer. Hojo Santo dies back in the winter freeze, so it does all its growing in the summer.  Unusual white flowers bloom in the summer, they are long and thin like pencils.  What allows this plant to fall into the herb category is that it is used in Mexican cooking.  Chicken or cheese can be wrapped in the flavorful leaves and baked.    

 The leaves are huge and beautiful.  This shade-loving plant is a great addition to any garden.

Building a Deck Around the Pool June 22, 2014

My husband is building a deck around the pool.  I'm so excited about it!  It will be huge improvement to the appearance of the pool area.

 The deck will wrap around the pool to the left about the same length as it curves to the right.  It will be two levels with a step up - the land slopes upward away from the pool.

 The second level will be constructed in the space in the above photo.  Cool!