Invasion

Part of the difficulty I have run into with trying to create a more natural yard space is this invasion. I pulled out this latest explosion over the week.

Experienced gardeners would have taken steps to prep the garden space before planting. This is a key step in reclaiming. Any garden book or video you explore will show you key basics to preparing a garden bed.

This week's difficulty was self-induced. At no point when I created my small weed garden did prep happen. My Dear Husband had made a surprise purchase of native wildflower seeds. Boy was I excited I simply tossed those seeds in the side yard. 

Prep the garden bed...Not I said the cat. 

Now I have a mountain of Senecio Vulgaris and Lactuca Serriola (or something like that) and very few native seeds popped. While time-consuming the removal of these two plants pest plants is not difficult. A simple trowel up under the roots and the plants pop out. The front weed garden experiment will continue to get some work done, mostly weeding. 

Lactuca Serriola? @cassundry 2020 

Over the next week, I will be upgrading a section of the back garden. This time preparation will be made to ensure this bed will be more successful. On March 21st Hill Country Water Garden Nursery will have a plant sale (Gala). With luck, the back garden will be stocked with natives. 

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

This weekend Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center held there spring plant sale.  So with much excitement a day trip was planned.  So much is in bloom right now everything looked so beautiful.

Front wetland pond

Our group arrived at the gardens in the middle of the afternoon in between rain sprinkling storms.  Parking was kinda hard because of the plant sale but inside the wildflower center it was not very crowded.  You couldn't tell the streets had been lined with cars.

Every home should have this feature

We spent a little while wandering around some of the gardens.  We got hung up in the Woodland garden area.  The stream that meandered through the garden was captivating. 

Texas bluebonnets and Winecups

The theme gardens where also a big hit.  Not so much for the themes of the garden but because of the amount of flowers and plants in each square garden.

Mexican Poppy

Snowbell

Antelope Milkweed

Of course we did not make it around all the gardens, arboretum, or trails.  But we did purchase a membership for future trips.  Most of the garden is wheelchair accessible and kid friendly.  This made for a very pleasant family outing for our family.

The plant sale was my main focus this trip.  With the purchase of a membership our group received a coupon for three free 4-inch plants.  I ended up picking up seventeen plants in all.  I had a long list but I also had a budget.  A large number of the plants I wanted had already been sold out that also helped keep my spending on a short leash.  Well a garden is a process.  Even in the wild it is ever changing and adapting.  Time and patience is the key to gardens. 

Good luck planting everyone!