Friday, March 14, 2008

Buying plants...

So yesterday I stopped by the Barton Springs nursery to purchase one item. One. Didn't happen - I left with gobs of stuff. Going to the Nursery is like sticking my hand in a bag of Lays potato chips - I cannot leave with just one.

The one item I went there to purchase was a Texas Persimmon - so I got that, and then I was like 'Oh, I will just walk around and LOOK at the plants', which of course proved too irresistible for me and I also purchased some Chili Pequin (because I thought they might look nice tucked in around my new persimmon tree), some Blackfoot daisy (because some of the seeds I planted didn't come up and I wanted to fill in those empty spaces), Lace leaf lavendar (to replace one I lost over the winter), Red columbine (for that empty pot in the corner in the shade), Sweet basil (because every garden should have some), Mexican bush sage (Again, to replace one lost over the winter), Lyre leaf sage (I had to put SOMETHING in the shade under my orchid tree) and an Agarito (to replace my variagated Agave that got frost-bit).

See? Every item was necessary. Really.

The Agarito:



The Texas Persimmon:




Then I was at HEB this morning and they had a fuschia that said it was 'Texas Tough', and I was forced to buy it. I have been trying to get fuschia to live more than a month for me down here - they always die on me. But, again, this one said 'Texas Tough' so, I had no choice, I had to give it a go. I am determined to make this one live - although it is probably a futile attempt, probably.

In the case of the fuschia, it occurs to me that when one performs the same action over and over and over again and each time expects to get different results, but never does - well, that is really just the definition of insanity isn't it? *Sigh* That darn fuschia WILL live this year...I am going to try a different shady spot this time.

Fuschia 'Angels Earrings Snow Fire' (I did some research on this guy last night and it seems some people out there have this guy thriving in Houston throughout the summer - here's to hoping mine makes it this year)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been thinking about your blog all day because of its name. My garden just wilted today in this 90F degree plus heat. Every time I walkoutside I think, "the sun is trying to kill me."

I was at BSN on Wednesday. Although it has long been my favorite nursery, I haven't been there since they started piping loud music in the covered area. I used to spend many a lunch hour browsing that section but Wednesday the noise chased me out. I was so disheartened. I suppose the majority of people like piped in music, though.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

It seems like YEARS before we will have our nurseries and garden centers open .. meanwhile I can enjoy your plants hunting !
Thanks !
Joy

Priscilla George said...

I hope your fuschia makes it! I'm experience the same type of problem with my corkscrew vine. So far I got it going but it's been a struggle. I think all of your purchases were justified. When I got to the garden center I do the same thing. Plan on getting one thing decided to walk around and get many things that I needed but didn't know I needed until I saw them.

Anonymous said...

Great finds for your garden, but where's the photo so we can admire them? I love chile pequin and also red columbine, but I can't keep the latter alive. Only the yellow ones thrive for me. If they come back for you, let me know your secret.

Lee17 said...

mss,

Hmmm, I suppose it depends on what kind of piped music it is...bad eighties hair band music (not so much) or nifty Austin music scene tunes (which could be fun).

Lee17 said...

gardenjoy4me,

Ha! yes, I suppose it will be a while yet for you up there in Ontario! That is one thing I really like about Austin - being able to grow things year-round.

Lee17 said...

vanillalotus,

I love it when people help me to justify my purchases! Thank you for the support ;)

Lee17 said...

Pam,

Images are up now (they were still in my camera)...you are ever-so-impatient! ;). And yes, I also had a red columbine before in the yard and it promptly died on me. I am sticking this one in a pot to see if I get a different result. I have gagillions of yellow ones and I really want a different color! (I REALLY miss the blue ones I had back home).

Ralph said...

I can relate. First I keep trying to grow plants that were easy in Southern California here in the foothills (not fushias), but the real frustration is when I can't even keep the plants that are supposed to grow here from year to year.

Sue Swift said...

Oh do I empathise about the fuchsia. they're probably my favourite flower but my balcony gets so hot in the summer that they just give up and die. i've stopped even trying - it's too upsetting :(