Purple passion fruit
Planted this purple passion vine last year. This year it produced fruit!
Back side of berm
We planted this berm a few years ago to provide some privacy. We planted white plumbago and white mistflower on the side that faces our neighbors so that it looks pretty from their side. I look forward to seeing what it will look like when it fills in. Must resist the urge to over-plant. lol.
More August blooms
Thyrallis and Firecracker Fern – Both love the heat and do not need a lot of water. It does not get much better than that.
Thyrallis gets very large. If we have a really hard freeze, the shrub will die to the ground, but will come back in the spring. It is beautiful, but I am not sure how it benefits wildlife. I have never seen a butterfly or a bee land on it.
Firecracker fern attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. Love this plant. It is beautiful too.
Figs in August
This is the second flush of fruit from this tree. I think it is 3 or 4 years old. We started it from a cutting.
The first photo is of a mature fig. The second one of some immature figs on the tree.
August blooms – Beautyberry!
The first two pictures are from August. The light purple picture is what the fruit looked like in May. This is the first year we have had these. We bought them in March and they did not have any leaves. We had faith and sure enough, they leafed out and even produced fruit this year. I hear the mockingbirds will take all of these, but they are edible.
Dream come true – rain catching
We finally put in a rain catching system. This is our first barrel and it is 500 gallons. It is located up the hill from the vegetable garden, so we do not even need a pump. It rained recently and was full in about an hour! Woohoo!
Happy Frogs!
We bought our frog friends a lily pad. They were skeptical at first, but now they love it. Why did we wait so long to buy one? Oh, that’s right. We looked earlier in the year and they were $80. We found one the other day for $20, and we had a half off coupon.
What is blooming in June and July
June, July and August are brutal. So hot. I’ve heard it referred to as Texas’ winter.
I only found a couple of new things blooming in June and July – Red Agave and Firebush
Both of these plants are bulletproof. They can take the heat.
So thankful for generous neighbors
I was looking for some water tanks that no longer hold water, so that I could make some raised beds. I’m not as young as I used to be and I think these tanks will be easier on my back. Also, hoping that bermuda grass will not get in them, like it has in the past. Well, a very sweet neighbor offered us these. We will put them to use and give her vegetables for years to come. Thankfully, my husband was able to do some welding for her too. Funny how things work out. I love when this happens.
I’ll post pics of the beds in use in the months to come…Now I’ve got to fill them permaculture style! Can’t wait!
Nopalitos
Turns out, Nopales are easy to propagate. Now I feel silly for paying $30 dollars for the mamma plant. It was worth it to show support for the Mostly Natives plant sale, which usually happens every April.
I’m not sure what the common name is for this plant..prickly pear? In Spanish, they are called Nopales and you make Nopalitos out of them. They are delicious. I wish I knew how to cook them.
Other things blooming in May
Mexican bird of paradise, Passionflower, Dewberries (flowers and fruit)
Bees love bee balm
This is bee balm. I bought it last year and planted one plant. I always buy one plant when I do not have any experience with it. I let it grow for one full year before I decide whether or not to plant more. Well I love bee balm. It is beautiful and covered in bees. Next to it is dill. I planted that last year and it made it through the winter and is a giant this year. I guess it also spreads easily by seed because I have little dill plants all over my veggie garden. They are easy enough to pull out. I think I planted it to sacrifice it to the caterpillars…
Squash – 4 weeks later
Ok, so I’m not complaining. I’ve gotten probably 12 good size squash from this one plant…and I only planted one this year. But, here is the plant now. It is covered in stink bugs. I tried to vacuum them up and only got about 12 of them. lol. At least it was fun. I am pesticide free so it looks like the beginning of the end for this year’s squash.
Squash
Do you know you can eat squash when it is very small? It is delicious. Thinking about picking them small before the squash bugs arrive.
And this is a volunteer sunflower from sunflower seed we feed the birds…
Mulberries forming
Planted this tree last year. It was only about 18 inches tall. It is now about 4 feet tall and is producing fruit already!
Update 4/30/2017: Berries are gone. Suspect birds stole them.
Fruit setting in April
June’s gold peach, La Feliciano peach and Loquat
End of days food setting fruit – lol
Agarita and Mexican plum
What’s blooming in April
Guara, Mealy blue sage, Jerusalem Sage, Lavender and Roses
Pineapple guava
Edible fruit. Planted under a red oak tree. The flower petals are edible too. They taste like honey. So good.
Basset-bonnet
