more holiday cheer (not gin this time)

In person, I'd seen Christmas balls hanging from large agaves and liked the look but didn't feel good about piercing my plants with those hooks. Then I stumbled across this idea online somewhere and did my own version. Cheers again, y'all!




I had a few leftovers, so I added them to the light pole/fire hydrant corner agave.

holiday cheer: favorite gins

I try not to stray from gardening, house, or trial topics here, but my gardener/landscaper friend Jackie and I were comparing cocktail notes yesterday and she thought my gin comparison information was blog-worthy, so here goes.

Husband Kurt is actually the bigger gin fan, but recently he put me to a blind taste test and it turned out my favorites were the same as his. Junipero, from Anchor Distilling, a small batch distillery in San Francisco, is our favorite. Junipero is a very strong, yet traditional dry gin with complex herbal/botanical/citrus notes.

Number two is the "earthy" gin, Plymouth (England), but I don't have any to photograph. Plymouth is best for a Bloody Mary and, for some, the Paez. There is also Plymouth Navy Strength for those who need to light gunpowder.

Number three is Miller's (England/Iceland), which is similar to Junipero but less complex and maybe better for mixed drinks.

Number four is Hendricks (Scotland), which is lighter, with cucumber and lots more floral notes--a little "girly." Citadelle (France) is probably our number four (very similar to Hendricks but less cucumber), but I don't have a photograph of that either.



Kurt really enjoys a good martini after a day at work, so the choice of dry vermouth is particularly important. Vya (Quady Winery, Madera, California) vermouth is so tasty and smooth that we occasionally drink it straight on ice or mixed half and half with Vya's sweet vermouth. Really, it's that good!

I know many people think Bombay Sapphire is the bomb, but I think it's rot gut. I know, tell us how you really feel, Iris. Cheers!

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with any of these gin or vermouth companies and have not received anything from any of them for free. I have bought all of the products listed on my own.

experiment in cuttings

I'm brand new at propagating plants from stem cuttings, but I'm game. Several days ago, I gently stuck some cuttings from my potted Persian Shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus) and Pineapple Coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides 'pineapple') in seed starter soil mix and placed them in a mostly shaded spot (above photo). They got some rain Friday, so I decided today was the time to put baggies over them to keep them moister and warmer.



I brought one inside to see if it fares better or worse than the outside group. If they root and survive, I'll transplant them into pots and bring them inside for the winter. With luck, they'll survive, and I'll put them back outside in the spring. Maybe I'll be daring and even plant some in the ground!


tented cuttings with their parent plants below

I would like to thank the academy

I am not worthy, but THANK YOU to The Curious Holts of wabi-sabihomeandgarden for including me as a recipient of bloggers' Honest Scrap Awards.



There are more than two dozen fantastic Austin-area garden blogs, but here are three of my more offbeat favorites: Hungersauce, The Bearded Gourmand, and Austin Agrodolce.

And, in the spirit of the award's requests, here are some honest things about me:
-I'm six years older than my husband.
-I've snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef and did NOT enjoy the water.
-I was an extra in Billy Idol's "Don't Need a Gun" music video.
-I have one near-sighted eye and one far-sighted eye.

Thanks again and cheers, y'all!

happy 10th anniversary to us and happy halloween to all

we put up a few decorations last week

Husband Kurt and I kicked off our tenth wedding anniversary last night with an incredible meal at Wink restaurant, known for its inventive use of lots of local and organic ingredients. I run into chef Eric at the Boggy Creek Farm stand allot, and he's really cool.

But today is our actual anniversary. We got married in Seattle, shortly before we moved back to Austin. The weather was as beautiful that day as it is today. Happy Halloween everyone!


bouquets of blue-maroon hydrangeas ( how I WISH I could grow those here), gardenias, and I can't remember what else because I wasn't much of a gardener then


clear, cool day at our wedding venue, the DAR house on East Roy street in Seattle

update: David/Peese approved to pump 800,000 gallons from Trinity aquifer

Today I spoke to a helpful man at the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and learned that their board has approved local Rollingwood residents James David and Gary Peese's application to drill a well to pump 800,000 gallons (annually) from the Trinity aquifer for "domestic irrigation needs" for their two-acre estate. David/Peese originally asked for a million gallons and requested a variance to get around the current drought-related watering restrictions, but the board denied the variance request and reduced the million gallons to 800,000.



The board seems to be fairly enthusiastic about the whole thing because David/Peese have agreed to keep monitoring equipment on the well so the board may study this "under-utilized" source that doesn't strain the Edwards aquifer. David/Peese will not be allowed to pump from the Trinity aquifer until the drought status is lifted and will pay $80,000-$100,000 for the privilege, should they go through with it.

The Garden Conservancy, along with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and The University of Texas at Austin is hosting a seminar on October 31 called Limestone & Water: Plants, Design and Inspiration for the Texas Garden, which includes the following topic

Smarter Gardens: gardening with less but getting more
Stephen Orr, garden writer, NYC
Stephen identifies a new revolution in garden design that treats gardens not as resource guzzlers—water, labor, materials, energy—but as conserving and graceful places in which to live and rest year ‘round.

Ironically, the reception for the seminar that includes this topic will be held at the home and garden of James David and Gary Peese.

rain gauge and window screens finally get a workout

A month ago, I really didn't imagine we'd ever see a day like today until maybe November. But I was SO wrong: it's 65 degrees (F) right now and has rained 3 inches in central Austin in the past 15 hours! We finally had custom wood window screens constructed and installed a month ago but haven't had a chance to air out the house and enjoy them until today. The talented John Hindman of Red River Restorations made them out of cypress and aluminum and did a great job!


note half-open window!


screen detail from inside

I don't think these guys should be showcased on future garden tours

At the moment, restrictions on use of the Trinity Aquifer are not mandated by the Texas Legislature as they are for the Edwards Aquifer. So, during this greater Austin area's second year of exceptional drought, it appears that Rollingwood residents James David and Gary Peese are taking full and for now, legal, advantage of that lack of restrictions by applying to the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District for the right to suck a MILLION gallons a year from the Trinity Aquifer to water their two-acre estate.

Read the whole story here. And more info here.

(Hat tip to tweet by MSS Zanthan Gardens.)

two years blogging

potted white bougainvillea hanging out with the ruellia

I'm late to my own party! Just realized that August 27, 2007 was my very first blog post, so yesterday was my two-year blogging anniversary. I have no profound haikus to offer. Just thought I'd share.

indoor outdoor purple

Looks like today will make Austin's 64th day of 100+ heat this year, and I just couldn't deal with any outdoor projects this weekend. Instead, I stayed inside and lost a few brain cells breathing latex fumes as I painted this cute little wooden chair to use as a plant stand for the back yard.


the whole gang



See the cool maroon-leafed plant in the forefront of the above photo? It's a Hawaiian Ti plant (Cordyline Terminalis 'Red Sister') I just bought, which will become a houseplant once/if temperatures get below 50. Praying mantis approves.

More water restrictions soon

I just received this breaking news email alert from the Austin Chronicle:

The Austin Water Utility will announce this week that due to continued severe drought, "Stage 2" water restrictions will be implemented effective Monday, Aug. 24. Under Stage 2 restrictions, residential users will be limited to one day of watering per week (instead of the current two days), paved surfaces cannot be washed except for immediate hazards, and more general restrictions will also apply. For more information, see the AWU Web site here.

welcoming more succulents: baby steps

Today is Austin's 46th day of triple-digit heat this year, as well as our second year of extreme or exceptional drought. Our front yard garden is almost 100 percent drought-tolerant plants, with no lawn, and yet I still find myself watering more than I'd like to keep things looking pretty decent.

I don't care much now about keeping those things looking particularly good, just alive.

I think I may be experiencing SAD, not the traditional Seasonal Affective Disorder that affects many Seattle residents, but Summer Affective Disorder (not sure if it exists clinically)--too many days of extreme heat, bright sun, and precious little rain. I rarely utter the word "sun" anymore without a few accompanying expletives!



So, accepting that we now live in a desert climate, I've finally seen the light and am learning to love succulents! Although we have a few nice, big varieties in the ground that were suggested by a landscape architect friend, I'm really a total beginner in this department.





I'm cultivating my new interest in succulents and cacti in baby steps by trying some out in my recently painted pots:


aloes I freed from a crowded pot


a succulent relative of the kalanchoe?


tag read "Crassula 'chain' mix"


more aloes I freed from a crowded pot

Thrives on neglect

Sometimes I take plant descriptions too literally. I have learned that “drought-tolerant” doesn’t mean the plant will necessarily look great during a drought, and it doesn’t mean the plant won’t need at least a little bit of supplemental water during a drought.

But occasionally I run across a plant that seems to truly thrive on neglect. Rosemary, which I love and have lots of, is fairly notorious for loving to be ignored. I’ve never given my rosemary supplemental water or food, and I only cut it back when it gets in my way.



My mysterious spidery flower receives even less attention than my ignored rosemary, and yet it sends up three days’ worth of these exotic blooms every July. My neighbor found these left over from one of her catering jobs and gave them to me several years ago. Neither of us knew what they were.



More recently, I thought it might be a spider flower (Cleome hassleriana), but mine doesn’t really look like the images I’ve found online. Oddly, the only other place I’ve ever seen these (although they were twice as big) was in northeastern Australia, near the Great Barrier Reef. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of it! Anyone recognize this tropical beauty? Edited 7:15 p.m.--Thanks to comments from Laura and Eoin: it's a Spider Lily-Hymenocallis "Tropical Giant"!

Tomato wisdom from my favorite local organic farmer

Place your prized not-quite-ripe Cherokee Purple tomato (saved from squirrels by bird netting) on a soft towel on your kitchen table because its skin is quite fragile. Be patient with your Sun Gold cherry tomatoes: they are a little slow to ripen on the vine.

That is what I learned this morning from Larry Butler, one of the owners/farmers of my favorite local organic farm stand, Boggy Creek Farm. Carol Ann Sayle, the other owner/farmer and wife of Larry, has always been eager to share her expertise with me, too, ranging from recipe ideas to growing tips.


My first homegrown Cherokee Purple heirloom tomato

I’ve been a regular weekly customer at the Boggy Creek farm stand, in central east Austin, since 2003, and regret I didn’t know about this gem before then!

Husband Kurt and I had just returned from a great summer trip to France (work for him, fun for me) and were intent on trying to recreate some part of that daily French market experience in our hot, Austin summer lives when we heard about Boggy Creek. Yep—call me a Francophile; I can handle it. (However, I really need to become more proficient in French to truly earn the Francophile label, even in jest.)



Anyway, Boggy Creek is the closest thing we found. We’ve learned so many things from Carol Ann and Larry and Cousin Claire and all their knowledgeable staff, including how to eat in season. Running into local chefs (from Wink, Blue Star Cafeteria, Asti, Barr Mansion, Uchi, and Cissi’s—I’m sure I’ve forgotten someone) on market days and asking what they’re doing with certain produce is always fun, too!


Heirlooms I bought today at Boggy Creek

My tiny tropical paradise

I usually rely on drought-tolerant natives and adapted natives, but I couldn’t resist creating this little back yard bed of cool flowers, with which I have no experience. They just seem so tropical—ahhhh….


Peter Pan Blue Agapanthus (dwarf Lily of the Nile)


Scutellaria hybrid Purple Fountain (can't find its common name)

Tomato-stealing squirrels versus Iris, part 1

The squirrels are two for two right now. So, at the moment, I have no tomatoes, only some flowers on several plants. Husband Kurt is planning to build some serious tomato cages this weekend, but until then, I’ve put out some deterrents.



Well, I hope they’re deterrents because I spent at least three hours researching this stuff online and, because I didn’t want to sprinkle cayenne and risk getting it in my cat’s or dog’s eyes, I decided on the following recommendations for part 1 of my quest:
pantyhose feet stuffed with tree tea oil-soaked cotton balls
vinegar-soaked rags
shiny ribbon things that move in the wind plus a few dangling tin tops (from cat food cans)
coffee grounds

Apparently squirrels don’t like “stinky” things, or coffee grounds, or shiny, erratically moving things near their potential spoils. Maybe they just don’t like ugly pantyhose feet, rags, and tin lids. Because they're all ugly.

Verbena butterfly

Sometimes I just luck out chasing a butterfly. Literally. I was not using a zoom lens when I shot these photos, but I did look funny erratically crouching around the front edge of the yard in order to get close. What a great subject! Would love to know what kind of butterfly it is…

Glorious gladiolus

An unknown previous owner of our house—who it was and how long ago, I’ll never know--planted these amazing byzantine gladioli more than 20 years ago. They faithfully show off their screaming magenta blooms for about a week every April.

Because I usually choose to plant drought-tolerant perennials for our front yard garden, I’m particularly thrilled when this hardy gladiolus byzantinus returns.