Signs of Spring

On March 12, 2024March 9, 2024 By CarynIn Flora, Garden

We are full on Spring here in Texas. It was quite a mild winter, and I was afraid the grape hyacinths were not going to bloom since they started growing their greenery at the end of last year, but they not only are in bloom, they are putting on a spectacular showing.

Photo description: uncultivated grape hyacinths with multiple blooms coming from one leaf clump.

We have oxalis in the front bed, also volunteering, that started off as a dense carpet and with recent rains has become quite lush. I like oxalis because of the leaf shape and delicate yellow flowers that come later in the year. I think it makes quite a nice ground cover or border and does a fair job choking out other weeds.

Photo description: Oxalis leaves so dense I was able to get an entire picture filled with only oxalis.

We also have Gregg’s mist flower emerging from the area where we planted it last year. No photos yet, but very excited that it does well there.

Bluebonnets loading

On February 26, 2024February 23, 2024 By CarynIn Flora

Photo description: Dried leaves and twigs with green leaves emerging including the five leaf clusters of bluebonnets. Photo credit to my husband.

My husband took a wander out to the meadow and made a lovely discovery: bluebonnets in progress! I like his photo composition as well, with the arc of a twig, opposing arc of dried grass, and the line of bluebonnet leaf clusters trailing down from the top right to the bottom left.

Hanging shelves

On January 30, 2024January 27, 2024 By CarynIn Cats, Flora

Our front window at our house gets the most sunlight, enough that cactus are happy. This would be a great place to start seedlings, so I ordered some hanging acrylic shelves to put in the window.

Photo description: Three hanging shelves with pots of cactus, the top pot has aloe, the middle pot (yes it is a ceramic skull) has a succulent, and the lowest pot has bunny ear cacti. There is another hanging basket and, not shown on the left, another set of three shelves.

I received two sets of three shelves, and installed them centered in the right and left window panels. The idea is that it gives me more space for sunlight loving plants, and raises the plants above the windowsill so the cats too can enjoy the sunshine.

Photo description: picture out the window during the day showing the whole window. The acrylic shelves on the left are nearly invisible. Thor the gray tabby has enough room to walk across the windowsill under the shelves.

The shelves consist of formed acrylic trays, twisted-steel polymer-coated flexible cable, and tubes threaded for screws that act as stoppers. The assembly wasn’t difficult, but did take some time. Could I have made a wood and rope version? Absolutely. I like that the acrylic lets light through.

Cactus correction

On January 1, 2024December 29, 2023 By CarynIn Flora

Did you know that there are Thanksgiving cactus and Christmas cactus? I did not until a reader kindly sent me a link. I thought I had a Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) blooming for the last few years in my house, but it is actually a close relative, the Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata). The easiest way to tell, for me, is the spikes on the edge of the leaves, characteristic of trucata, where bridgesii has rounded edges on the leaves. Care for both is the same, but truncata is a sturdier plant, which is good in my house. I did go back and update my previous posts with the correct information. I post often on this cactus, apparently!