Installed Water Line

Today we installed a new water line to the area near the bird house. The water line is connected to our existing system and will allow us to irrigate plant in the new area. Rather than using a sprinkler head we will be using a traditional garden hose. This will allow us to control the amount of water different parts of the area will receive.

Wisteria Vine Begins to Bloom

This morning we spotted two or three blossoms in the very top of the Wisteria Vine. This will be the first year that we have had any blossoms since we planted the vine several years ago.

Transplanted Umbrella Grass

Today we transplanted several clusters of Umbrella Grass (Cyperus Alternafolius) into the new area by the bird house. It is a tall upright reed with spectacular umbrella-like narrow green leaves. It is most familiar as a house plant but will tolerate very cold temperatures and can be grown outside in a pond, pot, or in the ground as long as the roots don't freeze.

We removed a few pieces from the mother plant growing next to the driveway. We planted the new plants in three natural crevices on the northern end of the rock. This area is well above the lake's water line but could be underwater when the lake is near spillway level. Umbrella Grass should be able to survive being submerged. It will receive full morning sun in this new location.

We also moved soil into the new planters today. This took a lot more soil than we had anticipated—some 12 wheelbarrows full. Some of the cracks and crevices in the rock were much deeper than they appeared. We have also decided that another retaining wall should be added to the project. This new section will only be a few feet long. It will connect two of the native rocks creating the illusion that they are both part of a larger rock formation.

Transplanted Easter Lilies

Today we transplanted some of our Easter Lilies. They had been growing under some of the Live Oaks and were not grouped close enough to each other to create an effective display. We moved them to the area near the Silver Maple where they will get more sun

Building Natural Rock Planter

We completed Stage I of construction of a natural rock planter. This project will allow us to landscape the area beneath the martin house. Today we built a small retaining wall using native rocks to fill spaces between some of the existing rocks to create planting areas.

This section closest to the pole for the bird house is on the southern end of the planter. There soil will be deepest next to the rocks on the east side of the planter.



This section is in the center of the planter. There are several areas closest to the rocks where the soil will be very deep.



This section is on the northern end of the planter. The soil will be deepest next to the rocks on the east side of the planter.

For Stage II we will fill some of the larger cracks and crevices in the rocks with mortar mix. This will help unify Stage I construction with the existing rock and will help prevent erosion. We will complete the project by willing the planting areas with soil. These photos will serve as a reference showing the dept of the soil.

Planted Brown Turkey Fig

Today we planted a Brown Turkey Fig (Ficus carica) that we found at Sliger's Produce in Brownwood. The fig tree will produce medium to large pear-shaped coppery-brown fruit that has an amber to pink flesh of excellent quality. It's hardy and very prolific.



We planted the fig tree under the grove of Live Oak trees growing on the lot across the street from the house. When the fig reaches maturity it should be about 1o feet tall and 10 feet wide. It should provide a nice backdrop for the flowering plants we will be growing in this area.


We planted the fig by setting the top of the root-ball at ground level. A mound of soil was used to form a water basin. We will keep the fig moist until it is completely established and then will water it in times of drought. Next February we will take cuttings from this year's growth and will propagate them to create several more trees.

Transplanted Tiger Lilies

Today we transplanted the Tiger Lilies. They had been growing next to the property line just north of the deck. Their bed has been covered with Asian Jasmine. They had not been divided since we moved to the lake. We divided the bulbs and transplanted them a few feet west of where they had been growing. They now occupy a small section in the garden area north of the house.

Possible Freeze Damage

Last night according to the Brownwood Bulletin, the temperature dropped to 27º. We had a light frost showing on the redwood deck and on the roof of the house. It's too early to determine the extent of the freeze damage. Freeze injury usually takes several days minimum before definitive symptoms appear.

Transplanted Daffodils

Today we transplanted the daffodils. They had been growing in heavy shade under the Live Oaks just west of the garage. This year only two or three of them bloomed. We planted then across the road near the yellow oleanders where they will receive full sun.

Planted Bachelor Button Seeds

This afternoon we planted Bachelor Buttons in the beds around the rosemary and the yellow oleander. We planted them 15 inches between plants in rows 7 inches apart.

Planted Four O'Clock Seed

Today we planted a packet of Burpee's Four O'Clock seed that we found at Kroger's. The seeds will produce neat, closely-branched rapid growing plants bearing good sized flowers that open each afternoon. They will bloom from midsummer on. Plants are easily grown in poor soill; drought tolerant. Four O'Clocks are an annual.

We planted the seeds ½ inch deep and 15 inches apart adjacent to the pink oleanders. Seedlings should emerge in 14-21 days at 70º They should be about 30 inches tall.

Planted Chiltepín Peppers

Today we planted Chiltepín Peppers in front of the fig tree. They originated from a wild chile. They will produce orange to reddish-brown peppers when they are in their ripe form, ovoid or spherical in shape and measuring about ¼ inch in diameter. They are thin fleshed; their fiery heat tends to dissipate quickly. They resemble the wild chiles that were discovered by Columbus. Their name comes from the Nahutl word meaning “flea”. They are good in salsas, soups and stews.

We picked dried peppers from some of the plants which are growing under the Live Oaks. We then planted the seeds 15 inches apart in concentric rows spaced 7½ inches apart. The peppers are a perennial and have shown that they will grow under the Live Oaks and that they can withstand drought.

Transplanted Pink Oleanders

Today we transplanted the pink oleanders. They had been growing north of the garage near the yellow oleanders. We had propagated them from cuttings taken from the mother plant using the same procedure we used for the yellow oleanders. We moved them across the road and planted then west of the yellow oleanders. We also transplanted the mother plant. It had been growing in a pot.

Transplanted Rosemary

Today we transplanted the rosemary. It had been growing in a barrel half near the driveway next to the yellow oleander. We pruned it back to approximately one third of it's original size before we transplanted it. It was root bound and hadn’t been doing as well as it should. We think that it will do much better by planting directly it into the ground and in full sun.

Transplanted Yellow Oleanders

Today we transplanted the yellow oleanders. They had been growing north of the garage. They had been damaged by the freeze we had late last year and needed to be pruned to remove the dead branches. We had propagated them from cuttings several years ago by taking cuttings from the mother plant, dipping them in rooting hormone and then placing them into the moist soil. They have created fairly large plants. We moved them across the road and planted then along the northern property line. We also transplanted the mother plant. It had been growing in a barrel half near the driveway. They will receive full sun in their new location.

Transplanted Strawberry Plants

Today we transplanted strawberry plants into the bed next to the fish pond where the Happy Returns Daylilies had been growing. The strawberry plants were growing in the garden area north of the house had spread into several of the beds next to their section. Some had grown into the rock walk. Others were growing in the bed where we transplanted the Happy Returns Daylilies.

Transplanted "Happy Returns" Daylilies

Today we transplanted the Happy Returns Daylilies. They had been growing next to the fish pond in heavy shade under the Live Oaks. They haven’t remained in bloom through out the season as they should. We divided the plants and transplanted them in the bed along the property next to the garden area north of the house where they will receive more sun.