Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Copyright © 2007-2009. Suburban Wildlife Garden. All Rights Reserved.

I hope everyone is having a very enjoyable holiday. My son's grandfather & his wife came to visit us which made our Christmas a lot happier indeed. We decorated the house much as we did last year, but I'll share some photos here again anyway...














I also took a stroll in my garden on Christmas Day.


It was nice to see some flowers are still blooming despite the temperature extremes so far this year in the Hill Country. My lipstick salvia doesn't seem to know it is Christmas...


Though the milkweed plant at least has some appropriate seed pods in preparation for the colder weather...



My favorite garden surprise of the day was this rose from my neighbor's yard that is peeking through our fence to say "Merry Christmas".


The rose brought to mind a Christmas song called "There is a Flower"... Enjoy this version sung by The King Singers...



I wish all of you a much Happier and Healthier New Year in 2009. May your gardens' blooms be their loveliest ever.

Lo, how a rose e'er blooming,
From tender stem hath sprung.
Of Jesse's lineage coming,
As men of old have sung;
It came, a flow'ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When halfspent was the night. ~late-16th century German Carol

Copyright © 2007-2009. Suburban Wildlife Garden. All Rights Reserved.

Another Walk with the Wildflowers

We took our visiting relatives to see the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center last weekend. It was not my first visit, nor will it be my last now that I have a membership. At the Wildflower Center visitors can see first-hand how Lady Bird Johnson spent her life working to "protect and preserve North America's native plants and natural landscapes". This interactive map of the grounds shows there is a lot to see at the Center.



When we first arrived we noticed the butterflies were drawn to drifts of purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea).





The horsetails (Equisteum hyemale) below are lush and abundant in the Wetland Pond.






The red-eared sliders seemed unconcerned with the algae that covered their shells and the tiny fish that found it so tasty.

The central irrigation rooftop system that collects rainwater off the Center's buildings has been very busy during our exceptionally rainy summer this year. Dry-loving plants top the 5,000 gallon capacity Tower Cistern where visitors can enjoy a breathtaking view.

A Coral Honeysuckle greeted us as we walked down the outer staircase of the Tower Cistern.






This stone wall gives old world ambiance to the Member's Garden.

My son was intrigued by the fossilized ammonite in the Homeowner's Inspiration Garden.

A handsome bench invites the wanderer to cross this field of rock rose (pavonia lasiopetala) for a rest in the sun.

I was particularly taken with this woolly ironweed, (Vernonia lindheimeri).

We were lucky to visit on a sunny day. The bumble bees and butterflies were happily sampling these tall sunflowers.

This little fellow was getting a sip of water from the paving stones.

I prefered the pool in the Court Yard which looks tempting enough to dive into.

The Halberdleaf hibiscus or rose mallow (Hibiscus laevis) was blooming happily next to the courtyard pool. We were told by a docent that the flowers look lovely floating on the surface of the water as well.

After a pleasant stroll through the grounds we ended our stay at the Wildflower Center Store where I bought a copy of "Hummingbirds of Texas", by Clifford E. Shackelford, Madge M. Lindsay and C. Mark Klym.

The book is full of colorful photographs and helpful information about making a hummingbird garden in your backyard. I highly recommend it as well as a visit to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

"My heart found its home long ago in the beauty, mystery, order and disorder of the flowering earth." Lady Bird Johnson