Blue Bonnets and Other Glories of Nature

I love Spring and we are almost into Summer! It is the wildflower season in the Texas Hills and in addition to the Blue Bonnets we have lots of flowers showing up this year that we have never seen in the 5 years we have lived here. The long soaking winter rains made such a difference that everything is responding in over drive. We had a few days of harsh temps where we got down to 17 and 21 degrees and that has
forced some of our herbs into "retirement"! But as a gardener that just means a new spot to try something else!!! From the three year drought and the long soaking rains we did finally see more lavender plants crash.

Lavender likes it dry but we did not have drip irrigation through the worst of it. We were more concerned that the well would make it through the drought for us human types and the animals we support...even leaving water out for the birds and the deer! So that gives us the opportunity to replant and we are doing so with some plants purchased from our faithful lavender experts at Gabriel Valley Farms as well as a few donated from a fellow lavender enthusiast from Kerrville. We are also going to order some from Washington state...if they can ever get it to quit snowing up there! The photo here with the fairy is French Thyme. This variety is delicious in a blend for Herbs De Provence. It has flavor that is a bit unique. It is located in a large pot with a rose that is about to be removed because it was a grafted rose and is on its last legs.

I plan to hit the Antique Rose Emporium tomorrow and see what they have in the way of veggies, herbs and oh, maybe I'll squeeze one more rose into the collection. I'll have to sneak it into the yard before my husband sees it! I already have about 25 in containers and they are coming roaring back but obviously need to be fed. ARE has some great organic fertilizer that contains some beneficial micro organisms that seems to make them really continue to bloom even in the worst of the heat.

We also have some new additions to the neighborhood in the way of Long Horn cows. The property up the road has three new calves that are just adorable and tonight we noticed a new donkey has joined the herd. He is brown and white! I'll try to get photos of him soon. He looked so scared and he was far away from the rest of the troops. I hope he figures out his job is to run with the big guys and soon!