tel. 512 280 1192 May 10, 2018
Nursery notes: we are stocked on all fronts at the moment.
Special offer: four plants for just a $1 each: tobacco, chamomile,
feverfew, marjoram. For the shady part of your garden we have
cast iron plants. For keeping the air clean and fresh the natural
way, we have sanseveria, airplane plants and dracaena. Boundless
amounts of veggies in stock - and new shipments of everyhing
arriving weekly. Please come by for a visit ; - ) ❦
Wildflower Center book signing + talk: at 1 p.m. this Sunday
author Michael Eason will talk about his new book 'Wildflowers
of Texas,' a useful guide for nature lovers. Wildflower Center ❦
____________________________________________________
Elevated gardens: if you are dealing with back pain, or have a
relative with mobility issues, one solution to consider is bringing
the garden up to waist height. E-news. ❦
Arugula salad: using feta cheese, walnuts, pomegranates, chef
Jenn Louise offers this simple summer salad: Splendid Table ❦
_________________________________________________Central Texas Gardener: learn about water-thrifty plants and
water conservation techniques from Dick Peterson. On tour, a
visit with the Williamson County Master Gardeners. Plant of the
week: globe amaranth, a favorite for butterflies. Saturday 4 p.m.
Sunday 9 a.m. KLRU ❦
Diane Winslow with crime author Susan Wittig Albert at the nursery.
Mom the Gardener
by Chris Winslow
Mother’s Day is fast approaching this weekend. As a nurseryman,
please allow me to make an observation: mothers are enthusiastic
gardeners! They make up a huge part of our customer base. With
that in mind, assisted by my wife Diane, I have assembled a few
gift ideas for readers.
____________________________________________________
1. Mixed plantings of culinary herbs This simple project makes
a wonderful gift for any gardener who likes fresh herbs for the kit-
chen. Just pick a beautiful ceramic pot or hanging basket. Fill it
with good potting soil, and then plant four 4” potted herbs. Pick
some that will cascade from the top of the pot. Creeping herbs like
thyme, oregano and rosemary can also be mixed with popular, up-
right herbs like parsley, sage and chives. Tie a bow around the top
of the pot, add a card, and you will have made a unique and thought-
ful gift.
____________________________________________________
2. European basket Start with a nice woven basket with a handle.
Then place potted flowering herbs and tropical plants inside. Add
some packets of flower seed, a hand trowel, and some colorful (and
useful) gardening gloves, some ribbon, and a card. Another beautiful
home-made gift.
____________________________________________________
3. A living rose bush There are some magnificent roses available
that bloom all year and require little attention. Look for the knock
out series, and home run. They will add beauty to the landscape
all year.
____________________________________________________
4. Books If mom likes to read as much as she likes to garden, we
suggest Lucinda Hutson’s Herb Garden Cookbook (Gulf Publish-
ing). Lucinda goes through the culinary herbs one at a time and tells
you how to grow and then cook with them. It is filled with tasty
recipes and tips on how to be successful growing these garden gems.
Trisha Shirey's Vegetable Gardening in the Southwest (Timber
Press) could also make a great gift.
____________________________________________________
5. Fiction Another gardening author to check out is Austinite
Susan Wittig Albert. She is the creator of the China Bales myst-
ery series (and she has visited us at the nursery to share her know-
ledge about herbs). The main character, China Bales, uses her
gardening skills and herbal wisdom to solve murder mysteries.
____________________________________________________
6. Hanging baskets We have some beauties filled with bougain-
villeas, purslane, geraniums, and portulaca. ❦
