How to Create a Beautiful & Waterwise Garden: free lecture 2 p.m. this Sunday

tel: 512 280-1192 Thurs, Oct. 9, 2014

Nursery Notes: we are fully stocked with all winter veggies right

now, including kale and spinach. If you're creating a fall vegetable

garden, we have everything that you need! / 2 gal. bougainvilleas

now on sale for $9.99 (reg. $19.99). / This also is the perfect time

of year to establish one of the large oaks in your garden. We have

Monterrey oaks, red oaks, bur oaks & live oaks: 5 gal. $34.99,

10 gal. $125.99). / Winter annuals in stock: violas, pansies, snap-

dragons, ornamental kale and cabbage. Chinese fringe flowers

$24.99. Shrubs in stock include dwarf yaupon holly, elaeagnus,

bottlebrush, viburnum, bay laurels and Indian hawthorn.

Caroline Foley, free lecture this Sunday at 2 p.m. 'How to Create

a Garden that's Beautiful and Water-wise.' Writes Caroline: 'Proper

plant choices can be made only when you know what you want the

plant to do for you. Are you interested in an evergreen species or

something that provides more color but freezes back in the winter?

Low maintenance plant choices start with knowing how tall you

would like the plant to grow. It's advisable to use native or well adap-

ted plants for successful landscapes that last for decades. Come learn

what works for the Austin area landscapes.' Learn more about Caroline

and her landscaping company here: Diamondscape

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Placing Art in the Garden: local author Pam Penick offers 5 guide-

lines in this Garden Design feature which focusses on the work of

Jill Nooney. Pam is best known for her book 'Lawn Gone!' and readers

may remember her from her visit to the nursery last year.

Garden Design

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'Salvias are the perfect dance partners,' writes Ann Raver. 'They

make all the other plants look better.' Garden sage, Mexican bush

sage, hot lips salvia... and many more are written about in this

beautifully written appreciation: New York Times

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Central Texas Gardener Celebrate Native Plant Week with tips to

bring on the butterflies, birds, and bees. Visit an English garden design

built on rock and drought-tough native plants Sat., 4 p.m., Sun.

9 a.m. www.klru

Bearded iris are found on old homesteads all over our state.

Fall Plants for Spring Flowers

by Amanda Moon

Well . . . we've made it through yet another summer! Now that cool-

er weather is finally arriving, it is time to re-evaluate our landscapes

and think of ways to get them ready to look beautiful for the spring

of 2015 – which will be here before we know it.

Many plants perform much better in our heat if planted during the

fall and winter months. Central Texas soil doesn't freeze and all but

the most sensitive perennials will grow roots throughout the winter,

allowing them to break dormancy in the spring as established plants.

These older plants will be able to survive an early heat wave or dry

period with much less care than ones that you plant in the spring.

Natives are an especially good choice to plant out in the landscape

right now. They're acclimatized to our weather, and even if it gets

a little cooler than normal they should bounce right up in the spring

ready to bloom.

Some of the great old stand-bys are the many Salvias, lantanas (ex-

cept the newer hybrid versions which are not cold hardy), Texas ver-

benas, 4-nerve and other native daisies, flame acanthus and guara.

Fall planting is critical for spring bulbs and wildflowers. Wild-

flowers are typically seeded in October and are allowed to germinate

during the winter.

We need good winter rains and cooler temperatures for a strong

spring wildflower season, especially bluebonnets, Indian paint-

brushes and other early blooming favorites. Plant after a good rain

and lightly rake to make sure the seeds contact the soil.

It's best to plant many of the spring blooming bulbs in October and

November. Bearded iris, daffodils and annual tulips (not perennial

here) are several types of bulbs you'll see available to plant right

now. Bearded irises, actually a rhizome, are amazing here and are

found on old homesteads all over our state.

Make sure you amend the soil if it's super heavy, adding compost

and a little bone meal to promote blooms.

Also, keep an eye out for new amaryllis varieties. We don’t plant

them in the ground until spring, but they'll be available to buy during

the holiday season and can be kept in the house until ready to plant.

Apple blossom is one of my favorites and will naturalize here.

Lastly, make sure you also get a jump on early spring flowering

shrubs. Many shrubs (roses included) take three seasons to really

establish themselves, so any time you can buy this fall means strong

growth and more flowers that much sooner. Antique roses including

Chinas and hybrid musks are some of the healthiest and prettiest

roses to grow here. The newer Knock Outs also make good flow-

ering hedges and will bloom most of the year; just be prepared for

lots of pruning to keep them in check.

Some other great shrubs to plant right now: dwarf nandina for winter

foliage color; Texas mountain laurel for super fragrant purple blooms

(small tree or large shrub); Chinese fringe flower with its pretty

purple flowers and foliage; and glossy abelia, an easy to grow ever-

green with dainty white flowers.

Happy gardening everyone!

Visit the website: www.itsaboutthyme.com

Visit the nursery:11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, 78748 Like us

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