Right now, if you are a Zone 9 gardener, you are busy. If you haven’t already gambled and done much of your spring planting, you will soon. If you are not planting, you are weeding, tilling or otherwise preparing your beds and borders for all of the flowers and veggies to come. Yes, it is definately a time of sore backs and aching muscles.
With so much to do, it is easy to overlook all of the amazing things that are happening all around us. That is why I always make a point to walk around and observe all of the beautiful things that are beginning to make their spring show.
I love the things that produce every year with out any help from me. My peach and plum trees are beginning to flower. In my mind, there aren’t many things that are any prettier than the delicate pink blooms of the peach tree.
No Texas spring is complete without bluebonnets. The winter drought is going to mean that there are fewer bluebonnets to enjoy this year. However, one really is enough.
I absolutely love larkspur. These self seeding annuals are as utterly dependable as my poppies and my bluebonnets.
Cherokee rose is an absolutely horrible plant. It is full of thorns, it grows like a weed and it only blooms once. However, this is the first “found rose” that I ever propogated. Plus, I did it with my daughter. So, despite all of the bad things about it, I will love it and keep it forever.
Even though I have several bulbs blooming now, I think the delicate leucojum (Snow Flakes) are my favorites.
A redbud in full bloom is a great reminder that spring really is here again
By far, the biggest and showiest announcer of spring are the native Texas Redbuds. The sight of their bright magenta blooms can bring cheer to the cloudiest day.
I have noticed my redbuds as well as the neighbor’s are a deeper red and more profuse than in many years. Can anyone tell me why?
I have asked several of my friends and no one knows the answer definitively. However, I have a theory. We are currently in a drought situation again. Plants know this. As a defense mechanism, they do everything possible to increase their chance of survival. With plants, that means make more seeds. So, I believe trees are putting as much color and as many flowers as they can to attract more pollinators. More pollinators means more fertilized seeds which increase their chances of producing offspring. Like I said, this is my theory. However, it was proved out by pecans harvests last year. After the drought of 2011, pecan trees produced so many nuts in 2012 that harvests were up 20% over the year before